You will find a diet to treat cancer just about everywhere these days. Some are passing fads and others stay around for a bit longer. But, are they really healthy for you and can they really cure cancer? One popular diet that has attracted a lot of attention for quite some time is macrobiotics.
Macrobiotic diets involve eating grains supplemented with other foods such as local or organic vegetables, avoiding processed foods and most animal products. It also addresses overeating and thorough chewing of food before swallowing. Lastly, some macrobiotics writers have often touted it as a means of combating cancer.
Lawrence Kushi, ScD, associate director for epidemiology at Kaiser Permanente and the son of Michio Kushi, who published books and articles that popularized the macrobiotic movement in the 1960’s reports that no scientific evidence exists to prove a macrobiotic diet cures or prevents cancer. This has also been reported in Cure magazine published by the American Cancer Society.
While there is no conclusive scientific evidence, it is clear that macrobiotics does have some health benefit. The increased plant-based, high-fiber foods, reduced animal fats or foods and balanced living in general contribute to a healthier lifestyle and immune system. For the cancer patient, maintaining this balance is critical, particularly while they are undergoing treatment. Other principles of macrobiotics may also contribute to cancer prevention such as physical activity and exercise, avoiding pesticides and chemical exposures and reducing stress.
Regardless of what your diet is, or what you would like it to be, if you are a cancer patient currently under treatment you should consult with your physician, or members of their healthcare team, before making any sudden or significant changes in your dietary patterns. Many cancer centers have dietitians or other counselors on hand, as part of their cancer care program, to assist patients with their unique nutritional needs.
The best advice, for everyone whether they have cancer or not is to eat a balanced diet of proteins, vitamins and minerals that are gained through foods, not supplements, that are rich in plant-based, high-fiber foods and low in animal fats and sugars.
No diet, including macrobiotics, will cure cancer but it is certainly the best treatment for living a happy, healthy lifestyle.
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