New research shows that restricting protein by 10 to 20 percent from cancer patients’ diets may help them respond to immunotherapy, Newswise reports. Dr. Roberto Pili, professor of oncology at Indiana University, found that the strategy slowed the growth of tumors in mice models with prostate cancer. He’s hoping to apply his findings to human models, as cancer patients are often told to increase their protein intake to offset weight loss, Pili said.
While many lump proteins together with red meats, dairy and fats, the most significant point to remember here is that precision truly does matter when it comes to protein. This is especially pertinent if you’re following my ketogenic, fat-for-fuel diet plan, which is NOT a high-protein diet at all. It’s true that low-carb, high-protein diets may help you lose weight, but as this featured study points out, excessive protein can have huge drawbacks, and that’s a major reason I recommend moderate protein intake.
Actually, eating more protein than your body needs stimulates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) — a pathway involved in the aging process and, yes, cancer formation. Protein also affects your insulin and leptin levels. That’s why, as I explain in my book, “Fat for Fuel,” and my upcoming book, “Superfuel,” the key to burning fat for fuel is to limit your proteins to just 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of lean body mass (or one-half gram for every pound).
The rest of your diet should aim for having 70 to 85 percent of your total daily calories from healthy fats, and no more than 4 to 10 percent from carbohydrates. It’s also important to remember that the kind of fats you eat are vitally important. That means eating olive oil or coconut oil instead of corn, soy or safflower oils. Opt for ghee and real butter, too. The next key is to remove sugars and all processed foods from your diet immediately.
If you or a loved one has been struggling with low energy, excess weight or a chronic or degenerative disease like Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's or cancer — or if you simply want to optimize your health and longevity — consider enrolling in my online course on mitochondrial metabolic therapy (MMT).
MMT is a whole new way of looking at nutrition, merging decades of my own research with the latest science on mitochondrial health, all of which have been peer-reviewed by more than two dozen experts, including physicians, researchers and scientists. The MMT diet is a cyclical ketogenic diet, high in healthy fats and fiber, low in net carbs with a moderate amount of protein.