Spinach….Collards….Dandelions….Kale….Sprouts….YUCK!!! This is not always my reaction anymore, but this was definitely how I felt at the beginning of my anti-cancer protocol. Why is organic, raw, and vegan so important?
Organic- Since I didn’t eat vegetables to begin with, whether they had pesticides or not didn’t concern me… That is, until cancer became an issue. Buying organic is essential to the anti-cancer diet or any healthy diet. It is common knowledge that when pesticides are sprayed on produce, many of those fruits and vegetables actually absorb the chemicals. They essentially become a part of the fruit or veggie. Some of these more chemical prone veggies known as the “Dirty Dozen” are peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes (some studies also include blueberries.) Also, buying organic ensures that you are not getting a genetically modified (GMO) product. When fighting cancer with food as your medicine, you want your food to have come from the ground, not from the lab.
Raw- This one is pretty simple. Eating as closely to God’s creation is the way to go. When I first began my anti-cancer diet my 5th grade students had a list of things they would ask me if I could or could not eat. I summed it up by saying “I can only eat things that come from the ground.” When we cook food we destroy a lot of its enzymes. Enzymes are naturally in raw fruits and vegetables and help them digest much easier rather than force our digestive tracts to do all the work. Living, raw foods also contain the optimal amount of vitamins and minerals. Uncooked fruits and veggies also boost your body’s alkalinity. This has been shown to deter cancer which thrives in an acidic environment.
Vegan- Having to digest animal products makes your body work harder. When fighting cancer you need all the energy you have working towards eliminating cancer. There’s a more scientific explanation behind this, but for right now I think that simplifies it. Plant products practically digest themselves and contain tons of fiber to clean out your colon to allow for optimal absobtion of nutrients. Meat is dead. That means your body has to do all the work to digest it. There are no enzymes to help. Most dairy products are also dead since much of their nutrients have been destroyed in the pasteurization process. The only exception to this is raw milk from healthy grass-fed cows and cultured dairy such as cottage cheese, no-added sugar yogurt, and kefir. The raw milk has its original enzymes and the cultured products contain live organisms (probiotics) which help with digestion. During my anti-cancer diet the only dairy I consumed was cottage cheese, part of the “CCFO” protocol I will write about tomorrow.
An excellent, complete resource to read more about the benefits of the raw vegan diet is “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell. Now that I am cancer free I try to eat about 90% vegan, of that 60% raw, and no processed foods, sugars, or trans-fats.
Hi Courtney,
I have a hard getting fresh broccoli sprouts for my daily juices. Does the freeze dried powder offer same results? I’m not sure if you used fresh daily or found an alternative.
I hope reply soon. Thanks so much and for all the information you have shared. God bless you and your family.
I bet the powder has quite a bit of good nutrition to it. Spreading your own broccoli sprouts is so easy in a jar on your counter, if you have the time to rinse them every day you can have fresh broccoli sprouts in just a few days from seeds.
Please can you do a video on how to do the brocollis sprout and how to get the seeds?
Hi Cortney,
My name is Dana and I’m a 24 year collage student. About two weeks ago I was diagnosed with stage 2 lymphoma. The oncologist suggested that I do 8 sessions of chemo. I choose to not do chemo due to knowing about it’s detrimental affect on the immune system and healthy cells. I researched and prayed for God to show me alternatives and then I came across your website. I bought and read all the books and have been drinking the supplements. Since last week I’ve been doing the anticancer diet. The only issue is that since I used to workout and eat enough protein to strengthen my muscles. My entire body muscles are now aching due to the decreased amount of protein in the anticancer diet. I was wondering if I’m able to drink protein shakes with no sugar? I understand the meats are not allowed, that is why I was wondering if I can drink protein shake instead. Also, Is there anyway I can email you with specific questions through email instead of posting on here? Thank you for your blog
Hey Dana, your she’s could be one of a few things. Not enough calories and detox would be what I guess. Check out my How I Beat Cancer page for my exact diet.
I found you from Chris Wark’s website, and am a first time commenter. I am a Mama of 8, and am feeling like I might be on the brink of a cancer diagnosis. I am meeting with a hematologist for some more blood work here in a few weeks. I am finding your site a wealth of knowledge, and I find myself so grateful! One question is why no eggs? They are such a quick, easy food and a great source of protein and fats. Any ideas why those are thrown out with all the rest of the animal products? Thanks much!
Some people do but I avoided them to reduce animal protein.
Is this protocol also good for sarcoma’s? I see all they typical cancers that everyone knows about but I don’t see sarcoma’s talked about. I have leiomyoscaroma and I’m wanting this protocol to be good for that as well.
There is no official word on which protocol is best for what unless you look at Gerson. There are a few cancers it is not recommended for. I would pray about it, talk to a doctor, and get started on a plant-based diet, Transfer Point Beta GLucan and a food based multivitamin to start.
Hi, 1 week ago my husband got the reading from the radiologist report from his ct Scan. Lymphoma. We don’t know what stage it is or if any other places other than in his abdomen are affected. We are going to use the hcg testing as one of the ways to monitor his progress. We right away started a raw diet.
One thing I’m not seeing much of is how people are managing the pain? It is almost unbearable at times. I don’t think he will be able to work much longer. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome! Thank you.
For how long did you strictly have raw, no cooked food diet? What was your source of protein and carbohydrates? I’m fighting those rouge cells too, followed a similar vegetarian protocol, took mega doses of Vitamins and did coffee enema everyday. But then found myself shrinking, went down from 54 kilos to 42 kg. in 3 months. It could be the cancer eating up my flesh or the diet, I’m not very sure, or both. So I’m seriously asking.
Cynthia- definitely get help from a nutritionist or doctor if you are suffering! I was almost exclusively raw for over a year. During pregnancy I supplemented with wild and pastured animal protein. I aim for mostly plant based though. Chris Wark’s Square One Cancer Coaching program is the most concise place to start learning about all of this!
I am fighting cancer and am very intrigued by the raw diet. I love your page !!
Hi!
My name is Inaki, i´m 30 and i live in Spain (europe).
I´m with a Hodgking lymphoma since 4 years ago, the las 3 with alternative treatments. I´m thinking to start with a raw diet but i don´t have information how to proceed.
Is there a good guidue/book/nutriotinist that can guide me?I’m pretty lost as to plan a daily menu.
Thanks a lot for your help
Best wishes
Hi there, Inaki. I recommend Bill Henderson’s book as a place to start, although there are many other books on the raw, vegan, diet to start with. Here’s a few…
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060834374/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060834374&linkCode=as2&tag=gredridia-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0895292238
Hi Senia, I tried to find your email contact info, but I’m not sure you provided it. Just plug your email into the “Keep up with Green Drink” bar on the right side of the home page.
Please subscribe me. I find your blog very interesting. I am currently drinking green smoothies, and I find appealing the idea of transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. This is easier said than done, though, cause I love pies and cookies, but you make it sound possible. Thank you.