“Ketogenic Diet” Or “Budwig Diet”?

For many cancer patients, following a healthy diet is a must. With the countless healthy-eating programs out there to choose from, few have offered as much hope and reaped as many benefits for cancer patients as both the Budwig diet and also the Ketogenic diet. For those familiar with both, the question begs to be asked: which diet should I follow? Which is the most effective for a cancer patient?

What’s the difference?

Consider the science behind the two diets. The Budwig diet is known for minimizing toxins and maximizing nutrients by using as many natural and organic foods as possible. Most importantly, it acts as a pro-oxidant, oxygenating our cells and changing the way diseased cells behave so that they function as “normal” again.

The Ketogenic diet, on the other hand, induces a different “change” causing the body to get its energy from fats instead of glucose. This process is specifically indicated for those cancer patients with an advanced diagnosis that are “fighting against the clock”. Those suffering pain caused from inflammation have also noticed that in a question of days the pain subsides.

So, keeping in mind the distinct functions and benefits of both methods, do we really have to choose, or can we have the best of both worlds? The Budwig Center has worked to provide the needed instruction to anyone interested in doing a combination Keto-Budwig diet. Here are some reasons why we recommend this diet when compared to regular ketogenic diets.

Three (3) Reasons Why Plant Based Protein is the Better Choice

The Keto-Budwig diet works solely with plant-based protein. Plants provide quality essential amino acids in just the right amounts. Advocates of animal protein will often refer to plant-based proteins as “low quality”. However, research affirms that proteins from both plants and animals are “complete proteins” (meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids we need).1

The difference is in the proportion of essential amino acids. Plants have a lower percentage of these amino acids. However, that is a good thing.  A higher ratio of essential amino acids, as is the case with animal protein, is actually damaging to our health.

Another factor that favors plant protein is that animal protein lacks essential fiber. Meat, dairy, and eggs have no fiber, whereas plant protein has fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, making it the better choice. According to the USDA, 95% of Americans do not get an adequate amount of dietary fiber.2,3

Increased Risk of Cancer with Animal Protein and IGF-1 Hormone is our third reason for choosing the plant protein alternative.

As already mentioned, animal protein contains a higher amount of essential amino acids. This results in our bodies producing increased levels of the hormone insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).4,5,6,7,8,9,10

What does that mean?  The IGF-1 hormone stimulates cell division and growth in both healthy and cancer cells.  Therefore, the result of having higher circulating levels of IGF-1 has been consistently associated with increased cancer risk, proliferation, and malignancy.

Dr. Budwig Encouraged a Vegetarian Diet for Cancer

Dr. Budwig was undoubtedly ahead of her time by recommending a vegetarian diet for her cancer patients. The Dr. Budwig approach that allows for all fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, beans, etc., has successfully helped countless people reverse their cancer.

However, the Budwig Center has introduced the “Keto-Budwig” food plan specifically for those “stubborn” cases that do not respond to the regular program and seem to need an extra ‘push’.

In addition, many would like to reverse their cancer and recover their health in the shortest time possible.  Following a minimum six-week “Keto-Budwig” diet literally “starves” cancer cells.

Learn more about her diet in this video:

Keto-Budwig Diet

To understand how this program can reverse cancer faster, we need to take a look at the ways cancer cells differ from normal cells.

Cancer cells have ten times more insulin receptors on their cellular surface than normal cells. Thus, they will gorge themselves on glucose (sugar) and quickly thrive and spread. This is supported by the data that the lowest survival rate is found among cancer patients with the highest blood sugar levels.

What else? Well, cancer cells also have damaged mitochondria and are unable to create energy from aerobic respiration. Cancer cells cannot metabolize fatty acids for energy.  The concept behind the ketogenic diet is that your liver uses fatty acids to produce ketones. These small molecules are then used as fuel by the body. The ketogenic approach switches the body from a glucose energy source to a fatty acid energy source. This restriction is in effect removing the food source of cancer cells, causing them to starve to death.

Now, how about we kick cancer while its down! In addition to the above benefits, when the Keto-Budwig approach is combined with intermittent fasting (for example eating your last meal at 6 pm and not eating again until the next morning at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m.), it increases ketone production and can starve cancer cells even more.

Scientists at the European University of Frankfurt followed a specific research group and found several of the patients using the ketogenic diet had dramatic recoveries. In one case a woman with breast cancer that had metastasized to her lungs and bones had full remission.
[learn_more caption=”Fast Facts on Fasting” state=”open”]

• Fasting is by no means a new way of healing as it has been promoted over the centuries in ancient historical and even religious texts.
• Animals instinctively stop eating when they are sick.
• Significantly, fasting releases vast quantities of stem cells that assist with the body’s self-regeneration process. It’s interesting to note that many people currently spend thousands of dollars at stem cell clinics in the hopes of similar benefits. [/learn_more]

Try it out Today!

The Ketogenic Diet has helped countless people reverse all types of cancer and recover their health.  The same has been proven with the Budwig Diet. Why not try the amazing diet that incorporates the healing power of both! You can get the “Keto-Budwig” diet when you enroll in the Budwig Center natural, nontoxic cancer program.   Our program comes with a complete guide on how to correctly implement the “Keto-Budwig” diet into your daily routine.

To find out more about our programs CLICK HERE>>>

To download our Free Budwig Guide and subscribe to our monthly Newsletter CLICK HERE>>

References:

1. Young VR, Pellett PL. Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59(5 Suppl):1203S-1212S
2. Usual Intake from Food and Beverages 2007-2010 Compared To Dietary Reference Intakes; Part E. Section 2: Supplementary Documentation to the 2015 DGAC Report. Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Available here: http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015binder/meeting2/docs/refMaterials/Usual_Intake_072013.pdf (accessed Jul. 4, 2016).
3. NS Rizzo, K Jaceldo-Siegl, J Sabate, and GE Fraser. Nutrient Profiles of Vegetarian and Nonvegetarian Dietary Patterns. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013 Dec; 113(12):1610-9. Available here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23988511 (accessed Jul. 4, 2016).
4. Dunaif GE, Campbell TC. Relative contribution of dietary protein level and aflatoxin B1 dose in generation of presumptive preneoplastic foci in rat liver. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1987;78(2):365-369.
5. Youngman LD, Campbell TC. Inhibition of aflatoxin B1-induced gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci and tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci indicate neoplastic potential. Carcinogenesis. 1992;13(9):1607-1613.
6. Campbell TC. Dietary protein, growth factors, and cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85(6):1667.
7. Ornish D, Weidner G, Fair WR, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer. J Urol. 2005;174(3):1065-1069.
8. Kleinberg DL, Wood TL, Furth PA, Lee AV. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I in the transition from normal mammary development to preneoplastic mammary lesions. Endocr Rev. 2009;30(1):51-74.
9. Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Kaaks R, Rinaldi S, Key TJ. The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor I and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002; 1(11):1441-1448.
10. McCarty MF. Vegan proteins may reduce risk of cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease by promoting increased glucagon activity. Med Hypotheses. 1999;53(6):459-485.