Ian Gawler Blog. Cancer stem cells - what you need to know

Cancer stem cells have been controversial but they may provide an important key in understanding why cancer can recur years after apparently successful initial treatment and point to the need for new treatment approaches.

Obviously this is directly relevant to anyone with cancer, but for those who are well, are lurking cancer stem cells a concern?

So this week, what are cancer stem cells? Where do they come from? What can we do about them? Did you know for instance, that turmeric is one of few things claimed to be able to destroy breast cancer stem cells and as such it make sense for anyone with breast cancer, or concerned about breast cancer, to consume it regularly.

Cancer stem cells are one of the fascinating areas of new research I have been studying, updating and preparing to share with a wider audience during the rapidly approaching speaking tour up the East Coast starting in early July. So more details on that this week too, but first




Thought for the day

If your mind is empty, 
It is always ready for anything; 
It is open to everything. 

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, 
In the expert’s mind there are few.

Suzuki Roshi, Zen master







Given not so many people know about cancer stem cells, this may be a useful blog to share.

There is a mystery in cancer medicine that is not spoken of much, probably because up until recently, no-one really knew the answer. The question is, how is it that cancer can be treated, all sign of it removed, and then years later it recurs? And how can we stop that happening.

To understand we need to consider basic cancer theory. 
As most will know, cancer tends to begin in one location and then, if left unchecked, has a habit of spreading to other places. In the past, the classic way this spread was thought to happen was by cancer cells separating from the initial mass of cancer, and then by them gaining access either to the blood stream or lymphatics and travelling to other parts of the body to re-establish themselves there.

This is why “follow-up” chemotherapy is often recommended after initial surgery – to “mop up” any stray or so-called “rogue cells”. Clearly, however, cancer can lie dormant for years after a first occurrence before appearing again as secondary cancer. How?

What is a stem cell?
Stem cells are precursor or basic cell types. Generally, stem cells are able to develop into many different cell types in the body. When a stem cell multiplies, the resulting cells either continue on as stem cells or, under the right conditions, they can develop into a particular type of cell – muscle, blood, brain, breast etc.

There are two types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can make all the different types of cell in the body, while adult stem cells generally can only make the types of cells they directly relate to – so a muscle adult stem cell only leads to muscle cells.

What is a cancer stem cell?

Some cancers are thought to develop from ‘rogue’ faulty stem cells. Cancer stem cells were first
positively identified in 1998. Cancer stem cells share many characteristics with normal stem cells, including self-renewal and differentiation and while hotly debated for years, recent studies have shown that cancer stem cells do have the ability to regenerate new cancers.

For a good general reference paper: Lobo et al. The biology of cancer stem cells.  Annu Rev Dev Biol. 2007;23:675-99. CLICK HERE

Just last month, a team from University of Oxford and the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, claims to have proven conclusively that cancer stem cells exist.

Why are cancer stem cells important?
If cancer stem cells are as significant as thought, cancer could be eliminated by eliminating cancer stem cells. Targeting cancer stem cells would also mean any cancer cells left over from initial treatments could not sustain themselves.

Dr. Woll, the lead author from the Oxford study says that while the findings are not sufficient to offer patients new treatments today, they do pave the way for developing more effective therapies that target specific stem cells to eliminate cancer.

He also cautions that their study only looked at cancer stem cells in one type of cancer, and that the "identity, number and function of stem cells in other cancers are likely to differ from that."

Reference: Woll P S, et al. Myelodysplastic Syndromes Are Propagated by Rare and Distinct Human Cancer Stem Cells In Vivo. Cancer Cell, DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2014.03.036, published online 15 May 2014.

What risks are involved?
Unfortunately, it seems most cancer stem cells are resistant to current cancer treatments. More disturbingly, there is growing evidence that the classic treatments of chemotherapy and radiation actually increase the activity and aggressiveness of breast cancer stem cells – “enrichment” as it is called.

It seems that while chemotherapy may reduce the size and volume of breast cancer, in doing so, it increases the cancer stem cell ratio, making whatever may be left even more malignant.

Reference: Lagadec et al. Radiation-induced reprogramming of breast cancer cells. Stem Cells. 2012 May; 30(5):833-44. doi: 10.1002/stem.1058.

What natural answers are available?
At last some good news! Several herbs and vegetables have been shown in basic research to target breast cancer stem cells specifically.


1. Tumeric and black pepper

Curcumin (in turmeric) and piperine (in black pepper) separately, and in combination, inhibit breast stem cell self-renewal but do not cause toxicity to differentiated cells.

Reference: Kakarala et al. Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2010 Aug;122(3):777-85. doi: 10.1007/s10549-009-0612-x. Epub 2009 Nov 7.



