This document provides an overview of a webinar on diet and healing from cancer presented by Dr. Rob and dietitian Erin Roman. The webinar covered principles of a healthy anti-cancer diet, components like vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats/proteins. It discussed diet myths and provided examples of healthy meals and snacks. The goals of the webinar series were to maximize recovery, feel better emotionally and improve cognitive function through diet.

1. C C S N ’ S R E M A R K A B L E C A N C E R
S U R V I V O R ’ S G U I D E T O
H E A L I N G T H R O U G H D I E T
W E E K 4 W I T H D R . R O B
O C T O B E R 2 8 R U T L E D G E A N D
E R I N R O M A N , R D

2. I N T R O D U C I N G . . . .
•Erin Roman, BSc, RD
•Dietitian at InspireHealth.ca

3. YO U R G OA L S F O R T H I S S E R I E S
•Maximize your chance of recovery
•Feel better emotionally
•Think more clearly and function better
•Learn to connect more deeply
•Grow psychologically / spiritually

4. TA K E H O M E P O I N T S
( W H A T R E M A R K A B L E C A N C E R S U R V I V O R S D O )
• Unleash your healing potential by nourishing
your body with healthy food
• Tap into information / expertise
• Listen to your body, and trust your intuition
• Love your body

5. T O DAY ’ S W E B I N A R C O N T E N T
● How diet promotes healing
● Components of a healthy diet
● Healthy fluids, fats and sources of protein
● Vitamins and supplements
● Your microbiome
● Types of diet and fasting
● Myths about diet
● How to organize and shop
● Resources
● Q+A

6. W H A T I S C O M P L E T E C A N C E R C A R E ?
( I N T E G R AT I V E O N C O L O G Y )
• Understanding what’s happening to you
• Getting the best from the medical system
• Empowering yourself with healthy lifestyle
- Exercise, diet, weight, sleep, relaxation techniques
• Settling the mind
• Nurturing your spirit

7. W H E N T O G E T E X P E R T A D V I C E
• Recommended for everyone!
• Ask your physician, and see a Registered Dietitian
• But especially for people who suffer
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Diarrhea / constipation
• Difficulty eating
• Issues with relationship with food

8. A N T I - C A N C E R P H YS I C A L H A B I T S
A S I M P O R TA N T A S D I E T
•Maintaining a
reasonable weight
•Exercise

9. W H AT I S C A N C E R
•Normal cell that has begun to grow
fast and in an uncontrolled way
•Requires dozens of changes to the cell

10. H O W C A N C E R S TA R T S
•A normal cell
transforms into
cancer cells over
many years

11. D O N ’ T T U R N S L O W G R O W I N G C A N C E R
C E L L S I N T O FA S T G R O W I N G C E L L S
• Damage to the normal cells causes them to turn
into cancer cells
• Further damage to slow growing cancer cells
cause them to become fast growing cells
• What’s good for reducing risk of your type of
cancer is good after a diagnosis
• What’s known to increase risk of your type of
cancer should be avoided

12. E P I G E N E T I C S :
C H A N G E T H E S O U P !
• The fluid around the cells contain chemicals
which can drive cell growth
• Inflammation in the body releases chemicals into
the blood which can cause damage to the cells
and increase cell turnover
• Choose an anti-inflammatory lifestyle
• Diet, exercise, meditation, stress reduction

13. T H E M I C R O B I O M E
• 100 trillion bacteria in your gut
• Essential to digestion, immunity, hormone production
• A diet of processed and refined foods will
• Change the types and amount of bacteria in your gut
• Irritate the lining of the gut (leaky gut syndrome)
• Feed your bacteria
• Fiber
• Prebiotics add ‘good’ bacteria to your gut

14. H O W D I E T H E L P S T O H E A L C A N C E R
• Prevents slow growing cells from becoming fast growing
• Anti-oxidants mop up damaging and stimulating chemicals
• Turns off the signals for the cells to grow
• High sugar levels prime insulin / growth
• Change in the soup, change the conditions for cell growth
• Improves immune function
• Unleash body’s innate healing potential
• Living your body can prime a meta-physical transformation

15. P R I N C I P L E S O F A H E A LT H Y D I E T
• Eat food, mostly plants, not too much
• 50%+ of your plate should be veggies (+ fruits)
• Healthy complex carbos (neither low nor high carb diet)
• Proteins and fats from non-meat sources (ie less meat or no meat)
• Healthy fluids and fiber
• Multiple types of foods at each meal (combines vitamins, minerals etc)
• Supplement with Vitamin D (and B12 if vegan)
• Talk to your physician if other supplements are needed
• Adopt a diet you will enjoy for the long term

16. T H E B I G F O U R F O O D G R O U P S
•Veggies
•Fruits
•Whole grains
•Legumes, beans, seeds
and nuts

17. AV O I D J U N K
•Sugar drinks and refined sugars
•Fried foods
•Processed foods
•Red meat

18. S U G A R F E E D S C A N C E R ?
•Refined sugars and high glycemic foods on
their own can “spike” blood sugars
•↑ insulin = inflammation
•We need protein, fibre, healthier fats
•Best to consume slow burning fuel

19. L I T T L E O R N O R E D M E AT !
• Red meat irritates your gut, kills off healthy bacteria and
leads to inflammation
• Fish in small amounts is OK
• Eg. one serving per week
• Beware of high metal levels (eg. tuna)
• Canned wild salmon, sardines, cod, herring, mackerel,…
• Skinless chicken or turkey breast in small amounts

20. M Y T H – W E W O N ’ T G E T E N O U G H
P R O T E I N I F W E D O N ’ T E AT M E AT
•Wrong!
•Vegetables contain the same amino acids
(ie protein) as the muscle of animals
•A balanced vegan diet contains more
protein than our bodies can use.

