Starving Cancer

 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

 

Newscaster, Male: “A very old practice is giving new hope to cancer patients.”
News Anchor, Female: “Researchers are looking into the benefits of starving cancer. It’s a practice one member of our Nine On Your Side family tried in a battle to save himself. Tanya Oroarch has his story.

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The current state of health in the US is shocking. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 35% of adults are obese, and 50% either have diabetes or are pre-diabetes.

Doctors say these diet-related health conditions, which also include cancer and heart disease, have many of us headed toward a future of huge medical bills — and even an early death.

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Dr. Valter Longo, USC Longevity Institute: “This idea that you wait until you have one, two, three diseases, and then you put a Band-Aid on top of it, it’s just a bad idea.”
That’s Dr. Valter Longo, a leading researcher on fasting. He spoke to us via Skype about his groundbreaking research.

Dr. Valter Longo, USC Longevity Institute: “Fasting is really a remarkable intervention, meaning, there is so much happening that it’s hard to think of another intervention that could even get close to that.”

Longo’s research has shown that cancer cells are weakened during a fast and are more susceptible to chemotherapy, while healthy cells are protected.

That caught the interest of Nine On Your Side reporter Jay Warren.

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Jay Warren, News Reporter: “I was diagnosed with oral cancer this past April. And I’d never chewed, never smoked, you know, was never a heavy drinker. I am not now. It’s really kind of a head-scratcher for people.”

Jay had a cancer on the side of his tongue that was surgically removed.

Jay Warren, News Reporter: “One of the things that also caught my eye is actually not eating at all. The beneficial effects of fasting and what it can possibly do as it relates to cancer really caught my eye.”

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So, Jay embarked on a fast of his own under the close supervision of Dr. Angela Fitch of UC Health’s Weight Loss Center.

Dr. Angela Fitch, UC Health Weight Loss Center: “It’ll be interesting to see how well he can stick with it. But when you’re motivated by something, when you are motivated by your health, it gives you a different perspective.”

For six days, Jay ate 250 calories or less per day and checked in with Dr. Fitch along the way. When he went back, his results were quite profound.

When he started, Jay’s fasted blood glucose was 87 milligrams, which is considered normal. But after the fast, it was down to 67.

Dr. Angela Fitch, UC Health Weight Loss Center: “One of the most fascinating things was the drop in your IGF-1, which we know is a growth-type hormone. And so it dropped by about 25%, which is a fairly significant drop for just that short amount of days. That would potentially make a difference with things like cancer growth.”

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Afterwards, Jay told me the experience was difficult but not impossible.

Jay Warren, News Reporter: “At one point, my family was having dinner, and I had to go upstairs. I was so hungry.

But then there was another time when I had more energy than I knew what to do with. It was really remarkable.”

Jay says he plans to make periodic fasting part of his life going forward in his fight against cancer.

As for Longo, he says his mimicking diet will soon be ready for doctors to prescribe to their patients.

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Newscaster, Female: “Fasting should never, however, be attempted without the supervision of a doctor. My fasting-mimicking diet is the safest way to realize the benefits of this type of intervention.

Tonight, five months after Jay’s surgery, we are happy to report that he remains cancer-free.

And thanks to Jay for sharing that story. I think so many people will be interested to hear it.

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Questions

 

Malignant Tumor, Cancer. This report was mainly about the causes of cancer, and the rates of cancer in the US. True or false?

Cardiac Arrest, Heart Attack. Overall, Americans are very fit and healthy. Is this right or wrong? Is this a minor or very serious concern?

Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular (Heart) Disease. “And then you put a ‘Band-Aid’ on top of it, it’s just a bad idea.” What does this mean? What does Dr. Valter Longo suggest or recommend?

Stroke, Hemorrhage. Did the news reporter seek out a total stranger as a case study for the report? Was Jay Warren addicted to nicotine and alcohol?

(Type-2) Diabetes. As part of the treatment or therapy, Jay feasted on his old, favorite foods. Is this right or wrong?

Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease. Did Jay undergo a fast (strictly) according to a book? Was it all smooth sailing (easy going)?

Obesity, Overweight. Jay’s cancer has relapsed. Is this correct or incorrect?

Asthma, Respiratory Diseases. Will Dr. Longo’s fasting treatment become more common, less common or remain the same?
 
 
 
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Back Pain . How prevalent is cancer in your community, region or country? It’s very common; fairly common; it occurs regularly, frequently, often, sometimes; it seldom, rarely or never occurs?

Depression, Mental Disorders. Has the rate of cancer increased, decreased or remained the same over time?

Kidney Disorder. How does cancer compare to heart disease, stroke, and accidents (in terms of perception and dread)?

Vim and Vigor. What may be the causes of cancer?

Fit and Trim. What might happen in the future?

Radiant Health. What could or should people, doctors, experts, industry, the government do?