New Zealand has the sad honour of having the highest rate of bowel (colorectal) cancer in the world. Thousands of people
are affected annually and even more are affected indirectly - family members and loved ones dealing with the heartbreak
and often loss of sufferers. The real travesty is that with the right diet, a high proportion of these can be prevented, maybe 50% or more.
Meat heavy diet to blame
The main culprit is a diet far too heavy on meats, particularly processed meat like bacon, sausages and cured meats,
ultra processed foods and a lack of fibre from fruits and vegetables. The harmful compounds in these foods like
nitrosamines, haem iron and animal protein itself are well described in the scientific literature.
The important thing is to tell people this, as most still don’t know.
Is cancer preventable?
Dr Mark Craig, Auckland GP says he sees cancer sufferers who ask “What did I do to get this awful disease?” When he
tells them it is a largely predictable disease due to lifestyle, they get angry and wish they had known years back.
However, even once a diagnosis has been made it’s not too late. Bowel cancer sufferers can greatly increase their survival chances by dropping the animal products and switching to a plant based diet, full of anti cancer phytonutrients such as
sulforaphane in broccoli, and butyrate from fibre and which also creates a healthier gut biome of protective bacteria.
Dr Craig sees many patients with cancer and always mentions that they have some control over their disease, it's not
just down to their doctors. “It has been well described that diet quality affects survival outcome and patients love to
hear this. If one reads Dr John Kelly’s great book 'Stop Feeding Your Cancer’, he documents several real cases of
remission of cancer on cutting out meat and dairy foods.”
Screening not good enough
The recent sad case of a young man in Southland being diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer has brought a response from
the government to increase funds for cancer detection, which is great, but given what we know from the science, surely
far more should be emphasis should be put on educating people to prevent this disease. After all, prevention is way better and cheaper than trying to cure it, which is not always possible.
“No one is saying don’t take conventional treatment and just rely on food and healthy lifestyle once a diagnosis has
been made, but, if you are going to accept major surgery and often gruelling treatments like radiotherapy and
chemotherapy, then you have got to switch to the healthier diet and lifestyle, or else you’re not giving yourself the maximum chance of beating it.” Dr
Craig advises. Whilst these treatments carry significant morbidity and side effects, the side effects of a plant based
diet are only good- lower heart disease risk, lower chance of cancer recurrence, better weight, better digestive health
and so on. Try it and see.
If you are considering changing your diet for your health, why not try the 21 day easy vegan challenge. You will be
emailed tips, recipes, meal plans, all the information you need to eat a plant-based diet. Www.tryvegan.org.nz
More about Dr Mark Craig
Dr Mark Craig
FRNZCGP MRCGP MRCS MBChB Bsc
GP with Special Interest in Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, Disease Prevention and Reversal
Mark’s main passion in medicine is to help treat and lessen diseases caused by food and lifestyle issues. He is a
General Practitioner Doctor and Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners of New Zealand, having trained in
the UK in Surgery and then General Practice.
Mark was introduced to the startling evidence for a whole food plant based diet and benefits to health in 2012 and since
then has promoted this as an essential way to address health issues. He utilises this in conjunction with standard
pharmaceutical drugs and procedures where this is beneficial. He is open minded to alternative and novel therapies where
there is good evidence to show benefit. He appreciates that most of the best treatments for our common medical
conditions are not expensive, harmful, invasive or complicated.
References-
Nutritionfacts.org - How not to die of cancer.