21. O T H E R H E A LT H Y S O U R C E S
O F P R O T E I N
• GRAINS – NUTS - BEANS
• Nuts – almonds, peanut butter, pasticcios,
pumpkin seeds, flax, sunflower, brazil
• Kidney beans, black beans, lentils, garbanzo,
chick peas, edamame, amaranth
• Sprouted grain bread

23. H E A LT H Y W H O L E G R A I N S
• Quinoa
• Brown rice / wild rice
• Flax seeds
• Whole oats
• Whole barley
• Buckwheat
• Cous cous

25. N I N E K E Y FA C T O R S S H A R E D B Y
R A D I C A L R E M I S S I O N S U R V I V O R S
• Taking control of your
health
• Following your intuition
• Radical change in diet
• Use of herbs and
supplements
• Releasing suppressed
emotions
• Promoting positive emotions
• Embracing social support
• Having a strong reason for
living
• Deepening spiritual connection
• **Exercise

26. N O S W E E T, N O W H E AT, N O DA I RY
A N D N O R E F I N E D F O O D S
•Greatly increase vegetable and fruit intake
•Eat organic foods
•Drink filtered water

27. H E R B S A N D S U P P L E M E N T S
• Vitamin D – 1000-2000 IU
• Vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg if vegan
• Get your blood levels checked
• Eat a varied and balanced diet and you won’t
need to take supplements
• unless directed by a physician

28. H E A LT H Y F L U I D S
• Reminder to stay hydrated – bottle close by
• Tea: green, chaga mushrooms, saffron
• Warm water with lemon in am
• Reduce alcohol (eg. one drink per week)
• Almond milk or oat milk (less water to produce)

29. M Y T H – C O F F E E I S B A D F O R YO U
•Caffeine is a stimulant (hard to relax)
•Drink your coffee earlier in the day
•Enjoy your life fully!

30. M Y T H – FAT I S B A D F O R YO U
•Trans and saturated fats are not good
•We need healthy fats for our brain, nerves and
many other cells
•Good unsaturated fats (mono and poly) include
veggie oils (olive, canola, sunflower, soy), nuts,
seeds, and fish

31. H E A LT H Y O I L S
• Olive – cold pressed, and less than a year old
• Grape seed for salads
• Avocado – good for cooking
• Better to get from the plant
• Get your healthy oils from multiple sources each day

32. E S S E N T I A L FAT T Y A C I D S - O M E G A 3
• Omega 3 reduces inflammation
• Omega 6: pro inflammatory (sometimes necessary)
Accepted ratio: 4 parts omega 6: 1 part omega 3
• Current western diets have too much omega 6 (20:1)
• Omega 3 parent molecule: alpha linolenic acid is found in flax,
walnuts, chia seeds and small amounts in green vegetables (very
stable and can convert in body to longer chains EPA and DHA)
• Derivative molecules: EPA, DHA (fish oil) very unstable and can go
rancid quickly (why fish smell fishy!)

33. D I E T T H AT E L E VAT E S M O O D
• Low glycemic
• Brazil nuts
• Dark chocolate
• Mangos
• Oranges
• Nettle leaf
• Kiwis
• Figs

34. B R A I N F O O D
• Omega 3s / fish
• Pumpkin seeds
• Dark chocolate
• Blueberries
• Turmeric
• Broccoli
• Nuts
• Apples

35. A N T I - I N F L A M M AT O RY S P I C E S
•Turmeric -tea, curries, sautée vegetables,
rice, soups, smoothies
•Ginger - stir fry, tea, salad dressings,
smoothie, stir fry, soup
•Garlic - fresh salsa, roasted on top of pizza,
salad, sandwich, homemade hummus

37. F O U R P I L L A R S O F H E A LT H
“Healing your immune system,
healing your nutrition,
healing your stress response,
and healing your identity.”
Jeffrey Rediger, MD, MDiv

38. D R . R E D I G E R ’ S R E M A R K A B L E
S U R V I V O R S
• There is no one best cancer diet
• Each person’s garden is different
• Eat food, mostly plants, not too much
• Eat ‘nutrient dense foods’
• More micronutrients per calorie
• Learn to eat with sense of gratitude

39. H E A LT H Y S W A P S
• Water for soda pop
• Piece of fruit for a cookie
• Bean salad for a meat dish
• Loaded oatmeal for cereal
• Spaghetti squash for pasta
• Roasted vegetables and whole grain (farro, quinoa, bulgur)
vs white rice or pasta
• Popcorn for chips
• Apple and nut butter for granola bar

