Neal Barnard, MD - Cancer Diet

[jsattaw]

I attended a presentation by Dr. Barnard in Peoria, IL where he presented some recent research regarding diet & breast cancer. He's the author of several books and also has initiated The Cancer Project (www.CancerProject.org).

He advocates a vegan diet incorporating four food groups: whole grains, fruits, legumes, and vegetables. He challenged those attending to try this new lifestyle for a minimum 3 weeks.

I know many of you are on the "Breast Cancer Diet" -- but thought I'd provide this reference as well. Today was my first day on the "new plan". I'm motivated to do all I can to prevent a recurrence -- like someone said in another post -- it's much better than chemo or another surgery!!

Jill

He wrote a diet book called "turn off the fat gene" which I have just read.

I will look at his site with interest.

I would urge you to look at the posts on this site on omega threes sixes and derivatives DHA and EPA. The body can make DHA and EPA but lots of things can impede the process. Various food sources provided DHA EPA and the best ones are fish.

I have read some interesting pro and cons for strict vegitarian / macrobiotic diet v a wider diet including some animal protein sources.

Setting aside the moral arguments, many suggest that are teeth tell us much - cutters at the front and chewers at the back - suggesting we are an omnivore.

Overall I would suggest you to down to the local library and read a few books on the subject before choosing any definative long term course between strict vegitarianism and including some animal protein at list particularly oily fish.

RB

Here is a trial I have just read re above. Note difference only noted where fish intake increased.

RB

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

1: Lancet. 1989 Sep 30;2(8666):757-61. Related Articles, Links

Comment in:

* Lancet. 1989 Dec 16;2(8677):1450-2.
* Lancet. 1999 Oct 30;354(9189):1554-5; author reply 1556-7.
* Lancet. 1999 Oct 30;354(9189):1557.


Effects of changes in fat, fish, and fibre intakes on death and myocardial reinfarction: diet and reinfarction trial (DART).

Burr ML, Fehily AM, Gilbert JF, Rogers S, Holliday RM, Sweetnam PM, Elwood PC, Deadman NM.

MRC Epidemiology Unit, Cardiff.

A randomised controlled trial with a factorial design was done to examine the effects of dietary intervention in the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction (MI). 2033 men who had recovered from MI were allocated to receive or not to receive advice on each of three dietary factors: a reduction in fat intake and an increase in the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat, an increase in fatty fish intake, and an increase in cereal fibre intake. The advice on fat was not associated with any difference in mortality, perhaps because it produced only a small reduction (3-4%) in serum cholesterol. The subjects advised to eat fatty fish had a 29% reduction in 2 year all-cause mortality compared with those not so advised. This effect, which was significant, was not altered by adjusting for ten potential confounding factors. Subjects given fibre advice had a slightly higher mortality than other subjects (not significant). The 2 year incidence of reinfarction plus death from ischaemic heart disease was not significantly affected by any of the dietary regimens. A modest intake of fatty fish (two or three portions per week) may reduce mortality in men who have recovered from MI.

Jill

Heres another one you that might help shape you decision.

RB


http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/1/183