Book Review: The Anti-Cancer Diet

I received this book for free to read and review. All opinions are my own.

A few members of my family have been diagnosed with cancer in the past so it’s always on my mind whenever I think about my health. I often ask my doctor questions about it – How often should I be checked? Is it worth buying critical illness insurance? What are some symptoms of cancer? Is it possible for it to run in the family? So, when I recently received a copy of The Anti-Cancer Diet by David Khayat, MD, I was pretty interested. I don’t normally read these kinds of books, only because I prefer fiction to non, but I’m always interested in learning more about health and fitness. And since so many in my life have been affected by cancer, I really thought this was a topic worth exploring.

Dr. David Khayat is a world renowned Oncologist and head of the Department of Medical Oncology at one of the largest hospitals in Europe. Dr. Khayat is also the co-founder of the World Summit Against Cancer. 

Admittedly, the first chapter was very dry. I can’t say it was due to the nature of the chapter (biology, cell division, mitochondria, etc.) because I rather liked Honors Bio in high school. Perhaps it was because I was exhausted and reading is my pre-sleep activity. In any event, as soon as I got through the first chapter I was hooked.

It’s a fascinating read, quite honestly. There were so many “a-ha” moments in the book about the way cancer grows, how food preparation affects — sometimes even causes — chemical reactions and thus affects possible cancerous growth, and even how water affects cancer risk. Dr. Khayat discusses, in depth, which foods and drinks we should consume, which to avoid, and goes into detail with the “whys” of such recommendations.

One of the most interesting pieces is on wine. Wine contains resveratrol, which is a substance with anticancer properties. Red wine is among one of the world’s healthiest beverages. It contains 2,000 mg/L of polyphenols (most notably resveratrol), which is similar to grape juice. The amazing characteristic of resveratrol is that it is capable of inducing a mechanism to inhibit cancerous cell growth and division by driving the mutated cells to suicide. Good news for the healthy cells! It’s fascinating, really. I could go on and on and discuss it all day long, and perhaps I will during a later post, but Khayat concludes that not only is wine not bad for our health, it is likely very good in moderation.

Toward the end of the book, Dr. Khayat details cancer prevention and anti-inhibiting recommendations. Among the most fascinating here, I was shocked to see Beta-carotene and Vitamin E on the list of things to avoid, as well as hempseed oil, among others. On the list of things to seek out and consume are turmeric, tomatoes (but processed, not raw), and selenium. Another list, based on gender and age, breaks down who needs to eat what and when. For example, the dietary needs of a premenopausal woman are vastly different than that of a man, or even of a post-menopausal woman. I thought a lot of it was quite mind-blowing, to be frank.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book. Some of it is tough to read through with a lot of science sprinkled throughout, but it’s also a necessary evil in understanding how what we consume shapes how our cells react, grow, and multiply.

And if you’re interested in learning more, great news! I’m giving away a copy of The Anti-Cancer Diet! Here are some rules:

Giveaway details: Giveaway starts July 1, 2015 at 12:00 am EST and ends July 8, 2015 at 12:00 am EST. It is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. The winner will be announced on the Running on Happy Facebook page, via Twitter, Instagram, and will be contacted by email.


I’m linking up with Running with SD Mom and Erica Finds for another giveaway roundup. You can #winalltheprizes!

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Author Bio (just so you know this guy’s legit):

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