2. Cruciferous vegetables (cauli, cabbage broccoli), particularly broccoli sprouts
These vegetables contain high levels of sulforaphane that has been reported to inhibit pancreatic tumour-initiating cells and breast cancer stem cells. The reference here is a particularly good one for those who like the science!

Reference: Li Y et al. Implications of cancer stem cell theory for cancer chemoprevention by natural dietary compounds. J Nutr Biochem. 2011 Sep;22(9):799-806. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2010.11.001. Epub 2011 Feb 4.

3. Soy – especially the fermented types
Contains genistein which as well as significantly targeting breast cancer cells by promoting apoptosis or cancer cell death, also has been shown to inhibit breast cancer stem cells.

Reference: Fan P et al. Genistein decreases the breast cancer stem-like cell population through Hedgehog pathway. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2013 Dec 11;4(6):146. [Epub ahead of print]

4. Resveratrol

Found in the skin of red grapes, dark chocolate and blueberries, reseveratrol significantly suppresses breast cancer stem cells.

Reference: Pandey PR et al. Resveratrol suppresses growth of cancer stem-like cells by inhibiting fatty acid synthase. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011 Nov;130(2):387-98. doi: 10.1007/s10549-010-1300-6. Epub 2010 Dec 29.





For a thorough account of recent theory relating to breast cancer stem cells by Velasco-Velazquez et al, CLICK HERE

Many questions remain to be answered about cancer. 
More studies are needed to determine precisely how different cancers grow and how they resist treatment. Do all tumours contain cancer stem cells? What genes, proteins or other molecules are involved in their development and behaviour? Does a cancer’s immediate surroundings, or ‘microenvironment’; do epigenetics affect how cancer stem cells behave? How can we be free of cancer stem cells? Do natural therapies offer real hope?

The answers to these questions will shape future cancer treatment strategies.

NOTICEBOARD
1. Meditation in the Desert  : August 29 – September 7 
Come, join Ruth and myself along with like-minded people for 7 days of meditation in the extraordinary atmosphere of the Central Australian desert, followed by several days of close contact with senior local indigenous leaders.

Secure your place with a deposit. For details CLICK HERE

2. Cancer and Beyond – Last minute opportunity!

This is the 5 day follow up cancer residential program Ruth and I present at the Gawler Foundation’s Yarra Valley centre in just a couple of weeks. This program was fully booked 2 months ago, but some unfortunate last minute cancellations mean you may be able to attend.

Call the Foundation on +61 3 59671730 or see the details on my website, CLICK HERE.

                             Yoga with Ruth - one of the great opportunities of this program

3. IAN’S EAST COAST TOUR 

 HEALTH, HEALING and the MIND – from JULY onwards



Starting in early July Ruth and I will be travelling right up the East Coast to Cairns, across to Mt Isa and Alice Springs, then down to Adelaide. A road trip with a difference, giving talks along the way.


Hope to see many of you along the way. There will be the chance for a refresher, to help get back on
track if needed; but also exciting new information and the opportunity to meditate together and to deepen the experience of what meditation really is.

A good opportunity to share what we do with family, friends and colleagues.


FULL DETAILS – CLICK HERE  and please do share the link.

                                                             
                                                                With Lionel Fifield at the Brisbane Relaxation Centre last year.

                                                               

Eating meat or smoking? Which is worse for your health?

“Animal protein-rich diets could be as harmful to health as smoking”.

This was the startling headline in The Guardian newspaper recently following the release of a new study that ran over 18 years and reported that people under 65 who eat a lot of meat, eggs and dairy are four times as likely to die from cancer or diabetes. Those younger than 65 who ate the most animal protein had a 74% increase in their risk of dying from any cause.

Given I have been recommending just such a diet for over 30 years, this week let’s go Out on a Limb once more, look at the evidence more fully, the way this study has been reported including mainstream reactions, and how we and our families can eat to save a great deal of future problems.

Then news of how you can receive a 20% discount for this year's Happiness and its Causes conference that I highly recommend, but first

Thought for the day

Nothing will benefit human health
And increase chances for survival of life on Earth
As much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet

Albert Einstein









Why did I use a low protein, plant-based, wholefood diet to help me to recover from my own difficult cancer, and why did I begin to recommend such a diet way back in 1981 when I first began helping others to either recovery from cancer or to prevent it?

Well, the truth is that it was a combination of first principles and personal experience. As a veterinarian I had been well trained in nutrition, but perhaps even more importantly, also trained in comparative anatomy.

The fact is that we humans are omnivores and as such, our digestive tracts are best designed for a relatively low protein diet. (See the previous blog Would you eat like a dog? for details - link below). Fortunately I also knew that unlike in the dog, the metabolic waste products from a high meat diet place a heavy burden on our human bodies.

