Prevent cancer by 'starving' them, you can do it yourself!

Just like humans need to eat to live, cancer cells also need to eat sugar to survive. Cancer cells crave sugar like a drought waiting for rain. So how to effectively 'starve' cancer cells to death?

You can also prevent cancer yourself by 'starving' them.

About 100 years ago, the famous German physiologist Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells are 'addicted' to sugar. 

Normal cell growth depends on oxygen. But cancer cells are different, they grow by absorbing large amounts of sugar (glucose), even in an environment full of oxygen. This phenomenon occurs in 80% of cancers. 

The way cancer cells use alternative sugars for energy is called glycolytic metabolism or the Warburg Effect.

Cancer cells consume 100 times more sugar than normal tissues 

Cancer cells metabolize and grow much faster than normal cells, and they consume sugar at a rate beyond our imagination. It can be said that cancer cells are very hungry for sugar. 

In a paper published in the journal BMC Biology in 2014, US scientists showed that many cancer cells specifically choose sugar (glucose) for food and they consume glucose faster than normal tissues from 50 to 100 times.

Cancer cells frantically take up sugar, consume it quickly, to grow, multiply and spread rapidly. 

Sugars can make carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, which are similar to bricks, cement, and insulation for the cell to build a house. In addition, sugar makes DNA and RNA for cells as their genetic blueprint.

The famous German physiologist Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells are addicted to sugar.

Inspired by the Warburg Effect, scientists have gone one step further to develop a new method for diagnosing cancer – positron emission tomography (PET imaging). 

Its principle is to inject a radioactive substance (usually fluorodeoxyglucose, also known as radioactive glucose) into the patient, wait for about 1 hour, the radioactive glucose will enter the body's metabolic system, then will scan and display the image. When this radioactive glucose is concentrated in a part of the body, the image of that part lights up.

 For example, a patient is tested for pancreatic cancer. On a PET scan, if the pancreas is normal, it doesn't glow, but when a part of the patient's pancreas lights up, there may be cancer.

A high-sugar diet increases the risk of many types of cancer  

Cancer is not a single disease, it is a series of genetic or metabolic diseases caused by dysfunction of mitochondria in cells. Furthermore, the organs or parts where cancer occurs are often the site of a relatively vigorous body's metabolism. 

Because cancer cells prefer to metabolize glycolytic as their source of energy, eating large amounts of sugar can cause cancer to grow and spread more quickly. This is precisely why there is ample epidemiological evidence that people with diabetes are more likely to develop cancer, especially breast, colon, prostate, liver and pancreatic cancers. 

More and more studies have found that sugar intake is directly linked to an increased risk of cancer. 

US researchers followed 3,184 Americans between the ages of 26 and 84 from 1991 to 2013 and found that drinking more fruit juices was associated with a 58 percent increased risk of prostate cancer. In fact, the higher the sugary drinks, the higher the risk of obesity-related cancers by 59% in subjects who were excessively obese. 

 An epidemiological cohort study of 60,000 women in Sweden found that those with a high glycemic index (glycemic index) food diet and carbohydrate intake were more likely to develop breast cancer. In addition, women in this population who ate the most sugar (more than 35 grams of cane sugar (sucrose) per day, along with sweet bread and cookies more than three times a week) had an increased risk of endometrial cancer. uterus increased significantly. 

Several researchers in the United States put together a systematic review of 37 studies on sugar and cancer risk published in authoritative journals between 1990 and 2017. It has been found that eating a lot of sugar can increase cancer risk by promoting insulin-sugar (glucose) imbalances, oxidative stress, inflammation, obesity and increasing cancer risk. Of these, two studies on increased added sugars found that eating a lot of sugar increased the risk of cancer by 60% to 95%. Eight out of 15 studies on sugary foods and drinks found that consuming more sugary drinks increased the risk of cancer by 23% to 200%.

Not only that, if you eat too much sugar can increase the rate of death from cancer. 

In the study published in the journal 'Clinical nutrition', researchers followed 7,447 people who were tested continuously over several years, to see if their sugar intake was linked to cancer incidence, cancer mortality and overall mortality. The results found that for every 5g increase in liquid sugar per day, cancer incidence increased by 8%. In addition, the consumption of simple sugars in beverages and juices is associated with an increased risk of cancer death in general and death from all other causes.

