For those of you familiar with Dr. Block’s book Life Over Cancer, you know that Dr. Block places great importance on our “biography.” Our biography is who we are, how we live and how we take care of ourselves. This is important because the Standard American Diet, a sedentary lifestyle, high levels of unrelieved stress, and sleep disruption all lay the groundwork for not only getting cancer, but for driving cancer forward.
Let’s first take a look at diet, a subject so important that we talk about it frequently on this page. What you eat affects cancer both directly and indirectly. Nutrients directly impact the mechanisms by which cancer cells grow and spread. They indirectly help control the cancer by changing the surrounding biochemical conditions that either encourage or discourage the progression of malignant disease. It’s clear that the typical Western diet can drive the onset of malignancy. For example, a recent large-scale analysis of dietary studies showed that red and processed meat increased the incidence of colorectal cancer by 13-14%! Red meat also significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer, particularly in men. In addition, high milk consumption raises risk of prostate cancer by 50 to 92%! And one randomized controlled trial showed that when breast cancer patients reduced their fat intake to 20% or lower, they reduced their risk of recurrence by an average of 24%! It’s important to note that this is on par with Tamoxifen, which has shown a 25% reduction in recurrence rates after taking it for 5 years. The takeaway message: what you eat can spell the difference between conquering your disease and having it rage out of control!
There is also impressive data showing that if you shift to a whole grain, plant-based, vegetable and fruit-rich diet, you cut your cancer risk dramatically! A review of studies that surveyed over 3 million people found that plant-based diets lowered the risk of colorectal cancer by 24% and pancreatic cancer by 29%. Vegetarian diets cut total cancer risks by 8% while vegan diets dropped total risk by 15%. In an experimental study with cancer patients 25 grams of flaxseed per day cut Ki67 level – a proliferation marker for cancer – by 34%! There is also laboratory evidence to suggest that 25 grams of flaxseed per day can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) by 30%!
But it’s not just diet that defines your “biography.” Exercise is important too. As an example, there is strong research demonstrating that with solid tumor cancers, exercise and fitness – speed walking 45-60 minutes per day – is associated with reductions in cancer mortality of up to 50%! As Dr. Block has said, “if walking were a drug, pharmaceutical companies would be in a frenzy to patent it!”
In years gone by, doctors told patients to “go home and rest.” Dr. Block has resisted this thinking for over forty years. He believes that there needs to be a balance between activity and rest. You need to sleep well to have the vitality to be active during the day. And, generally speaking, the more active you are during the day, the better you will sleep at night.
We also know that if you lose muscle, you lose immune function. Loss of muscle is problematic because muscle provides a buffer against protein losses from more vital tissues. However, you want to be careful not to overdo exercise. Overdoing it, especially without adequate preparation, can damage tissue and increase oxidative stress and inflammation. It can also leave you exhausted and unable to cope with the demands of your treatment. At the Block Center, we individualize fitness programs to your unique needs, and target your rest patterns as well as your activity patterns over the course of a full 24-hour day.
Now let’s take a look at stress. While stress is an inevitable part of life, chronic unrelieved stress can produce a biochemical terrain that is concerningly hospitable to cancer cells. Continued exposure to stress hormones can not only cause damage to your body, but can disturb your vital reserves of nutrients, enzymes, hormones, antibodies and immune cells, all of which are essential to your recovery. This is why we consider biobehavioral health practices as critical to health and recovery as a healthy diet. And there’s research to support this: In one randomized controlled trial of breast cancer patients, patients who participated in the Social Psychological Intervention cut their risk of recurrence, mortality and all-cause mortality by approximately 50%! We encourage (and provide instruction to, when appropriate) all of our patients to participate in daily relaxation techniques that can not only counterbalance daily stressors, but help when you’re facing a scan, a new treatment, etc. This daily practice can make a real difference not only with your quality of life, but can actually boost survival!
For additional information, or to learn more about our individualized, comprehensive, integrative approach to treating cancer, please call one of our Patient Advocates at 1-877-41-BLOCK (25625).