However, even more than the science, what was most convincing for me personally was that when first diagnosed with secondary cancer, I ate a very pure diet for some time and meditated a lot (several hours per day). This made me very aware and very sensitive to what I ate. I soon found that if I did eat high protein I felt heavy, even toxic; low protein, I felt much lighter and had more energy. It was clear what suited me best.

Once I began working with others, I told them of my personal theories and experiences and suggested they might like to try them. Many found the same thing – low to medium protein intake, avoid meat, eggs, dairy and they felt better. Many seemed to “co-incidentally” do much better than their doctors predicted.

Of course, the full details of the overall diet I recommend for prevention, management or recovery have been in You Can Conquer Cancer since 1984 and these recommendations were expanded and given more detail in the recent new edition.

What has been gratifying, and I guess somewhat re-assuring, is that over the last few years more and more high quality research is confirming these recommendations (see the recent blogs Let food be your medicine Parts 1 and 2 - links below)and I do plan another research based blog soon – the evidence is compelling).

So let’s restate this latest study’s findings “high levels of dietary animal protein in people under 65 years of age was linked to a fourfold increase in their risk of death from cancer or diabetes, and almost double the risk of dying from any cause over an 18-year period.

So what is the commentary?
“Nutrition experts have cautioned that it's too early to draw firm conclusions from the research”.

“Gunter Kuhnle, a food nutrition scientist at Reading University, said it was wrong "and potentially even dangerous" to compare the effects of smoking with the effect of meat and cheese as the study does.
"

“Heather Ohly at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health in Exeter said: "Smoking has been proven to be entirely bad for us, whereas meat and cheese can be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet, contributing to recommended intakes of many important nutrients."

Ho hum. I guess the paper has to give voice to caution and the prevailing way of thinking. I guess.... This is certainly the way of journalism these days.

Yet if we dig further into this research, we find that the harmful effects from the high protein diet were almost negated if that protein was derived from plant sources, such as beans and legumes; except in cancer where the risk was still three times as high in middle-aged people who ate a protein-rich diet, compared with those on a low-protein diet.

And there are more important suggestions from this research. It suggests that once you are over 65, things may well change. Over 65 and your protein needs tend to go up, so once over 65, increasing your protein levels seem to be protective against cancer, diabetes and other diseases. According to this study, doing so cuts the risk of death from any cause by 28%, and reduces cancer deaths by 60%.

So how did this study define a low protein diet? 
No more than 0.8g of protein a day for every kilogram of body weight, which means 48g for a 60kg person, and 64g for an 80kg person. These are very close to the amounts that result from following my Wellness Diet or the more specific cancer recovery diet.

According to The Guardian “most people in Britain eat more protein than they need. The British Dietetic Association recommends a daily intake of 55g and 45g of protein for the average man and woman respectively. But according to the British Nutrition Foundation the average protein intake per day is 88g and 64g for men and women.”

When I had cancer, the recommendation was around 120gm per day! The mainstream scientist's understanding of protein has changed over the years.

Full reference: Levine ME, Suarez JA, Brandhorst S, et al. Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population. Cell Metab. 2014; 19:407-417. DIRECT LINK HERE

What to do? A summary:
1. IN GENERAL TERMS, the way I recommend to eat is best described as a plant-based, wholefood, organic diet.

2. READ  and LEARN: In the new edition of You Can Conquer Cancer you will find both the Wellness Diet (for those who are basically well, interested in prevention and living a long, happy and healthy life) and the more specific Healing Diet are set out in detail.

3. LISTEN to the 2 food CDs (or download the MP3s) Eating well, Being well and Eating for Recovery

4. ENJOY the recipes in the Gawler Foundation’s book Eat Well, Be Well

5. SEEK personal help if needed - see the resources below

6. DELIGHT in the fact, and the tastes of eating well

RESOURCES -  DOCTORS & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
To locate a doctor trained in nutritional medicine, refer to
i) The Australian College of Nutritional Medicine (ACNEM)

ii) The Australasian Integrative Medical Association (AIMA)

RELATED BLOGS
Would you eat like a dog?

Let food be your medicine - Part 1

Let food be your medicine - Part 2

NOTICEBOARD
1. Meditation in the Forest
There are just a couple of places available for our Pre-Easter meditation retreat in the Yarra Valley. This annual event is a highlight for Ruth and myself; this year as well as relaxation, mindfulness and meditation, we will be delving into that most useful of personal tools, contemplation.

For details CLICK HERE
For bookings, call the Gawler Foundation +61 3 59671730

2. Cancer, Healing and Wellbeing 
This 8 day cancer recovery program residential program is evidence based and will be highly experiential. We will cover the full range of Integrative Medicine options, with the emphasis on what people can do for themselves – therapeutic nutrition, exercise and meditation, emotional health, positive psychology, pain management, the search for meaning and so on.

