Simple Understanding of the Mighty Microbiome, Diet, and Cancer!

Dr. Wendy Zhou, ND

Cancer is one of the most adaptive and intelligent modern day diseases in history. It has been outsmarting us for ages and only recently, our research effort has been focused on digestion. The trillions of micro-bacteria known collectively as the microbiome can work together to influence or decrease cancer susceptibilities or progression. Like a symphony, depending on the environment we provide the microbiome, certain bacteria will be playing the main melody and others will play as the support. Similarly, if we had someone on the wrong page, it causes trouble for the whole. These invisible soldiers that live inside of us have a larger-than-life impact on our health.

Microbiome: The immune system regulator

One of our current understandings about cancer and the disease process is a weakening of our immune system which leads to a missed checkpoint in a bad gene mutation. In turn, these mistakes become amplified and replicated to create tumors.  The immune system, like a CEO in a company, recognizes, responds, and collects feedbacks toward self and foreign particles in the body. The microbes, like the secretary to the CEO, organize everything and direct focuses, so that the immune system knows what is the appropriate action to take. For example, researchers in January 2015 published a study from Australia where they reported that 80% of participants had improvements in peanut allergies with courses of lactobacillus rhamnosus (probiotic) by gradually giving kids increasing doses of peanuts. Those kids were gradually able to eat peanut-based food again. In this case, by changing the microbiome through the addition of probiotics, the researchers slowly trained the body to be able to recognize peanuts as something that is not harmful to the immune system. Similarly, the immune system can also go in the other direction: When the microbiome is not balanced, the immune system can fail to ignore harmless healthy human cells which leads to the rise of autoimmune diseases we see in society today.

The question left is why is our microbiome (secretary) allowing all this to happen? The answer is a little more complicated. The short version is because we have an overall less ‘good’ bacteria compared to the ‘bad’ ones. The long answer lies with how we eat, how we sleep, how we approach antibiotics, how much breastfeeding we had when we are young, how we were delivered into this world (Cesarean vs. Natural), how much GMOs we are consuming, how much pesticides we are introducing, and many more.Considering the impact of diet and cancer is crucial as we examine these factors. For now, we will look at our diet.

Our diet is a culprit

The average American diet has poor fiber intake, poor vegetable intake (and variety), with a heavy emphasis on grains and dairy. It was only within the last two years where Health Canada implemented a ‘healthy plate’ dietary recommendation to replace the ‘pyramid’ style of thinking we were taught in school. Guidelines can be replaced quickly, but education, understanding of proper food groups in the masses takes years to catch up. What is in the food groups that were lacking was vegetables, seeds-based food, and fruits. In all three groups, fiber is the missing link.

Why do we care about fiber so much? Up until the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s, humans ate a fiber-riched, plant-centered diet. Dietary fiber is one of the biggest groups of prebiotic (food that feeds the good bacteria in the gut) we will see. When dietary fiber is lacking, the good bacteria will starve and they will die – may contribute to to a rise in chronic diseases that we see today. This is also why some medical doctors will advise patients to skip the expensive probiotics in the stores and eat more vegetables. Furthermore, sugar and artificial sweeteners are also known to alter the microbiome. Consumption of gluten-containing grains triggers the release of zonulin (a protein that may lead to leaky gut and intestinal wall damage in excess) that may speed up disease processes. Alcohol and overconsumption of alcohol are known to drive inflammatory processes in the body and damage cells along the digestive tract. Lastly, food additives also play a role in altering the microbiome, which allows overgrowth of bad bacteria and diagnosis of diseases such as SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth).

What can we eat?

I have a quick easy rule whenever patients ask me this: Influence fiber (vegetable and seed base), decrease sugar and packaged foods. This advice sounds like what every other doctor would say, but it is the absolute truth that is why so many people are repeating it. Implementing this statement is where most patients fail. Sugar is an addiction that the body does not need. Like a bad relationship, get rid of it completely – a clean break is easier than allowing weekend visits. There are situations where it is unavoidable or accidental – shake it off, get back onto that wagon of being sugar-free, and make sure the climb up does not take a month and the wagon is comfortable so we don’t fall off too often. Unless you have a true allergy to a vegetable, eat a variety, eat often, and make sure vegetables are a major part of the food plate. Track the grocery list to make sure a variable is present!

Vegan vs. Carnivores

The research is full of controversy. There are lots of benefits of eating a plant-based diet, and one can argue that there is nothing a plant-based dieter cannot get from an animal source. Certainly, it is absolutely true. However, this only applies to the most strict, and educated vegans. A lot of vegans are ‘bad vegans’ not because they cheat, it is because they only stick to a handful of vegetables only. It is very difficult to fully get every single nutrient every day if one is not mindful.

Protein being the biggest debate. One can get protein from plant-based meals, but that requires larger quantities to be enough. Protein is important for muscle function (heart is a muscle too), immune function, hormone function, and much more. Chronically lacking in protein will may impact immune function, maintaining the immune system, and maintaining proper energy control.

Fruit sugars vs. Cancer

When there is a cancer diagnosis, many people understand sugar(or glucose) is bad for cancer. This is due to the Warburg Effect of explanation about cancer processes. The Warburg effect is when glucose ferments in the cells and is used as an inefficient source of energy production rather than the typical oxygen pathway. This pathway is typically used in cancerous cells and promotes cancer development. However, in order to drive the glucose into the cell in the first place, the blood sugar would be high for the natural flow of sugar movement to happen (concentrated area into a less concentrated area – blood into the cells). Research has demonstrated time and time again that fruits, because of the fiber in them, do not elevate the blood sugar high enough to cause blood sugar problems. However, if a diet is only based on fruits and little of anything else also could be a problem because it is not balanced in fiber and protein. Therefore, everything in moderation, but do not be scared of the effect of the sugar in fruits on cancer development.

As a naturopath that takes care of chronic disease patients (especially cancer), one of the most common discussions I have with patients is on what it is that we are trying to eat and why. I am a firm believer in food being the foundation of long-lasting health, and variety is the key. Therefore, limiting the diet tends not to be the first thing I do unless there is a reason why the current status quo is making problems worse. Eat healthy, portion control, and understand why food is such an important part of health. At Naturopathicliving medical solutions we work with our clients to provide holistic care.