Food and Cancer

Written By Henry Barnard

I recently watched the Netflix documentary Be Here Now, which chronicles the battle of actor Andy Whitfield after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. It was a powerful and deeply personal account of his struggle with the disease — the fear, the treatments, the setbacks, and the emotional toll.

What surprised me, however, was that one aspect of his battle never seemed to enter the discussion: the role of nutrition. There was no exploration of whether his diet could be intentionally designed to support his body during his fight against cancer.

For anyone who has studied the relationship between food and cancer, this omission stands out. Research has shown that diet can influence many biological processes involved in cancer, including inflammation, oxidative stress, immune function, and metabolism. Certain foods rich in polyphenols and other compounds may help protect cells from damage, and some mushroom-derived compounds have shown potential effects on immune activity and tumor-related pathways.

Of course, food is not a substitute for proven cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, or surgery. Cancer is a complex disease, and no diet can guarantee that tumors will shrink or disappear. But it is difficult to argue that what we eat has no relationship to the environment in which cancer develops and progresses.

Nutrition is one of the few areas where patients have some control over their own health. A carefully designed diet may not be a cure, but it can be an important part of supporting the body during a serious illness.

The relationship between food and cancer deserves more attention. Ignoring it entirely gives the impression that diet and disease exist in separate worlds — and the evidence suggests that is not the case.

Henry Barnard

I’m a certified nutrition coach through Precision Nutrition, but my education began long before my certification.

In the mid-1990s, I was significantly overweight. During my lunch breaks, I would visit a local bookstore and spend my time browsing nutrition and diet books, searching for an approach that would finally help me lose the weight. That search became a lifelong passion. More than 30 years later, I still study nutrition every day, and my interest has only grown stronger over the last decade.

My coaching philosophy is built on a few simple principles.

No diet pills. I believe lasting weight loss comes from changing habits, not relying on quick fixes.

Gradually increase dietary fiber. Fiber is one of the most powerful tools for managing hunger because it promotes fullness while supporting gut health. As people naturally feel more satisfied, eating well becomes easier.

Eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods. Whole foods retain the fiber and nutrients that help support health and satiety. Building meals around minimally processed foods makes it easier to create eating habits that last.

Use intermittent fasting when appropriate. For many people, intermittent fasting can be an effective strategy to help reduce body fat, improve appetite control, and simplify eating patterns. It isn't the right approach for everyone, but when it fits a person's lifestyle, it can be a valuable tool.

Evaluate level of exercise and quality of sleep.  Simply because these factors have a major impact on any concerted effort to lose weight.  

Focus on 1% improvements. I don't ask clients to transform their lives overnight. Instead, we identify small, realistic changes they can consistently maintain. Those small improvements compound over time.

I tell clients not to judge success after a week or two. Real, sustainable change takes time. As healthy habits accumulate, the results begin to build on one another. Three months of consistent effort can produce remarkable progress—not just on the scale, but in energy, confidence, and overall health.

My goal isn't to put clients on another diet. It's to help them build a way of eating they can enjoy and maintain for the rest of their lives.

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Nutrition Chaos