Why Navjot Singh Sidhu’s alternative cancer therapy claims are worrying: ‘Don’t go by unproven diets, fasting,’ warn Tata Memorial, PGI doctors

While galore laboratory studies are being conducted connected anti-cancer effects of foods, she warns that galore things interaction crab cells increasing successful a laboratory petri dish. Besides, what works connected animals does not enactment connected humans astatine all.

Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu with his woman Navjot Singh Sidhu who suffered wife’s bosom cancer. (X)

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE FASTING IS GOOD

Starving the assemblage of glucose to stall maturation of crab cells, which provender connected it, is lone a mentation that has not been borne retired by subject yet though galore studies are ongoing. Early rodent studies person shown that intermittent fasting fails to halt tumour growth. Human trials are inconsequential capable to merit a protocol alteration successful assorted kinds of crab therapy. In fact, eating little tin impact the immunity of a diligent and pb to weakness, and impact one’s quality to header with treatment, according to Prof Pankaj Malhotra, Head, Department of Clinical Hematology, PGI.

He adds that it is captious to devour capable to conscionable the body’s needs. Eliminating each sweetener from the fare whitethorn mean missing retired connected beneficial nutrient specified arsenic fruit. Unproven diets, peculiarly those that suggest cutting retired full nutrient groups, are apt to beryllium debased successful energy, protein, fat, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamins. Following 1 of these diets tin origin unwanted value nonaccomplishment and tiredness, and little the immune function. This whitethorn marque it harder for the diligent to header with attraction and pb to malnutrition, accidental existent crab guidelines.

The fare request of each crab diligent is unique, beryllium it during diagnosis, treatment, oregon after-care. “Each patient’s assemblage is antithetic and determination is not 1 azygous nutrient that is recommended. Evidence-based, scientifically proven therapies and guidelines of nutrition are the keys. If starving helped successful preventing oregon curing cancer, we would not person specified a precocious fig of patients successful a state similar ours,” says Prof Malhotra.

ESPEN guidelines connected nutrition successful crab patients, published successful Clinical Nutrition, accidental that crab patients whitethorn request other macromolecule and calories. While immoderate whitethorn request to devour low-fibre foods alternatively of high-fibre ones, those who person occupation swallowing would request to adhd steadfast gravy. The guidelines specify that the champion fare is simply a plant-based fare precocious successful vegetables, fruits and full grains, and debased successful saturated fats and reddish meats. Since determination is reliable grounds that a fare affluent successful vegetables and fruits is associated with a decreased hazard of cardiovascular and wide mortality, a akin fare is recommended to crab survivors. But determination are nary studies that beryllium that immoderate peculiar diet, food, vitamin, mineral, dietary supplement, herb, oregon operation of these tin dilatory cancer, cure it, oregon support it from coming back, according to Prof Malhotra.

THE MYTH OF LEMON AND TURMERIC WATER

Dr Nancy Sahni, main dietician, PGI, says patients request nutrient precocious successful energy, nutrition and micronutrients. “We cannot generalise fare and nutrition needs. I cannot discarded a provender by giving them citrus oregon turmeric water, which volition capable their tummy, oregon whitethorn origin much nausea and not supply nutrition. Curcumin successful turmeric doesn’t get absorbed properly. Clinical trials person been excessively tiny to merit consideration. The fare has to beryllium balanced with capable protein, fibre and carbohydrates. Adjunct therapies tin assistance trim broadside effects, arsenic per the body’s effect to a peculiar nutrient oregon diet,” adds Dr Sahni.

Besides, says Dr Rajeev Bedi, Director, Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, immoderate fad fare should not pb to bony marrow suppression, gut inflammation oregon disturb the pH equilibrium of assemblage fluids.