Proponents of high-alkaline cancer diets claim that you can decrease your risk of developing cancer or even “kill” cancer cells already growing within your body. High-alkaline diet advocates recommend that you construct your daily diet to include 70 percent alkaline foods, such as soy, avocados, beets and alfalfa sprouts, and 30 percent acid foods, such as whole-grain breads, cheese, salmon and peanut butter. This method helps to create a “less hospitable environment” for already existing cancer cells to grow or new cancer cells to form within your body, according to the Acid Alkaline Diet.
Theory
The Acid Alkaline Diet's website lists several claims in relation to its diet and cancer. When you eat too much sugar, processed foods, animal protein and caffeine, your body becomes too acidic. This acidic environment causes your cells to retain less oxygen than they would if you had an alkaline climate within your cells. Consequently, this acidic environment creates an optimal atmosphere for cancer cells to multiply and thrive. Therefore, by following an alkaline diet, you increase the oxygen levels in your cells, which ultimately inhibits the growth and development of cancer cells and might even “cure” your cancer, according to AcidAlkalineDiet.com.
Expert Insight
Your body has an innate checks and balances system that keeps your pH in a healthy and normal range. This range is between 7.35 and 7.45, according to Stephanie Vangsness, a registered dietitian representing Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Therefore, when your pH becomes too alkaline or too acidic, your body secretes acidic or alkaline substances into your bloodstream to bring your body back into balance. Therefore, it is almost impossible to maintain a high-alkaline environment within your body for an extended period of time, according to Vangsness.
Considerations
Studies claiming that cancer cells thrive in acidic environments were conducted in laboratories. These studies would be almost impossible to perform in human bodies because of various factors, such as the need for an acidic environment in your stomach to properly digest foods, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research's, AICR, blog. Furthermore, while alkaline diet proponents encourage you to eat healthful foods such as vegetables and fruits, they discourage you from consuming other healthy foods such as whole grains and beans because of their acidic qualities. Since large-scale studies performed by U.S. certified medical researchers do not exist to validate their recommendations, the AICR recommends that you follow its guidelines for preventing cancer. These suggestions include avoiding sugary drinks, being physically active for 30 minutes per day, limiting consumption of salty foods and eating a variety of legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
Warning
Speak with your doctor about the lack of scientific evidence available to support high-alkaline diets for cancer before you begin one on your own. Your doctor might suggest that you follow established guidelines presented by qualified medical nutrition research professionals to prevent or better manage your cancer symptoms. Your doctor might also recommend that you abstain from consuming high-alkaline diet foods that could worsen another medical condition you experience.
References
- Acid Alkaline Diet: Alkaline Diet for Cancer
- Acid Alkaline Diet: List of Alkaline Foods
- Acid Alkaline Diet: How the List of Alkaline Food Works
- Brigham and Women's Hospital: Alkaline Diets and Cancer
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Another Cancer and Diet Claim: The Alkaline Diet
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Recommendations for Cancer Prevention
