During a discussion with my coach, Zoe Nance, she alerted me to an interview with oncologist Dr. Dawn Mussallem, D.O., founder of the Mayo Clinic Integrative Breast Oncology Program. Mussallem, a survivor of Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, sustained vitality through diet and exercise while undergoing chemo, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant.
Talking with podcaster Mel Robbins, Dr. Mussallem advocates for food as a potent medicine, citing studies showing that fresh, whole foods can reduce inflammation, support cellular health, and help prevent cancer. As an example, purple sweet potatoes, red cabbage, sweet cherries, and berries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants that activate tumor-suppressor genes and induce cell death without harming healthy cells. Raw cruciferous and green leafy vegetables contain myrosinase, which converts into anti-cancer molecules that neutralize carcinogens.
While a plant-forward diet is a part of my regimen, I wanted to know more about the science of nutrition. Zoe recommended a TED Talk by Dr. William Li, who has taught at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Li’s work focuses on angiogenesis, the process by which the body grows new blood vessels, and on finding ways to inhibit angiogenesis and “starve” tumors to prevent their growth.
Normally, angiogenesis is a helpful process that supplies oxygen-rich blood to your organs and tissues. But in people with cancer, angiogenesis supports tumor growth by feeding it oxygen and nutrients. Anti-angiogenic foods are nutrient-dense, plant foods containing compounds that inhibit the growth of new blood vessels and cut off the blood supply that feeds abnormal growth. Examples include green tea, berries, tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables.
Dr. Li says that green tea deserves special mention because it contains catechins, specifically EGCG, a polyphenol that acts as a powerful oxidant, which inhibits angiogenesis, the process by which tumors build a blood supply. Cut off the blood supply, and you cut off the tumor’s lifeline.
Dr. Li also notes that cancer cells prefer to consume glucose and do so up to 200 times faster than healthy cells‑-a metabolic advantage that cancer cells exploit when blood sugar spikes. Thus, stabilizing blood sugar is one of the key things people can do to prevent cancer. Inflammation, another driver of cancer, is strongly linked to ultra-processed foods, which trigger the release of cytokines, damaging healthy cells and creating an environment in which cells become tumors. Dr. Li says that vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices act as anti-inflammatory medicines.
Research is ongoing, and there is much more to learn, but I find this information both fascinating and useful.
Where to Listen/Watch Dr. Mussallem
- Listen on Apple Podcasts or stream on Spotify
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayo-clinic-cancer-doctor-5-foods-that-heal-the-body/id1646101002?i=1000733005813
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LK3e4PbyMeCQYjdOb6EnU
- Watch episode online at https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-336/
Watch Dr. William Li’s TED Talk on YouTube