AVOID OR CUT RIGHT DOWN ON
1- White or brown sugar, honey, sweets, candies.
Sweeten with agave nectar, which is extracted from the sap of the cactus and is 3 times sweeter than sugar, whereas its glycemic index is very low (3-4 times lower than honey.
2- White flour (white bread, pastries, buns), white rice, refined sugary breakfast cereals.
Eat multicereal bread (which contains a mixture of oats, rye, barley, linseed). Eat integral rice or the basmati variety, as they have a lower glycemic index. Garlic and onions help reduce insulin peak times.
3- Potatoes except the Nicola variety. Eat sweet potatoes, lentils, peas, beans. Replace the refined sugary breakfast cereals with oat flakes, All Bran or Special K cereals.
4- Preserves, jams, fruit in syrup. Eat raw fresh fruit, especially cranberries, cherries and raspberries, which help regulate blood sugar levels.
5- Sugary drinks such as industrial juices and carbonated soft drinks. Drink water with lemon, green tea without sugar or with agave syrup, which fights cancer directly. So that it releases the catechins the green tea should be left to brew for 8 to 10 minutes. It should be drunk within one hour of preparation; otherwise the catechins will be lost. It is advisable to drink 3 cups a day. Specialised tea shops sell varieties of green tea without caffeine.
6- Hydrogenated vegetable fats such as margarine and all animal fats containing omega-6. Use olive oil, which does not aggravate inflammation, instead of sunflower or corn oil.
7- Non-organic red meat (beef, lamb and pork). Red meat or cured meat (sausages) can increase the risk of colorectal, breast and prostate cancer, among others. The World Cancer Research Fund International published a report in 2007 in which it recommended a maximum of 500 grams of red meat a week, though really no more than 200 grams a week should be eaten and that should be organically produced, obtained from animals raised outdoors, moving around freely and eating natural grass.
8- Any food preserved in salt or with high salt content (sausages, bacon, ham), since it increases the risk of stomach cancer.
9- Very hot drinks, since they can cause cancers of the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus.
10- Water bottled in a plastic container which has been left in the sun or in the freezer, since it releases carcinogens such as PVCs.
11- Conventional dairy products, since they contain large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. Replace them with organic or ecological dairy products, milk or soya yoghurts.
12- Fried food of any kind, such as crisps or snacks. Replace with olives or cherry tomatoes.
13- Distilled alcoholic beverages.
14- Tobacco.
15- Vitamin B in tablet form, to be injected, or any other medicinal form, for the potential aggravating effect it may have on the tumour. This does not apply to the vitamin B found in natural foods, which can be eaten without fear.
EAT OR DRINK MORE
1- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, green, white and red cabbage, Brussels sprouts). They should be steamed or cooked in the microwave on low power or fried in olive oil so that they do not lost the glucosilonates or thevitamin C they contain. Between 400 and 800 grams of fruit and vegetables should be eaten every day all the year round.
2- Fresh fruit, washed thoroughly in water if eaten with the peel to remove any traces of pesticides, including the supposedly “ecological” kind. With genuinely ecologically produced fruit (with no pesticides or fertilisers) it is advisable to eat the peel (apples, pears, peaches), since it contains large amounts of natural fibre.
3- At least 3 cups of green tea a day, leaving to brew for 8 to 10 minutes to release all the polyphenols contained in the leaves.
4- Berries such as cranberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries.
5- Fish with high omega-3 fatty acid content such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies or river trout. Eat at least 3 times per week. Tuna, mackerel or sardines tinned in water or olive oil are equally effective. Avoid tinned fish with “vegetable” oil, since it is sunflower or corn oil with a high omega-6 content. Frozen fish gradually loses its omega-3 content. Linseed seeds have a high omega-3 vegetable content. 30 grams of seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder and the powder added to breakfast cereals, a yoghurt or a glass of soy milk.
6- Organic poultry and eggs obtained from free range birds with a diet low in corn, which increases omega-6 fatty acid levels, aggravating the inflammation related to the growth of tumours.
