By Meghan Rabbitt
Recipes Developed By Jeanette Hurt

Of the more than 1 million Americans diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly 700,000 can blame their condition at least in part on their high-fat, low-fiber diets. But a growing body of research suggests it’s never too late to change that. In fact, more and more studies show that eating a healthy diet that’s packed with a variety of whole foods can have a big impact on fighting cancer once it has developed—and on keeping patients in remission. “Reshaping your diet is one of the most important ways you can join your healthcare team as an active participant in fighting relapse of your disease, improving your chances of remission, and nurturing your well-being,” writes Daniel Nixon, MD, in The Cancer Recovery Eating Plan (Three Rivers Press, 1996).

Roberta Anding, RD, a dietician in Houston, says she’s living proof of this. Diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago, Anding changed her eating habits to help in her recovery. “Most people are stunned when they learn they have cancer, and it sparks them to start making changes,” she says. “What has helped me—and what I tell my patients to focus on—is to get as much variety in my diet as possible.” The more colorful the fruits and vegetables, the better, says Anding. And shoot to get as many nutrients and minerals from as wide a variety of whole foods as possible. “That’s how I crafted my recovery,” she says, “and it worked.”

How our diet feeds cancer
Following a cancer diagnosis, patients often wonder, “Why me,” says Anding. “It’s so common to ask what you did to bring this diagnosis on,” she says. “But while there is strong research linking diet to some cancer growth, it’s probably not the only cause.” Nixon agrees, explaining in his book that diet most likely stimulates cells with genes that have already been altered to grow into a cancerous tumor. “Poor diet is most likely a promoter of cancer, not an initiator,” he says. For example, cancer cells may already exist in the body, and a diet high in fat may simply provide sufficient energy—and spark certain hormonal changes—for those cells to develop into a tumor.

Numerous studies have found that cutting fat intake can help create an environment in the body that’s unfriendly to cancer cells. A low-fat diet typically means an intake of fewer calories—and too many calories, especially those from fat, provide energy for tumors to grow. Plus, decreasing tumor-stimulating fatty acids (from bad fats like trans fats) and lowering estrogen levels in the body can play a huge role in keeping cancer cells from multiplying. In fact, Nixon says that using a low-fat diet to decrease estrogen levels may work much like the chemotherapy drug tamoxifen.

A high-fat diet is generally low on fiber too, and for most people that translates into a higher risk of cancer. Why? A diet high in fiber helps move food through the gut, giving your body a better shot at flushing out carcinogens. Not eating enough fiber allows those carcinogens more time to build up and stay in the body, where they can damage cell DNA. Studies show that increased fiber intake can also reduce the body’s level of estrogen—which feeds certain cancers, like breast cancer—by changing the way food is absorbed