A few words of caution before we begin. First, this diet may not be suitable for all cancer patients. Consult your oncologist before beginning this diet. Second, change is difficult. Be patient. The first few weeks may take some getting used to but that will pass. Psychologists tell us that it takes 3 weeks to break an old habit. Luckily, we have a tool to retune our brains and turn off this craving. I will share that secret next week. For now, let’s talk about a diet known as the Ketogenic Diet.
The ketogenic diet involves the removal of almost ALL carbohydrates from the diet, especially all sugars. Cancer cells can only use glucose (sugar) for energy, without it, they DIE.
All carbohydrates turn into glucose inside your body. So when you reduce carbohydrate intake to only non-starchy vegetables and protein, you effectively starve cancer.
When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it goes into a state called ketosis.
Ketosis simply means that the body is now burning fat as energy instead of sugar (glucose). Healthy cells have the ability to adapt from using glucose for fuel to using ketone bodies. Cancer cells can not. Ketone bodies are made by the liver from fat metabolism. The ketone bodies replace glucose as an energy source for healthy cells.
The ketogenic diet consists of 60% of calories from fat, 35% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrates only from vegetables. High-quality fats sources would include avocados, olives, beef, nuts (especially walnuts and macadamias), eggs, wild salmon, and only use coconut oil for cooking.
Over the past three weeks, we have started to give you a basic strategy in the battle against cancer. This list is by no means complete but provides a good starting point. By trying to maintain a body pH slightly alkaline, oxygenating the body as much as possible, and following a ketogenic diet, you will be well on your way to increasing your chances of survival.