I will personally present the majority of the content but along with Ruth, participants will have the additional support and experience of Liz Maluschnig and Stew Burt; two very experienced and committed New Zealanders.

For details on this and the other cancer related residential programs for 2014 CLICK HERE 

3. Happiness & Its Causes - 29 & 30 May 2014 - Seymour Centre, Sydney

Have an inspiring and productive 2014! Revitalise, refresh, learn, explore, network and be motivated at the world's leading happiness event – celebrating its 9th year - Happiness & Its Causes 2014 - with 30+ world-renowned international and local speakers – leaders in psychology, science, education, business, the arts and more.

As I have endorsed this conference, I have been able to secure a 20% discount for all my readers!

Book before 28 March and save $300 off the full 2 day conference fee and $500 off the full 4 day gold pass fee (including workshops)

Book online using promotion code RMEE or call (02) 8719 5118 to register.

Go to www.happinessanditscauses.com.au

SIX INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
• Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, USA, one of the greatest psychologists of our time, pioneering researcher into optimal experience or ‘flow’ on a rare visit to Australia!
• Matthieu Ricard, Nepal, inspiring humanitarian monk and best-selling author Happiness: 
A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill.
• Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, UK, legendary primatologist, environmentalist and UN Messenger of Peace.
• Professor Jean Twenge, USA, psychologist and leading researcher into narcissism and youth mental health.
• Professor Roy Baumeister, USA, respected social psychologist exploring self-control, 
self-regulation, meaning and happiness.
• Professor Felicia A. Huppert, UK, international expert in wellbeing and author of The Science of Wellbeing ... AND 25+ AMAZING LOCAL MINDS TOO!

Is soy safe?

Often I am asked “Are soybeans and their products safe to eat?” It seems some people would have us believe soy is full-on toxic. Others point to the low rates of breast cancer and menopausal difficulties in Asian women, link this to their regular soy consumption and suggest soy is something we would all benefit from.

Wherein lies the truth? Let us go Out on a Limb once more and examine the science behind soy and breast cancer so we can bring some logic and clarity to this often steamy debate. Then I will tell you what Ruth and I actually do, and not shirk from drawing some compelling conclusions and making recommendations.

Also a reminder Meditation in the Desert starts September 6th and we do have a couple of places still available.  LINK HERE. Attached is an amazing aerial shot of the desert taken near to where we go in the Western MacDonnell Ranges. Just like an aboriginal painting. Or is that Fred Williams?! The picture is even more remarkable full screen.

But first

Thought for the day
If information alone could change people, 
Everyone would be skinny, rich and happy.
                                              Les Brown, composer and band leader

Soy products have gained widespread popularity in the West over the last 50 years. The supermarkets are full of them and they are added to so many pre-prepared foods, yet whether they are really safe, and especially what to recommend in regard to breast cancer has been an issue of great contention this last decade. It is an area in which I have taken a great deal of interest. I have read widely, spoken to many authorities and fielded many questions.

What follows then is a major piece in two parts which aims firstly to bring understanding to the soy bean itself. Particularly when it comes to nutrition, I am of the view that if we can understand the principles, then the details follow fairly simply and we will have the confidence to make good choices.

And then next week, how does soy interact with breast cancer? Does it cause or prevent breast cancer? And what of its role for those who have developed breast cancer – does it help or hinder? And what about prostate cancer and our health in general?

As it seems the answers to these questions may well vary depending upon what type of soy foods we eat, let us begin by understanding the bean itself.

THE SOY BEAN (Glycine max)
1. The raw soybean (or soya bean as it is called in the UK) is a legume that originated in East Asia but is now classified as an oilseed rather than a pulse by the FAO. There are 2 main types, those used for eating (which make up about 15% of world production), and those for oil (85%).

Raw soybeans contain trypsin inhibitors that make them toxic to humans and all other animals with a single stomach. Happily, cooking with "wet" heat destroys the enzyme and solves this problem, so all edible forms of soy have been, or need to be cooked.

HINT: Do not sprout soybeans unless you plan to cook them.

2. The traditional use of soybeans fall into 2 categories:
i) Non-fermented foods including tofu, tofu skin and soy milk.

ii) Fermented foods including tamari (traditionally made pure soy sauce), miso (fermented soybean paste), and tempeh. Fermentation does lower the phytoestrogen content found in raw beans. People have claimed that historically soybeans were only used after fermentation, but we shall investigate whether or not this would seem to be a relevant issue.

3. Processed soy products are a more modern phenomena and usually stem from soy flour (made by roasting and grinding the beans) and its products.