40. DA I RY – G O O D O R B A D ?
• Limit high fat dairy
• Need to replace calcium
• Fortified plant milks
• Chia Seeds
• Almonds
• Tofu
• Leafy greens
• Soybeans

41. S H O P P I N G !
• Plan ahead
• Don’t shop when you’re
hungry or tired
• Read the labels
• Don’t buy unhealthy food

42. W AT C H F O R S U G A R A N D C H E M I C A L S

43. E F F I C I E N T P R E PA R AT I O N
• Spend a couple of hours doing meal prep
one day a week - pot of whole grain, roasted
vegetables, etc.
• Pre-chopped veggies

44. F R O Z E N F O O D S L O S E N U T R I E N T S ?
•Message – good option for getting veggies
•Frozen blueberries!!

45. F R O Z E N F O O D S
• Berries – blueberries, strawberries
• Veggies
• Broccoli and cauliflower, brussel sprouts
• Green beans and peas
• Spinach
• Cauliflower crust pizza
• Veggie burgers
• Frozen soups – corn and potato chowder, split pea, black bean

46. E X A M P L E S O F H E A LT H Y B R E A K FA S T
•Oatmeal with plant milk, frozen blueberries,
chia seeds, hemp hearts and ground flax
•Egg frittata loaded with vegetables
•Sprouted grain bread, avocado, hemp hearts
•Sprouted grain bread, nut butter, chia seed jam

47. O AT M E A L W I T H L O T S O F G A R N I S H

48. E X A M P L E S O F H E A LT H Y L U N C H
•Soups - lentil, mung beans, beans, load up
with vegetables, creamy with cashews
•Salad - include nuts, seeds, avocado, protein,
healthy fat
•Veggies, hummus, whole grain crackers, fruit

49. C A U L I F L O W E R / C H I C K P E A C U R RY

50. E X A M P L E S O F H E A LT H Y S U P P E R
•Bean or lentil curry
•Protein, whole grain, vegetables
•“Buddha bowls” - whole grain, veggies,
protein, hummus, herbs, dressing
•Lentil Walnut tacos with salad

51. E X A M P L E S O F S U P P E R

52. V E RY S M O O T H ( I E )
• Berries
• 1/2 banana
• Plant milk
• Yogurt
• Chia seeds, ground flax,
hemp hearts, nuts, seeds
• Cocoa/ginger/spices

53. K E T O G E N I C D I E T S TA R V E S C A N C E R ?
• Ketogenic diet is high-fat, adequate-protein, low-
carb diet
• Forces the body to burn fats rather than carbs
• Keto diet is therapeutic for epilepsy
• Very strict, missing many antioxidants
• Can compromise fibre and bowel health

54. V E G A N D I E T
• Vegan diet – no animal or dairy products
• Can be a very nutrient-dense if focus is whole foods
• Whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds
• May need a supplement - ask a dietitian
• Get support to ensure good intake

55. C H O C O L AT E – G O O D O R B A D
•Higher cocoa percentage = less sugar
•Flavanols - but not enough
•With meal or snack
•Craving chocolate or sugar

56. S OY – G O O D O R B A D ?
• Plant sources of estrogen help regulate
estrogen levels in the body
• ER+ breast cancer please discuss with your
physician
• Traditional forms: tofu, miso, tempeh, natto,
edamame, soy milk
• Organic

57. O R G A N I C - N E C E S S A RY ?
•Less pesticides
•May mean better farming practices, better for
environment
•EWG - shoppers guide - clean 15 dirty dozen
•Local is best

58. C A N YO U A L K A L I Z E YO U R B O D Y ?
• The idea is to change the pH (acid/base balance)
of the blood so cancer cells can’t grow
• It’s not possible to change the pH as the body has
kidney and lung mechanisms to keep it normal

59. T I P S T O M A K I N G T H I S W O R K
•Slow transition into foods you enjoy
•Eat at least one veggie at every meal (and
work up to 50%+ of your plate)
•Don’t buy the unhealthy foods
•Look for healthy swaps

60. H E A L T H Y R E C I P E S
I N S P I R E H E A L T H . C A / R E S O U R C E S / R E C I P E S

61. G I L DA S C L U B T O R O N T O . O R G /
N U T R I T I O N S H O W C A S E /
Chef Amy Symington – Gilda’s Club Toronto

62. F O R T H E L OV E O F T H I S W O R L D
• Please eat non-animal
foods as much as
possible

63. Q U E S T I O N S
Thanks to Erin Roman, RD
InspireHealth.ca
Dr. Rob Rutledge, Oncologist
Associate Professor of Medicine
HealingandCancer.org

64. C A N A D I A N C A N C E R
S U R V I V O R N E T W O R K
C O N TA C T I N F O
1750 Courtwood Crescent, Suite 210
Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5
Telephone / Téléphone : 613-898-1871
E-mail: jmanthorne@survivornet.ca or info@survivornet.ca
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