Can Diet Cure Lymphoma?

I came across an article from the Cleveland Clinic, and excellent hospital in Ohio, with this very provocative title: 

"Can Diet Cure Lymphoma? Foods to Eat and Avoid."

Before we go any further, I'll give you the answer: No. Diet can't cure Lymphoma. That's the answer in the article, and it's the answer that any other article that's actually based in science will give you. Other answers are probably trying to sell you something, or are being very optimistic. But as much as I'd love to tell you that eating tons of broccoli or tumeric or something else will cure your Lymphoma, there's no evidence that shows that it will.

I have mixed feelings about that title. It's very close to being "clickbait," the kind of title for an online article that promises something that it doesn't deliver. I don't think a hospital should be doing that. 

On the other hand, if the point of clickbait is to get you to read, then maybe it's a good thing. If someone is looking online for information on diet and Lymphoma, better that they get accurate information from the Cleveland Clinic than from someone who is telling a personal story about their experience. 

(If you've never read such a story, they go like this: "I have eaten a bean sprout sandwich, and nothing else, every day for two years, since the day I was diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma, and my FL has not progressed. In fact, my nodes have gotten smaller."  But the problem is, FL is slow-growing, and nodes can shrink on their own, so the bean sprout sandwich doesn't have anything to do with it. And as I written before, I have a hamburger and french fries about once a week, because it makes me happy. But I'm not going to claim that I've gone 13 years without treatment because of red meat and fried foods. That would be ridiculous. But it's the same logic.)

So what does the article say about diet?

A few really good, useful things.

Some diets can help prevent cancers like Lymphoma. (That's prevent them -- keep you from getting them. That's not the same as curing them once you have them.) Diets that are heavy in plants are especially good for you. The article recommends the Mediterranean Diet. Lots of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and fish. Cut back on red meat, animal fats, and sugar. (And yes, I know I just told you that animal fats and red meat make me happy. Do as I say, not as I do.)

Also, if you're in treatment, it's important to eat a healthy diet. If your treatment makes it heard for you to eat, then eat the things that you are able to. Fruits and vegetables are especially important -- find the ones that you like. And if you are losing weight, focus on calorie-dense foods like nuts and full-fat diary.

In addition, diet is important after treatment as well. For many patients, treatment results in muscle loss. More protein can help get it back.

As for supplements, if a patient is eating a healthy diet, then supplements probably aren't necessary. But it's important to pay attention to Vitamin D levels, says the article.

Finally, the article mentions some diets that Lymphoma patients should NOT follow, especially if they are in treatment. These include the Keto diet, which the Cleveland Clinic says s the opposite of what they recommend for some Lymphoma patients. Also not recommended: an "alkaline diet," where a patient only eats non-acidic foods, on the theory that cancer likes an acidic environment. But the body doesn't work that way -- it keeps a balanced pH (not too acidic and not too alkaline) no matter what you eat. Diet just doesn't have that kind of effect. Other diets that people read online can be problematic because they don't provide a balance of nutrients.

The bottom line: Our bodies are complicated. And cancer is complicated, too. As much as I would love to be able to eat one thing, or avoid a few things, to cure my cancer, it's just not that easy. If it was, we'd all be cured by now.

And as helpful as this article is, the best person to talk to about all of this is your oncologist. As I've said many times, I am not a doctor or a cancer researcher. Don't take cancer advice from me alone. Your oncologist can offer advice about diet, or can get you the name of a dietician who can work with you. Lots of cancer hospitals have Survivorship offices that offer just this kind of advice, so ask if it's available to you.

But if you want my advice, then here it is -- eat healthy all week and get some exercise every day. And when you do have that hamburger once in a while, don't feel bad about it. You have enough to worry about.