More and more studies have found that sugar intake is directly linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Is it possible to stop eating sugar to starve cancer cells?

You may ask: Since cancer cells don't like sugar-free foods, if we completely abstain from sugar (carbohydrates) and sugar, can we leave them to starve? 

Unfortunately, this is not the correct answer. 

Because our human body is extremely delicate and complex. If you simply cut out sugars and sugars (carbohydrates), your body will quickly switch to other substances to maintain metabolism and survive. Cancer cells are cunning and evil even more so. Furthermore, people who are receiving certain cancer treatments need adequate nutrition, including carbohydrates, to help the body gradually recover.

However, we can completely starve cancer cells through special treatments to absorb sugar and energy. 

Dr. Sophia Lunt, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Michigan State University, in a TEDx Talk, introduced the public to a promising new direction in cancer therapy. cancer, which is used to affect the metabolism of cancer cells. 

Dr. Sophia Lunt tried through blocking many genes involved in the metabolism of cancer cells, and at the same time cutting off many of the pathways that support their growth and metabolism, to make them stop growing. The good news is that during this process normal cells continue to grow. 

But the process is extremely complicated. Dr. Sophia Lunt presented the audience with a maze-like diagram of the metabolism of cancer cells. This chart has been simplified, she said. 

Dr Sophia Lunt said that it is necessary to first identify the main metabolic pathways of cancer cells, then figure out the specific role of each metabolic pathway, and finally shape personalized treatment. genes, diet and living environment of each specific patient.

It can be said that controlling the metabolism of cancer cells is a new direction of cancer treatment that is expected in the future. 

Dr. Sophia Lunt said in her speech that there are many types of cancer, but they all have one thing in common: they need to eat. The treatment she offers is to starve cancer cells.

Sugar control is a great way to prevent cancer

Going back to the diet, although we cannot completely eliminate sugar and carbohydrates from our diet, we can prevent cancer by consuming sugar regularly. reasonable way.

 1.Control the proportion of sugar in the diet

Carbohydrates are a general term for simple sugars, disaccharides, and many other sugars (such as starch). When starch is eaten, it is broken down into sugar (glucose).

The body needs sugar (carbohydrates), but a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can be dangerous for both healthy people and cancer patients.

To reduce the incidence of cancer, you can use the 'food plate method' to control the proportion of carbohydrates in each meal. 

Plate method: Use a food table to represent a typical meal, keeping carbohydrates to 1/4 plate, protein to 1/4, and vegetables (try to choose a low glycemic index) 1/2. In the center of the plate can be some high-quality high-fat foods, such as avocados.

To reduce your risk of cancer, you can use the 'plate method' to control the percentage of sugar (carbohydrate) in each meal.

2. Choose complex sugars (carbohydrates)

Complex carbohydrates include dietary fiber and starches that are not readily digested by the body, such as beans, whole grains, taro, and sweet potatoes. They are gradually converted to sugar in the body, and they are also extremely rich and diverse in nutrients.

Refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, have a reduced percentage of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein due to the deep processing. When ingested, it is quickly broken down into a large amount of glucose. Typical refined carbohydrates include refined pasta, white bread, processed pastas, and baked goods such as cakes and cookies. 

Complex carbohydrates are fibers and starches that are not quickly digested by the body.

3. Eat less refined carbohydrates

You can replace half of your white rice with brown or multigrain rice, replace white bread with wholemeal bread, or occasionally eat steamed corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, taro, and other staples. other weak. 

4. Limit sugar intake, especially refined sugar

It is better to choose fruit with a low glycemic index instead of drinking juice. Also, avoid foods high in sugar. If you want to add sugar to your food, you can replace white sugar with natural sugar substitutes like stevia or arhat sugar… But don't use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, because they can kill the good bacteria in your gut and harm your health. 

In cooking, use herbs and flavorings that lower blood sugar, such as fenugreek leaves, onions, garlic, chives, leeks, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves.