Thomas Seyfried is a leading scientist and researcher in the field of cancer biology and metabolic therapies.
He is a professor of biology at Boston College in the US, and has dedicated his career to studying the metabolic nature of cancer and exploring non-toxic treatment.
My studies have proved conclusively that untreated cancer victims actually live up to four times longer than treated individuals.
Hardin Jones, professor of medical physics
What is cancer, exactly?
Cancer is a disease where cells in the body grow out of control.
Normally, cells grow, divide, and die in a regulated and predictable way. Cancer disrupts this process:
- It starts when a cell’s DNA gets damaged, leading to uncontrolled cell growth.
- These abnormal cells group together, forming a tumour.
- Tumours can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
- Malignant tumours can (but not always) invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
There are many types of cancer(s), depending on where they start in the body. For example, lung cancer starts in the lungs, while breast cancer begins in the breast tissue.
The exact causes of cancer are not fully known, but there are definite risk factors, such as smoking or sugar.
Genes are not destiny! Environmental influences, including nutrition, stress, and emotions, can modify those genes, without changing their basic blueprint.
Bruce Lipton, developmental biologist
Cancer is not genetic
Seyfried’s research primarily focuses on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism in the development and progression of cancer.
He argues that cancer is a metabolic disease caused by disruptions in cellular energy production, and that it is not a genetic disease (a position echoed by David Rasnick).
Furthermore, cancer cells rely on anaerobic glycolysis (fermentation) for energy production rather than aerobic respiration (oxygen).
He advocates ketogenic diets and other metabolic therapies as adjunctive treatments, and believes that, by targeting the energy metabolism of cancer cells, it is possible to starve them of the nutrients they need to grow and survive.
Keep the carbs low
A ketogenic (or keto) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.
The primary goal is to shift the body’s metabolism from using carbohydrates as its main fuel source, to utilising fats for energy.
Conventional cancer treatments not only fail miserably, but they are also designed to kill the patient as well as the disease.
Gary Null, health advocate and author
By limiting carbohydrate (and obviously sugar) intake and increasing saturated fat consumption, the body enters a state called ketosis. In ketosis, the liver produces ketone bodies from fats, which serve as an alternative energy source for the body, including the brain.
I follow a somewhat ketogenic lifestyle and, generally, my rule of thumb is:
- Saturated fats like avocado, olive oil, coconut oil and butter.
- Proteins like meat, poultry, fish, eggs and cream.
- Non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and peppers.
- Limited low-carbohydrate fruits like berries, although I usually avoid fruit.
- Grains, legumes, sugars, and starchy vegetables are typically avoided.
Put another way, carbohydrates are not required for optimal health.
Especially when one has cancer or wants to prevent it.
Here’s my conversation with Thomas.
Changes in diet and lifestyle that we find in our research can change gene expression in over 500 genes in only three months.
Dean Ornish, clinical professor of medicine
