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Cancer Survivor Gives 5 Favorite Cancer Fighting Foods | Lauren Kretzer on The Exam Room Podcast

Physicians Committee・36 minutes read

Chef Lauren Kretzer, a cancer survivor, shares her experience and cancer-fighting foods, highlighting the importance of lifestyle changes and preventive measures post-cancer treatment, focusing on specific foods like cruciferous vegetables, berries, garlic, mushrooms, turmeric, and minimally processed soy. Lauren advocates for a plant-based diet and offers free recipes and holistic living tips on her website, Instagram, and Substack platform, with a paid version providing access to more content, including her Healing Cancer Protocol.

Insights

  • Chef Lauren Kretzer's personal experience with cancer showcases the importance of informed decision-making post-diagnosis, emphasizing the significance of preventive measures, lifestyle changes, and dietary adjustments in cancer management and risk reduction.
  • Cruciferous vegetables, garlic, berries, mushrooms, turmeric, and minimally processed soy are highlighted as key cancer-fighting foods due to their potent anti-cancer properties, affordability, availability, and ease of incorporation into daily meals, offering a holistic approach to health and well-being.

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Recent questions

  • What are some cancer-fighting foods?

    Cruciferous vegetables, garlic, berries, mushrooms, turmeric, and soy.

  • Who is Chef Lauren Kretzer?

    A cancer survivor and plant-based chef.

  • What is Sulforaphane?

    A compound in cruciferous vegetables with health benefits.

  • How does garlic benefit health?

    Boosts immunity, detoxifies carcinogens, and halts cancer growth.

  • What are the benefits of incorporating berries?

    High in antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and prevent DNA damage.

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Summary

00:00

"Chef cancer survivor shares food insights"

  • The podcast discusses cancer-fighting foods, focusing on five specific ones.
  • Chef Lauren Kretzer, a cancer survivor and plant-based chef, shares her experience and knowledge.
  • Lauren recounts her cancer scare, initially mistaken for a cold, leading to a large mass discovery in her chest.
  • The mass, a benign thymic cyst, required surgical removal, including her thymus gland.
  • Post-surgery, Lauren was diagnosed with a rare aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
  • Despite no visible cancer post-surgery, oncologists recommended intensive chemotherapy due to microscopic cancer potential.
  • Lauren sought multiple opinions, ultimately opting for surveillance instead of immediate chemotherapy.
  • Under constant monitoring and surveillance, Lauren remains cancer-free two years later.
  • The importance of lowering cancer risk through lifestyle changes and environmental factors is highlighted.
  • Lauren's optimistic outlook and empowerment through dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments are emphasized.

12:26

"Preventive Measures: Fighting Cancer with Food"

  • The decision not to undergo chemo treatment was carefully considered, prioritizing the well-being of young children in the household.
  • The choice was influenced by the cancer being at stage one, with a high cure rate and no visible cancer post-treatment.
  • The individual emphasizes the importance of preventive measures and a whole food plant-based diet post-cancer experience.
  • Cruciferous vegetables are highlighted as potent cancer fighters due to their availability and affordability.
  • Common cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens, watercress, radishes, and turnip greens.
  • Raw consumption of cruciferous vegetables is recommended for optimal health benefits, particularly due to the compound Sulforaphane.
  • Techniques to activate Sulforaphane include letting chopped vegetables sit before cooking and using ground mustard powder.
  • Garlic is praised for its immunity-boosting properties and its role in detoxifying carcinogens, halting cancer cell growth, and blocking angiogenesis.
  • Incorporating raw garlic into meals, like salads, is suggested for its anti-cancer benefits.
  • Berries are lauded for their high antioxidant content, ability to reduce inflammation, and overall nutrient density in fighting cancer.

24:10

"Berries, Mushrooms, Turmeric: Cancer-Fighting Foods"

  • Berries reduce inflammation, prevent DNA damage, and tumor angiogenesis.
  • Frozen berries are available year-round and are cost-effective.
  • Blackberries are the highest in antioxidants among common berries.
  • Indian Gooseberry, or Amla, is the highest antioxidant food; a small amount provides a significant boost.
  • Mushrooms, especially white button mushrooms, lower breast cancer risk.
  • Mushrooms contain aromatase inhibitors and boost natural killer cell activity.
  • Turmeric, with curcumin, is a potent anti-cancer spice found in curry powder.
  • Turmeric can be added to various dishes for its health benefits.
  • Soy, specifically minimally processed soy products, is linked to lower breast cancer recurrence and prevention.
  • Starting soy consumption early in life reduces the risk of developing breast cancer as an adult.

36:04

Benefits of Soy in Diet and Health

  • Soy from an early age contains a plant estrogen compound different from the body's estrogen, making it beneficial without negative effects. Minimally processed soy like tofu, tempeh, edamame, and unsweetened soy milk are recommended, while ultra-processed soy products should be avoided.
  • Soy consumption does not lead to chest enhancements in men, contrary to popular belief, and can be a healthy addition to one's diet.
  • Lauren Kretzer, a cancer survivor, shares her nutrition and plant-based cooking knowledge through her website, LaurenKretzer.com, Instagram account, and Substack platform, offering free recipes and holistic living tips, with a paid version providing access to more content, including her Healing Cancer Protocol.
  • The Substack platform combines a newsletter and blog, offering subscribers insights into food, nutrition, wellness, and travel from a vegan perspective, with a paid subscription granting access to additional exclusive content, such as Lauren's detailed post on her Healing Cancer Protocol.
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