How to achieve a nearly Cancer-free world

Did you know that cancer is the second leading cause of death globally? Approximately one-third of cancer related deaths are as a result of high body mass index (BMI), low intakes of fruits and vegetables, prolonged sedentary lifestyles and abuse of alcohol intake. In this discussion with a seasoned professional in Molecular Biomedicine, Mr. Michael Foster Osono Ampong (M. Phil).  Through this article, let us learn ways in which modern scientific advancements and lifestyle adjustments will help us achieve a nearly cancer free world in the future.

Q1. Can you tell us something little about modern day eating trends and why it has called for research into the foods we eat daily?

Most people are held up with busy schedules, barely risk running late and do not have time for a healthy breakfast or return home late at night and do not have the available time to prepare a healthy meal. As a result, most people have resorted to frequent purchase of convenience foods from fast food joints which often has on their food menu lots of fried foods, greasy or oily foods, heavily roasted foods and many more. These unhealthy dietary patterns have attracted a lot of research by institutions such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NHLBI confirms that most of the people that patronize these fast foods end up becoming obese, having high blood pressure or end up with unwanted health conditions.

Q2. What do we need to know about therapeutic foods and how can they be linked to cancer?

As the name implies ‘Therapeutic foods’ are found to contain the essential nutrients needed for growth, to replace worn out tissues and to improve the health of people especially those with lifetime health conditions and children suffering from malnourishments, including micronutrient deficiencies. Some therapeutic foods have been identified to be important sources of nutrient for patients undergoing cancer treatment. This is commonly referred to as nutrition therapy (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/appetite-loss/nutrition-pdq). Usually during the periods of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and even surgery, the immune system becomes compromised. In such situations, a patients need food nutrients that will help boost the immune system to avoid any illness that might take advantage of the patient’s immune condition. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a cancer patient’s meal should prevent nutritional imbalance, provide or maintain the right weight of the person, improve the quality of the person and finally decrease the chances of malnutrition.  Among the most studied therapeutic foods for cancer patients include:

1.Green leaves: Green leafy veggies for salad are a good sources of fiber in a patients’ meals. Usually, the green leafy veggies form a bulk part of the dinner plate as these are found to be great source of antioxidants, fiber (which helps prevent constipation), vitamins C and K as well as minerals.  

2.Pasteurized fruit and vegetable juice: Aside all the variant nutrients obtained from fruits and veggies, pasteurization also helps eliminate contaminating germs that could be present and take advantage of the compromised immune state of the cancer patient.

3.Phytonutients:  Food substances such as onion, cabbage and broccoli (grouped together as cruciferous vegetables), berries and tomatoes are found to contain phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are disease-preventing substances that help fight or protect us against cancers. Phytonutrients additionally serve as antioxidants and help to decrease the number of free radicals present in the body.

Q3. How are these foods modified to exhibit their health protecting effects?

This is a good and interesting question at the same time. This is because, most of the naturally grown foods crops such as the green leafy vegetables, varieties of fruits and many more have the different nutrients that are essential for fighting diseases. However, some food sources such as beans, peas and others may be lacking some essential amino acids that make proteins for the body. In view of this, scientists through modern techniques in genetic engineering and applied biotechnology, utilise gene editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 to develop modified crops, as well as, farm animals that have some desired traits or nutrients that were previously absent or was present but now synthesized in multiple quantities. These food sources may be classified as “GMOs”, however, I would like to hasten to add that GMOs are not only limited to nutrient supplementation in food products. The modification may include developing food crops that could be used as vaccines, drugs, for longer shelf life, protection from pests and diseases, aesthetics purposes and many more. However, no food crop has been cleared by the Federal Authorities to be on the market for therapeutic purposes as at now. This is because, most of the studies on therapeutic foods are still under ongoing research but are showing great prospects as outlined by Chaudurri and Datta (2018) in their paper on genetically modified crops.

Currently, most of the food products developed via genetic engineering that are accepted including soya beans, corn, and potato, due to their pest and disease resistance, resistance to herbicides and environmental stress control. Accepting these types of foods go through a lot of research phases and processes before being cleared for public consumption. This is due to the bioethical concerns raised surrounding these types of foods and the possibility of any of them altering the human genome, decrease in biodiversity especially in developing countries, health risks associated with modifications made from viral DNA and many others. These kinds of red flags have resulted in the pulling of the breaks on these genetically engineered therapeutic food crops from hitting the market. It is worth noting that, it is very necessary to consider all the possible side effects of these products before they are released for human consumption.

Q4. Can you conclude with an advice for the public?

What we take into our body end up defining our physical and mental wellbeing. As a result, we must be mindful of what we eat since it may set the pace for our “healthy” longevity on earth. There are myriad of food sources that we could eat for a balanced meal at each moment and we should give them a try at every moment to discover the tastes and flavours we prefer. Eat well, drink a lot of water and stay healthy because as we know, “Health is Wealth”.  Thank you.

Bio of Mr. Michael Foster Ampong

REFERENCE

Chaudhuri A and Datta A. Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: A Potential Source to Combat Global Hunger and Malnutrition. Austin J Nutri Food Sci. 2018; 6(3): 1106.