One of the most common is TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein – which also can be made from wheat, oats and cotton seeds). TVP is a de-fatted soy flour product that is a by-product of extracting soy oil. It has a protein content equivalent to that of meat and is often used as a meat substitute or extender.

Fat-free (defatted) soybean meal is a significant and cheap source of protein for animal feeds and many prepackaged meals. It is used widely. Processed soy may be found in many things from vegetable sausages to Mars bars.

SOY BEAN FACTS 

GMO 
In 1997, about 8% of all soybeans cultivated for the commercial market in the United States were genetically modified. In 2010, the figure was 93%. Unless a soy product stipulates that it is GMO free, or organically grown, it is almost certain to contain at least some genetically modified beans.

Soy oil 
Soy beans have a high oil content; around 20%; and soy oil accounts for about 65% of all oil used in commercial and home cooking. However, soy oil is low in Omega 3 fatty acids and high in Omega 6s. The ratio is .13 : 1, whereas flaxseed oil is 3.45 : 1; so for all the reasons why flaxseed oil is good for regular use, soy oil is not.

Tofu usually contains under 10% fat, so the oil type is not a major issue when eating it – unless you have very particular needs.

Soy protein
Soy beans are high in protein: around 38–45%.

Soybeans are an excellent source of complete protein. A complete protein contains in the one food all the essential amino acids in a good balance necessary for human health. Meat is well known as a complete protein and concerns have been raised (probably in a way that is highly overrated) that vegetarians may miss out on some amino acids.

Soy protein has the nutritional equivalent of meat, eggs, and casein for human growth and health. So, as confirmed by the US Food and Drug Administration, soy is a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.

Tofu – how it is made 
Soaked soybeans are ground; water is added and boiled.  The pulp is then removed leaving soymilk. Next, a natural mineral coagulant such as calcium sulfate, magnesium chloride, or a mixture of both is added, causing the soymilk to curdle. The curds are removed, placed in a cloth-lined box and varying amounts of pressure applied to form soft, regular, firm or extra firm tofu.

The firmer the tofu, the higher the protein and fat levels.

Silken tofu is made when either calcium sulfate or glucono-delta-lactone is added to a thick, rich soymilk. The mixture is put into a package that is then heated to activate the coagulation and produce the tofu in the package. 

Typically, tofu contains between 10 and 15% protein and 5 to 9% fat.  It is relatively low in carbohydrates and in fibre (as the pulp was removed), making it easy to digest.

Soy production and the environment
Soybeans produce

   . at least twice as much protein per acre compared to most other major vegetables or grains.

   . five to 10 times more protein per acre than land set aside for grazing animals to make milk.

   . up to 15 times more protein per acre than land set aside for meat production.

Environmental groups have reported increased soybean cultivation in Brazil has destroyed huge areas of Amazon rainforest. However, most of the soybeans  grown contribute to livestock fodder and oil production, so there is still great environmental merit in eating less meat and more soybeans.

NEXT WEEK

How is breast cancer affected by oestrogen? Do the phyto-oestrogens (natural, oestrogen-like substances) in soybeans cause breast cancer, protect from it, help or hinder recovering from it? And what of soy and prostate cancer and our health in general?

RELATED BLOG
Eating Well, Being Well

NOTICEBOARD

1. Meditation in the Desert September 6th to 15th


Seven days meditating in one of the world’s best natural meditation environments, followed by several days hanging out with senior local indigenous people. A rare chance to glimpse something of this sadly disappearing, or at least, dramatically changing, traditional culture.


To the right, the view of the Western MacDonnell Ranges from Hamilton Downs where we sit to meditate.


Just a couple of places still available. For enquiries LINK HERE or ring +61 3 59666130

2. Meditation classes in Albury, 6th August 2013
Kaye Ellis is someone I know well and can recommend. Her next meditation course in Albury runs weekly for 6 consecutive weeks beginning on Tuesday 6th August 2013 at 2pm. Each class runs for 1 and a half hours. Kaye does not charge for the courses but asks that if able, participants donate $10 per session which she then gives to the Gawler Foundation.

Details about the course and Kaye’s interest in meditation can be found at meditationalbury.weebly.com. Contact Kaye Ellis: kaye.ellis3@gmail.com

GREAT TED TALK
Your genes are not your fate, with Dean Ornish. To find out how to change your genes, LINK HERE

Ian Gawler Blog: The right foods improve cancer prevention and survival

This week we show how innovative statistics are revealing which ones do the job! Also, Ruth and I are giving talks in Katoomba and Sydney this week, there is another study that demonstrates colorectal cancer survivors who consume the most red or processed meat are around 30% more likely to die over a 7.5-year follow-up, and then a must see video link! But first

Thought for the day
If you do not take care of your body, 
where are you going to live?
                    Karen Duffy, American actress with sarcoidosis

It is an exciting time in cancer research with a rapidly escalating number of reputable articles demonstrating how specific foods can add or subtract years from the lives of people after they are diagnosed with cancer.

