According to some nutritionists, a diet high in acid-forming foods, such as meat and dairy, and low in alkaline foods, such as vegetables and herbs, can lead to chronic diseases, including cancer. While no scientific evidence currently supports this theory, eating alkaline foods can have positive health effects for cancer patients by helping boost the immune system. If you are in treatment for cancer, ask your doctor about increasing your intake of alkaline foods, as some foods may interfere with medications.
The Theory of Acid-Alkaline Balance
Proponents of the acid-alkaline theory of disease and nutrition maintain that eating too much meat, dairy, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy, which are all acid-forming foods, disrupts the body's delicate pH balance. When your body has to work too hard to rid itself of excess acid, it also loses valuable minerals through your urine, leading to fatigue and possibly illness. However, critics of the acid-alkaline theory say that your body knows how to balance pH on its own, and excess acid buildup in the body is only temporary.
Alkaline Foods
Alkaline foods include fruits and vegetables, some legumes, spices and herbs, nuts and seeds. To restore health, for example, following a cancer diagnosis, the Health Studies Collegium, a research foundation, suggests a balance of 80 percent alkaline foods to 20 percent acidic foods. For breakfast, you might try a fresh organic fruit salad or a cooked fruit compote. Lunch and dinner ideas include lentils with quinoa or a vegetable stir-fry with tofu or tempeh. When eating meat or fish, limit the portion size and serve with ample amounts of cooked greens and mashed sweet potatoes. A snack might consist of a handful of nuts with raisins.
Foods for Specific Types of Cancer
Alkaline foods are also rich sources of phytochemicals, natural substances found in plants that have cancer-protective properties. Dr. Julia Greer, author of "The Anti-Cancer Cookbook," recommends specific alkaline foods for different types of cancer. For breast and ovarian cancer, she suggests broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, and orange, carotenoid-containing veggies, such as sweet potatoes and carrots. For colon and stomach cancer, Greer especially recommends quercetin- and allium-containing garlic, onions and leeks. Pancreatic and prostate cancer patients may benefit from lycopene-containing alkaline foods, such as tomatoes and red grapefruit.
Considerations
Cancer treatment can compromise your immune system, making it easier for you to pick up infections from food-borne bacteria. Therefore, wash fresh produce thoroughly, and buy organic for the "dirtiest" varieties, such as bell peppers and strawberries. If you experience low white blood cell counts during treatment, and your doctor recommends a special or neutropenic diet, you will need to cook your fruit and vegetables or buy them frozen instead of eating them raw. In addition, some herbs, which are also alkaline foods, may interfere with treatment. Ginger and garlic, for example, may excessively thin your blood, resulting in bleeding. Talk to your doctor about how to safely incorporate more alkaline foods into your cancer diet.
References
- "The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods"; Michael Murray, N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.; 2005
- "The Joy of Food: The Alkaline Way Guide"; Health Studies Collegium; 2008
- Brigham and Women's Hospital; Alkaline Diets and Cancer: Fact or Fiction?; Stephanie Vangsness, R.D.; May 2011
- American Cancer Society; Phytochemicals; November 2008
- "The Anti-Cancer Cookbook"; Julia B. Greer, MD, MPH; 2008
- Environmental Working Group: Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
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