A plant-based diet may be an important factor in reducing your chances of developing cancer. Cancer is becoming more and more common, and most of us knows someone who has suffered from this disease. We know that environmental factors may play a role in both causing and treatment of cancer. Diet, lack of exercise and smoking have been outlined by both the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research (2009) as causes of cancer. Previous reports by the two bodies take considerations about factors that are relevant to the prevention of cancer, including lifestyle choices and diet. Recommendations include switching to a plant-based diet high in fruit, vegetables and pulses.
While prevention by itself is paramount, studies are showing that a plant-based diet may also be an important part of a cancer treatment plan.
Common Prevention and Treatment Methods
Cancer diagnosis is one of the most devastating things anyone can experience. This is especially the case when it is in the later stages and options going forward are limited. Medical cancer treatment is a grueling experience. It takes great personal strength to stay strong and positive during the process. Some treatments include: radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
These treatments often have severe side effects including hair loss, loss of appetite and nausea. What if a plant-based diet could help?
Cancer and Plant-Based Diets
Reports continue to show that there are strong links between unhealthy eating and cancer. From a numbers perspective, obesity may be related to 30-35% of cancer deaths. Lack of exercise or physical activity accounts for roughly another 7%. A healthy diet helps manage weight and boosts the immune system.
Plant-Based Diets
These are diets that consist of foods with plant origin like vegetables, fruits, pulses, and whole grains. Many studies state that avoiding meat and other animal products is the healthier option. Plant-based diets are widely regarded by health care professionals as having immense health benefits, not only in cancer prevention and treatment but also for other chronic illnesses. Healthy weight and good BMI are as important as a lifestyle choice as quitting smoking.
Plant-based diets have been shown to boost survival against colon, prostate and breast cancer, as well as melanoma. This dietary approach helps the human body activate its self-healing. There are several diet-related changes that significantly inhibit cancer:
Weight loss: Obesity is strongly linked to premature deaths for cancer patients and an increase in the risk of getting it in the first place.
Avoiding animal products: Meat and dairy contain properties such as growth factors that cause cancer progression.
Avoiding vegetable oils: such oils encourage tumor growth.
The Research
A study by the American Cancer Society, Practical Clinical Interventions for Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Control in Cancer Survivors recommended that cancer survivors should have plant-based diets high in fruits, whole grains, and vegetables with little or no red meats. Statistics by the society showed that in the last 40 years, there have been no significant improvements in the survival rate through the use of conventional cancer treatments. Tantamango-Bartley et al., (2013) conducted a study of over 70,000 individuals. Their diet patterns were analyzed and the suggestion was that vegan diets provided a lower relative risk for all types of cancer, especially those that are female-specific. The Cornell-Oxford study, done between the 70s and 80s found links between diet and cancer. In the 65 Chinese counties involves, it was reported that many diseases were directly linked to intake of animal products, while plant-based diets had a preventive element to them.
Centre of Balance practitioners are available for acupuncture treatment which may help with many conditions including all kinds of pain.
References
Campbell, T. (2016). CANCER: It’s What’s For Dinner – T. Colin Campbell PhD.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMO7QmFhxWg [Accessed 28 Nov. 2018].
Tantamango-Bartley, Y., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Fan, J., & Fraser, G. (2013). Vegetarian diets and the incidence of cancer in a low-risk population. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers, 22(2), 286-294.
I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.
I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions. As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results. I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method. I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment. From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas. Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills. My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms. In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions. In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.
Plant-Based Diets
Plant-Based Diets
