Author: DrShintani.com

Researchers have found that high consumption of a very common nutrient is correlated with a higher risk of breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers.

How This Works

This nutrient causes changes in gut flora that lead to the production of higher amounts of leucine, an amino acid. Leucine triggers the production of a certain type of white blood cell that suppresses the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

The Nutrient in Question: Dietary Fat

The nutrient being described is dietary fat. This may help explain why population studies consistently show that countries with the highest fat consumption have higher rates of breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers, compared to countries with comparatively low fat intake.

Emerging Research

There’s also emerging research suggesting that a lower-fat diet can reverse these gut and immune changes — potentially reducing cancer risk and even supporting treatment in some cases.

For more tips on natural health, visit peacediet.org to see the introductory lecture on cancer and download the free eBook Health Secrets.

About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH

Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices

Sources:

• NIH/PubMed — Dietary Fat, Gut Microbiota, and Leucine Production
• NIH/PubMed — Population Studies: Dietary Fat Intake and Cancer Incidence
• NIH/PubMed — Low-Fat Dietary Interventions and Immune Function

I’ve been reversing diabetes naturally for over 30 years. Here are six hacks I’ve learned along the way to help control blood sugar. Number six may surprise you.

1. Vinegar or Lemon

Adding vinegar or lemon to a meal slows stomach emptying, which in turn slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

2. High-Fiber Foods

Fiber dilutes the carbohydrate content of a meal and slows its absorption, helping to prevent blood sugar spikes.

3. Water, Black Tea, or Other Teas

Staying hydrated with water, black tea, or one of the teas discussed in an earlier post can support healthy blood sugar levels.

4. Check for Mineral Deficiencies

Make sure you’re not deficient in magnesium, zinc, or chromium — all three play important roles in blood sugar regulation.

5. Exercise

Aim for at least 5,000 steps per day. If that’s not accessible right now, try “sofa push-ups” — the lazy way to exercise described in an earlier post.

6. Heat, Chill, and Reheat Your Starches

This is the surprising one. Heating, chilling, and then reheating bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes actually reduces their glycemic index — a simple cooking trick that can meaningfully lower their impact on blood sugar.

For more tips on controlling carbs, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.

About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH

Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices

Sources:

• NIH/PubMed — Vinegar Intake and Postprandial Glucose Response
• NIH/PubMed — Resistant Starch Formation via Cooking, Cooling, and Reheating
• NIH/PubMed — Micronutrient Status (Magnesium, Zinc, Chromium) and Glycemic Control

The liver is the most complex of the body’s detoxification organs. It works through a series of chemical reactions that neutralize toxins and prepare them to be expelled from the body — in two distinct phases.

Phase 1 Detoxification

This is the first step the liver takes to convert toxic chemicals into non-toxic, or at least less toxic, forms. It works through a class of over 50 enzymes known as P450 enzymes, which neutralize toxins such as pesticides, alcohol, caffeine, and many medications.

Phase 2 Detoxification

Some byproducts of Phase 1 can still carry some toxicity, so Phase 2 neutralizes these byproducts and any remaining toxins. It works by adding components to these chemicals — a process called conjugation — making them water-soluble so they can be excreted through the kidneys. Key reactions include glutathione conjugation, sulfation, methylation, glucuronidation, and acetylation. Glutathione, sulfur compounds, and glycine are among the most important molecules for this process.

21 Supplements That Support Liver Detoxification

General Liver Function

1. Vitamin B-Complex
2. Glutathione — one of the most powerful antioxidants
3. Alpha-Lipoic Acid — helps restore glutathione

Direct Antioxidants
4. Vitamin C
5. Vitamin E
6. Selenium

Bioflavonoids
7. Chrysin
8. Luteolin
9. Carotenoids

Herbs for Liver Function
10. Milk Thistle
11. Dandelion Root
12. Burdock Root
13. Gentian Root

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
14. Turmeric
15. Green Tea

Amino Acids (Phase 2 Support)
16. Glutamine
17. Glycine
18. Taurine
19. Cysteine

Sulfur Compounds (Phase 2 Support)
20. Cruciferous Vegetables, especially broccoli sprouts (which may contain 10–100 times more sulfur compounds)
21. Garlic

For more tips on natural liver health, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.

About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH

Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices

Sources:

• NIH/PubMed — Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Phase I Liver Detoxification
• NIH/PubMed — Glutathione Conjugation and Phase II Detoxification Pathways
• NIH/PubMed — Sulforaphane in Broccoli Sprouts and Liver Enzyme Support