We have known for a long time that unhealthy food is the number one item linked to cancer risk. Similarly we know from heaps of research that healthy food provides major cancer prevention.

Yet for so many years I remember hearing cancer authorities telling people diagnosed with cancer and the public alike there was no evidence once you developed cancer that what you ate would make any difference. Anyone who was to say that in this day and age would either be ill-informed or would need to overlook a substantial body of evidence to the contrary. (For just a small sample of some of this evidence, see some of my earlier blogs that bring it together.)

However, there are real challenges for researchers endeavouring to sort out which foods are most destructive, which most helpful. Enter epidemiologist Patrick Bradshaw, PhD.

“One of the major limitations of studying diet is that food nutrients are so intertwined and complex, particularly the way we eat them, it’s difficult to tease apart the effect of a single nutrient,” said Bradshaw.

The traditional method of analysing nutrient data is to examine them one at a time, one analysis for vitamin C, one for vitamin E and so on.

“The trouble is, nutrients tend to be consumed together, so if you see an effect, it’s hard to say which one it was for. If you analyse them simultaneously the statistical models tend to not work well.”

Bradshaw has a background in biostatistics and so he has developed innovative statistical methods that place the focus on dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients. He uses a form of analysis called hierarchical modelling that incorporates biologically plausible actions for each set of nutrients.

“We can apply this methodology to integrate biology into an analysis that looks at a whole lot of things together that can be correlated.” Results are proving to be very interesting.

On the prevention side, a study he led last year found that consuming a dietary pattern high in vegetables, fruits and lean meats was linked to a lower risk of pharyngeal and oral cavity cancers; a diet high in fatty, fried foods, sweets and processed meats was associated with an increased risk of laryngeal cancer.

Then for those already diagnosed, last year he found that breast cancer survivors who gained the most weight post-diagnosis had a greater risk of death from any cause as well as from breast cancer compared to women survivors who remained the same weight at diagnosis.

The reason behind this weight gain among survivors is not well understood, says Bradshaw, and it is something that he is working to understand.

Another area of survivorship he is focusing on is physical activity. Here, the research is consistent, with most studies finding activity benefits survival.

“It looks like women who get physical activity, in particular in those early years of diagnosis, tend to have a better prognosis - they had a reduced mortality rate, which I think could be a powerful message for cancer survivors. I’m really interested in what is happening during those early years. Those are the formative years in terms of breast cancer survivorship.”

 “I would like to hope that my research is informing something that people can employ on a daily basis that can make their lives healthier.”

Reference: May 15, 2013 issue  AICR's Cancer Research Update.

RELATED BLOGS

Let food be your medicine - Part 1

Let food be your medicine - Part 2

NOTICEBOARD
Please let friends or family in these areas know of this week’s events. Share the links for details:

Katoomba
July 9; Day workshop: Health, Healing and Wellbeing

Sydney
July 13 - 14, Weekend workshop: A New Way of Living

IN THE NEWS 



1. Thirty years presenting annually at the one place. An obsession or a delight? Well, 30 years at the Relaxation Centre have gone very quickly and it has been a pleasure to be a fixture on their calendar. Here is my old friend Lionel Fifield introducing me. He claims we look just like we did 30 years ago. He always was an optimist!!!






2. Foods can make you ill. Oh really!! Well yes, it seems they can, and this is an excellent website whose purpose is to provide you with information and resources on food intolerance and food allergy. From what I read, it does a pretty good job! Worth a visit, LINK HERE

RESEARCH NEWS

Red and Processed Meat Intake Linked to Death for People with Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer survivors who consume the most red or processed meat are more likely to die over a 7.5-year follow-up, compared with those who eat the least, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society.

Researchers analyzed the diet records of 2,315 participants from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort and found a 29 percent higher risk of death from all causes and a 63 percent higher risk of death from heart disease for those who consumed the most red and processed meat before diagnosis, compared with those who ate the least.

REFERENCE: McCullough ML, Campbell PT et al. J Clin Onc. Published ahead of print July 1, 2013.

A  SOURCE of JOY
Thanks to Philip Woolen’s mum for this truly beautiful video of a deaf man flying 3 kites accompanied by the sublime Flower Duet from Lakme. When he flies spectators hold their hands up and wave them for applause. He flies 2 with his hands and the 3rd kite is attached to his waist. He is in his 80s.