7- Season food with curcuma, since it is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory and reduces the growth of tumours, inhibits angiogenesis, produces apoptosis in the cancerous cells and boosts the effect of chemotherapy. Black pepper boosts the assimilation of the curcuma by the organism. From a practical point of view, a teaspoonful of curcuma can be dissolved in half a tablespoonful of olive oil and a generous pinch of black pepper to season steamed vegetables and salads. Use rosemary and thyme to season dishes (rice dishes, stews). Fry basil, garlic and parsley lightly to make a base.
8- A glass of red wine a day unless your doctor has forbidden it (for example, with liver or certain other diseases).
9- Garlic, onions and leeks, since they reduce the effects of various carcinogenic substances released in the combustion of tobacco and are produced in meat when charred on the barbecue. In people who eat a lot of garlic the incidence of kidney or prostate cancer is smaller. From a practical point of view, crush the garlic and fry lightly in olive oil and use the mixture to season steamed vegetables. Curcuma with black pepper can be added.
10- Mushrooms, preferably shiitake, maitake and coriolus versicolor, since they have a strongly stimulating effect on the immune system. They can be grilled or used in soups and salads.
11- Seaweed in soups, salads, added to legumes (chick peas, lentils, peas) or with cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts).
12- Grated ginger, which can be added to tea, breakfast cereals or fruit salad. Grated ginger can also be used to season fruit.
13- 250 ml of pomegranate juice a day, basically patients with prostate or breast cancer, the tumours where the greatest effects have been demonstrated.
14- 250 ml of fresh orange juice a day or two citric fruits. Grated organic mandarin can be used on other fruits in fruit salad or on breakfast cereals.
15- Between 20 and 40 grams of black chocolate a day (more than 70% cocoa), since it is good for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Do more physical exercise: it has been demonstrated that it reduces the incidence of different cancers (breast, colon or prostate). The ultimate aim is to take a brisk walk for one hour a day or some similar exercise, adapted to your state of fitness. In general the amount of exercise should be gradually increased; it does not matter if you can only spare a few minutes a day at the beginning. You will observe that your level of fitness will gradually improve, which will allow you to exercise for longer.
16- Keep a reasonable body weight (it can be assessed according to the body mass index, a measurement of relative weight calculated by dividing the weight in pounds by the square of the height in inches and multiplying by 703; it should be between 18.5 and 25.
Recommended daily amount of food with anti-cancer properties
(Taken from R Béliveau and D Gringas. Canadian Family Physician 2007, 53: 1905-1911)
| Brussels sprouts | ½ cup |
| Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) | ½ cup |
| Onions, shallots | ½ cup |
| Spinach, watercress | ½ cup |
| Soy | ½ cup |
| Raspberries, blackberries | ½ cup |
| Dried cranberries | ½ cup |
| Grapes | ½ cup |
| Citric juices | ½ cup |
| Garlic | 2 cloves |
| Tomato paste | 1 tablespoonful |
| Linseed seeds | 1 tablespoonful |
| Curcuma | 1 tablespoonful |
| Black pepper | ½ teaspoonful |
| Black chocolate (minimum 70% cacao) | 40 grams |
| Green tea | 3 times (250 ml) |
| Red wine | 1 glass |
Main activity sites of anti-cancer foods
(Modified from R Béliveau and D Gringas. Food to Fight Cancer. DK, New York, 2006.)
| Green tea | Curcuma | Soya | Cruciferous | Garlic and onions | Grapes, berries | Citric fruit | Tomato | Omega-3 | Chocolate | |
| Reduce carcinogenesis | x | x | x | x | ||||||
| Inhibit cell growth | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Cell death | x | x | x | x | x | |||||
| Anti-angiogenesis | x | x | x | x | x | |||||
| Stimulate immunity | x | x | x |
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR FOR APPOINTMENTS RELATED TO PROSTATE BRACHYTHERAPY, PLEASE CONTACT US ON THE FOLLWING
INSTITUT OF PROSTATIC DISEASES
Telephone number: + 34- 93 546 01 10
INSTITUTO MÉDICO TECNOLÓGICO
Telephone number:+ 34- 93 285 22 99