The Benefits of Fasting in Preventing and Treating Cancer: A Patient’s Journey

Fasting is a hot topic in recent years. In addition to helping to lose weight, studies have found that fasting is also effective in preventing and treating cancer. A patient in the United States suffering from stage IV cancer successfully fasted to fight cancer and eliminated cancer cells; there is also a Japanese doctor who fasted for 16 hours a day, and the cancer did not recur for 13 years. So is everyone suitable for fasting to fight cancer? Chinese medicine practitioners say that people have different physiques, and those who are weak are not suitable for long-term fasting to fight cancer.

Chiropractor, well-known health writer and Internet celebrity Dr. Eric Berg interviewed Guy Tenenbaum, a cancer patient, on an online program. He had stage 4 prostate cancer, but now the cancer is gone. Before the cancer was discovered, Guy suffered from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bone and joint pain, inflammation, etc., and weighed about 230 pounds (104 kilograms).

In August 2018, Guy went to the hospital for an examination due to left chest pain. The doctor found that the prostate specific antigen (PSA) was very high, with a value of 57, and he needed to do a biopsy immediately. When the results came in, Guy saw a urologist and an oncologist. The doctors said it was too late, too late, and there was nothing they could do. The oncologist also told him that the cancer cells had metastasized to the sternal head, and he still had about 3 months to live.

Guy wanted to live, but he didn’t agree with the doctor’s prediction, so he decided to go another way. So Guy spends 18 hours a day researching on his own. Through research, he learned about the theory of autophagy of Nobel laureate Yoshinori Ohsumi.

Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi found that in the case of “fasting or fasting”, due to the lack of nutrition and energy supply of the cells, in order to cope with the short-term survival pressure, the cells will eat their own “autophagy” (Autophagy) Phenomenon. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for this discovery.

Autophagy maintains intracellular homeostasis by recycling molecules and clearing damaged proteins and organelles. It has a preventive effect on various diseases and also plays an important role in the anti-cancer process.

Guy searches the Internet for natural remedies to fight cancer. When he learned that a cancer patient did not eat for more than 25 days and died due to lack of nutrition, but the cancer cells in the body were gone, so Guy decided to start fasting. After 20 days, he felt that he could continue. He persisted for a total of 45 days. I am still on intermittent fasting.

During the fasting period, Guy does not eat usual food and tries to avoid taking in calories, but he also pays attention to supplementing nutrients that can help fight cancer. He drank green tea and added spices such as ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and garlic, including raw garlic, black garlic, garlic powder, and garlic capsules. “I don’t know which one is effective.” He eats protein supplements for energy, as well as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, lettuce, asparagus, and once a week a small piece of chicken.

“CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians”, a journal of the American Cancer Society (ASC), published a research review in August 2021. For cancer patients who are overweight or obese, they can choose intermittent fasting, which can be performed at a time other than fasting. Exercise and cooperate with a healthy diet, including eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.

Long-term fasting lasting more than a day is safe for some cancer patients and may reduce chemotherapy-related toxicity and slow tumor growth, preliminary research suggests. The mechanism of fasting and anti-cancer is related to mechanisms such as autophagy and ketosis. However, more research is needed to clarify the risks and benefits of fasting for cancer patients.

Doctor: The weak are not suitable for long-term fasting to fight cancer

Deng Zhengliang, director of Taiwan Jide Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, reminded in an interview with The Epoch Times that long-term fasting is dangerous, and accidents may happen if you are not careful. He believes that to adopt long-term fasting to fight cancer, first of all, the patient’s body is strong, and he usually eats well and has sufficient nutrition. On the contrary, it is not suitable for patients who are usually undernourished and weak to take fasting to fight cancer.

Deng Zhengliang further explained that the difference between cancer cells and healthy cells is that they need to continuously divide and proliferate, so they have a high demand for nutrients. Controlling the intake of nutrients can also control the proliferation of tumor cells, and even starve cancer cells to death.

Deng Zhengliang also reminded that there are many ways to fight cancer, and we must adopt a method that suits us according to the patient’s physical needs. Some people need high-calorie and high-nutrient foods, and they can also adopt a ketogenic diet to fight cancer.

A study published in “Nature” in 2020 showed that breast cancer patients receiving estrogen therapy combined with a ketogenic diet that simulates fasting can promote the treatment effect and delay the development of drug resistance.

Japanese doctor intermittent fasting for 13 years without recurrence of cancer

At the age of 40, Aoki Atsushi, a well-known Japanese doctor of internal medicine and director of the Diabetes Clinic, accidentally discovered that part of his tongue turned white while brushing his teeth. Ten months later, he felt tingling pain when eating, and was diagnosed with the first stage of tongue cancer. He had surgery to remove a quarter of his tongue from the left side.

“I can’t leave my child to die, I have to live anyway.” Atsushi Aoki had two children who were in kindergarten at the time, and his wife was pregnant with another child. In order to avoid cancer recurrence or suffering from other cancers, he consulted a large number of literature. After conducting research, he came up with a 16-hour fasting method to allow cells to produce “autophagy” to destroy cancer cells. Aoki insists on intermittent fasting. Since 2009, the cancer has never recurred.

Many people may worry about whether they can endure prolonged hunger. Aoki said that in the first few days due to the strong feeling of fasting, it will feel hard, but it will disappear after a few days. After getting used to it, you will find that your senses become sharper and your concentration improves.

Aoki suggested that sleep time can be counted as fasting time, such as eating breakfast at 9 am, skipping lunch, and eating dinner at 5 pm to ensure a 16-hour fasting time. If unbearable, start with 12 hours and gradually extend to 16 hours. In addition, if you feel hungry during fasting, you can eat unsalted nuts, raw vegetables, cheese, cheese, etc.

Clinical studies have found that extending the time of eating at night can help prevent cancer recurrence. A study published in JAMA Oncology in 2016 showed that among 2,413 women who had breast cancer, those who fasted for less than 13 hours at night compared with those who fasted for more than 13 hours. Hours were more likely to relapse, with a 36 percent increased risk. Longer intervals between nightly fasts, lower HbA1c levels, and more sleep are all factors that can help reduce cancer risk.

home exercise methods

Aoki Hou also emphasized that the combination of exercise and fasting is more beneficial to the body. Japan’s “Weekly Women” magazine introduced the exercise method of activating cell autophagy at home that Aoki has been doing:

1. Lift your toes

This action exercises the muscles of the calf, moves the ankle together, and can prevent falls and promote blood flow.

step:

(1) Point your toes forward, step on the floor firmly with your feet, put your hands on your waist, and step forward with one foot.

(2) With the heel on the ground, gently lift the toes up for 5 seconds. After the toes land, lift the other foot alternately, 5 to 10 times in each group.

2. Wide Step Squat

This exercise works large muscles such as the thighs and buttocks, which are necessary for proper posture and can help prevent back pain and stiff shoulders.

step:

(1) Put your hands on your waist and stand with your feet spread out. The toes do not need to face forward, but can be slightly spread to the left and right sides.

(2) Look forward, buttocks sink slowly. If the upper body can lean forward, it can bring more load to the buttocks and strengthen the muscles. Be careful not to let your knees go past your toes. A group of about 5 to 10 times is enough. @

Editor in charge: Chen Zhen