Many cancer patients usually suffer severe side effects and cachexia, resulting in the inability to swallow food, weight loss, and severe malnutrition. This condition hinders recovery of the immune system, results in weight loss, and forces treatment stoppage. Out of control cancer cells spread to other organs. Unfortunately, recent clinical treatments still use the largely ineffective high simple carbohydrate parenteral nutrition for supporting the cancer patient diet.

During this symposium, many research results had disproved the old myths about cancer treatment. These myths included "cancer patient supplementing antioxidants will lower the chemo therapy effect", "if cancer patients eat too healthy it can lead to cancer cell growth", or "cancer patients supplementing with probiotics can increase their risk of infection." A mountain of scientific evidence proved that, with nutraceutical intervention, the problem of "1/3 of cancer patients die from starving" is solvable. Presentations of the research also corrected a long accepted wrong concept, that the nutrition needs for cancer patients are definitely not singular, but an effective approach requires a personalized nutrition regimen.

With the increase of cancer, chronic and other diseases, incorporation of correct diet concepts in daily life may reduce the prevalence of modern disease.

Dr. Zhaoping Li has devoted her career to nutrition and disease research. Selected as a clinical research design coordinator by pharmaceutical, nutrition, government, and foundations; and an adjudicator for many well known international journals. She has published at least 60 peer reviewed research articles in prestigious journals such as JAMA and the Annals of Internal Medicine. The validity of her research extends beyond the laboratory since she has been able to combine the theory and clinic together, by cell, animal test, and human clinical studies, proving the importance of nutrition intervention in improving diseases.

It is known that excess caloric intake increases fat cell count, and induces chronic inflammation, the best environment for cancer cell growth. Inflammation is not only related to cancer, but also causes cardiovascular, autoimmune, type II diabetes, dementia and many other diseases. Dr. Li, and her research team also clarified the complicated inflammation mechanism and process demonstrating how natural anti-inflammatory nutrients can be used to balance the symptoms.

The best anti-inflammatory nutrients will be ω-3 fatty acid; especially fish oil, flaxseed oil, and canola oil contain the highest. However, people do not consume enough of these 3 oils partly due to the competition by other oils in the marketplace. The high consumption of fructose sweetened drinks means people are drinking an inflammatory substance that elevates their requirement for ω-3 fatty acid. In addition, inadequate protein can cause a lack of the "high quality protein" needed as recovery raw materials for healing damaged organs and producing the new cells necessary. The best quality protein source is, "whey protein".

￭ How to effectively prevent and fight cancer?

Dr. Simon Hsia and Dr. Zhaoping Li both noted the importance of eating colorful fruits and vegetables to increase antioxidative ability, and supplementing with pre- and probiotics. They also recommended the daily consumption of fish oil, flaxseed oil, and canola oil for their anti-inflammatory properties, and the inclusion of a long term regular exercise program to fight off cancer.