Do yourself a favour. Chill out for 5 minutes and stay to watch to the end so you see the amazing landing of that last kite! LINK HERE

Ian Gawler Blog: Eating well, Being well – and the new edition of “You Can Conquer Cancer” is released.

What a delight to speak at the Gawler Foundation’s conference this last weekend, presenting dietary guidelines and some of the exciting research linking nutritional changes with increased survival.

Great chance to catch up with old friends like Petrea King and Dr Craig Hassed and to have the honour of sharing the stage with them. Then there was the opportunity to meet up again with people who came to groups in days gone by. People like the lady who had secondary breast cancer 7 years ago and looks radiantly well. When asked what had helped her most, she thought for a moment, then shared the fact of learning to love herself enough to really care about what she ate, how often she meditated and so on. A real confirmation of Jess' guest blog from last week. Her new husband chimed in with how much he admires her capacity to make those choices and stick by them; how diligent she is.

Lots of new people to meet as well and my new edition of “You Can Conquer Cancer” arrived mid morning on the Saturday, hot of the press as they say! That’s synchronicity for you.

I had the opportunity to speak on the therapeutic potential of food – a vast topic!

A key point. Anyone who might be silly enough these days to say there is no evidence that changing your diet can improve cancer outcomes is just not keeping up with the research.

At the conference I shared 17 recent studies that come from the last few years and typify the exciting times we live in as research is making clear the powerful the between what you eat and cancer recovery. For over 30 years my clinical experience has been that food can be used therapeutically in cancer medicine, now we are getting some good confirmation via the research.

In the new edition of “You Can Conquer Cancer”, there are several fully rewritten chapters on cancer and food and nutrition, providing the detail of how to put all this into action; how to convert the theory into a meal.

The new book is just that, virtually a new book given the rewrite has been so thorough. So for anyone dealing with cancer, for anyone keen on not getting cancer, for anyone interested in a comprehensive, healthy lifestyle, the new book is recommended.

As promised here are the research articles linking cancer and nutrition, reproduced via “Out on a Limb”, and the dietary guidelines in summary. Again, the details are in the new book.

1. NUTRITION & LIFESTYLE prevents 40% of breast cancers by
i) Being lean
ii) Exercising 30 mins/day
iii) One alcoholic drink/day - max
iv) Women breastfeeding exclusively for 6mths
                                     Based on 954 studies: AICR & WCRF 2009

2. FOOD & EXERCISE SAVE LIVES
A major review of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer concluded:
i) Observational studies suggest a low-fat, high-fibre diet might be protective against cancer recurrence and progression.
ii) There is more support for physical activity, with a dose response for better outcomes.
                                     Davies, N J, Br J Cancer, 2011
      More detail:Blog:  Let food be your medicine – 18 & 25/6/2012

3. LIFESTYLE CHANGES AFFECT BREAST CANCER RECURRENCES
i) Healthy weight decreases secondaries by 40 – 50% c.w. being obese.
ii) Seven or more alcoholic drinks per week almost doubles the risk of cancer in the opposite breast.
iii) Smoking & drinking:  increases the risk of cancer in the opposite breast by 7.2 times.

4. META-INFLAMMATION FEEDS DEGENERATIVE DISEASES
Meta-inflammation is low-level, systemic inflammation:
   - A major factor in most chronic degenerative diseases including cancer
   - Modern nutrition is a significant “inducer”
          Egger,G ACNEM Journal, Mar 2012, Vol 31 No 1 P12-14
 Inflammation potentiates active cancers.
 Improve the diet, reduce inflammation, assist recovery.

5. WESTERN DIET is BAD NEWS
High intake of meat, fat, refined grains & sugary desserts is associated with a
3x increase in colon cancer recurrence and death
                 Meyerhardt, JA et al, JAMA 2007;298:754-764

6. LOW CARBS REDUCE RISK of CANCER DEATH
High carbohydrate intake and high glycaemic load is associated with a
2x increase in colon cancer recurrence and death.
But only in the overweight and obese.
             Meyerhardt JA et al, J Natl Cancer Inst Nov 2012

7. Differential Stress Resistance
FASTING
For normal cells – increases protection
For cancer cells – increases vulnerability
Fasting around chemotherapy leads to:  
i) Better outcomes
ii) Less side-effects
                             Lee C, Volgo et al, Sci Trans Med 2012

8. CUT the CAMOUFLAGE, CURE the CANCER
Cancer’s “camouflage” seems to rely on the protein CD47.
Animal trials show anti-bodies to CD47 remove the camouflage, allowing the body’s immune system to recognise and destroy cancer.
                          Wellingham SB et al, Proc Nat Academy Sci, 2012
                          More detail: Blog - 2 April 2012

9. Multivitamins Reduce the Risk of Developing (or Dying) of Cancer
A very large randomized trial over 11 years concluded multivitamins produced:
1. No effect on prostate cancer
2. 12% risk reduction in total for developing all other cancers
3. Also, a 12% reduction in the risk of dying from cancer (not statistically significant)
                                   Gaziano, MJ et al, JAMA Oct 2012

10. Multi-vitamins & Breast Cancer
Another big study concluded:
1. Multivitamins are not harmful
2. Improved outcomes with radiation, or radiation and chemotherapy
3. Consistent multivitamins use before and after diagnosis, eating more fruits and vegetables, as well as being more physically active is associated with better overall survival.

           Kwan ML et al, Breast Ca Res Treat. 2011 Nov;130(1):195-205

11. SOY is Safe for Breast Cancer
This is the conclusion drawn from this extensive review of the available literature
              Messina MJ and Wood CE; Nutrition Journal 2008

12. MILK increases the risk of Prostate Cancer
Higher levels of cow’s milk consumption in boy’s is strongly associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in men
                              Torfadottir et al; Am J Epidemiol, 2012

13. TELOMERES are protective, DNA—protein complexes at the end of chromosomes.
Telomere shortness is emerging as a powerful indicator of disease risk, progression, and premature mortality in many illnesses, including cancer.

Telomere shortening is counteracted by the cellular enzyme telomerase.

Increased telomerase activity is associated with
      1. Reduced disease risk generally
      2. Increased cancer survival    
      3. A longer, healthier life

There is a statistically significant inverse relationship between telomere length and both cancer incidence and mortality
                     Willeit P et al, JAMA 2010;304 (1): 69–75

14. WHAT INCREASES TELOMERASE ? 
1.  LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS  - LIKE TGF
          After 3 mths, 10% increase
                            Ornish, D et al, 2008,The Lancet Oncology

 2.  LIFESTYLE FACTORS
            HARMFUL EFFECTS  . Smoking
                                                      . Processed meats
                                                      . High BMI – overweight, obese
            HELPFUL EFFECTS    . Vitamins C,D & E, + Folate
                                                       . Omega 3 Fatty Acids
                            Lin j, Epel E, Blackburn E, 2011, Mutation Research

3.  MEDITATION - The Shamatha Project
       After 3 mth intensive retreat, 30% increase
                                            Jacobs TL, Wallace A, Blackburn E et al,
                                                    2010, Psychoneuroimmunology Jnl

4.  SPECIFIC HERBS   –  Product B – a combination of telomerase activating herbs. For details go to iangawler.isagenix.com

15. TUMERIC & PEPPER target breast cancer stem cells
Turmeric (curcumin) and black pepper (piperine) separately, and in combination, inhibit breast cancer stem cell self-renewal
      Kakarala, M et al, 2010, Br Ca Research & Treatment, Vol 122, No 3, 777-785

16. CURCUMIN (turmeric)
Reduces the side-effects and increases the benefits of radiotherapy
                              Jagetia G C; Adv Exp Med Biol, 2007

17. POMEGRANATE JUICE targets Prostate Cancer
8 ozs each day increases PSA doubling time - by almost 4 times : from 15 – 54 mths
                              Pantuck et al. 2006 Clin Ca Research
                              Pantuck et al. Abstract of follow-up Am Soc Clin Onc 2008

DIETARY GUIDELINES
In broad terms: ADOPT a PLANT-BASED, WHOLEFOOD DIET

1. READ the summary of The Wellness Diet

2. STUDY and APPLY the detail in the new edition of “You Can Conquer Cancer”

3. LISTEN to the 2 food CDs

4. ENJOY the recipes in “Eat Well, Be Well”

5. SEEK personal help if needed

6. DELIGHT in the fact, and the tastes of eating well

RESOURCES

1. DOCTORS & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
When you need a doctor trained in nutritional medicine, refer to

i) The Australian College of Nutritional Medicine (ACNEM)
   www.acnem.org

ii) The Australasian Integrative Medical Association (AIMA)
   www.aima.net.au

2. You Can Conquer Cancer – buy the new edition online (or over the phone) via the Foundation’s bookshop and support the Foundation – NOTE: check to make sure you order the new edition, not the old one!

3. CDS 
i) Eating Well, Being Well – Outines the Gawler Wellness Diet – the key to good health for everyone.

ii) Eating for Recovery – Outlines the Gawler Healing Diet specifically developed for people dealing with cancer. Please Note: This CD builds upon the information on "Eating Well, Being Well”. For those dealing with cancer, you need both CDs for completeness.

RELATED BLOGS

DNA and the dangly bits

Food 101 – what fuel goes into your tank?

Eating for recovery