Navjot Sidhu's wife beat cancer with 'strict diet': Can diet alone aid recovery?

Navjot Singh Sidhu revealed that his wife is now cancer-free as she followed a strict diet during and after her treatment. Experts, however, warn that diet alone is insufficient for cancer recovery.

Navjot Singh Sidhu recently announced that his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu is clinically cancer-free after following a strict diet routine during and after her treatment.

Navjot Kaur was battling stage 4 cancer and was given a 5% chance to survive, Sidhu said in a press conference. "She defeated cancer not because we had money but because she was disciplined and followed a strict diet routine," he said adding, that she was finally discharged from the hospital after 40 days.

He said that she used to start her day with lemon water, ate raw turmeric, and consumed apple cider vinegar, neem leaves and tulsi. Citrus fruits and juices like pumpkin, pomegranate, amla, beetroot and walnuts were a part of her daily diet.

Sidhu also stressed the importance of fasting and claimed that a diet lacking sugar and carbohydrates could kill cancer cells.

CAN DIET ALONE AID CANCER RECOVERY?

Experts have acknowledged the role of nutrition in cancer care but cautioned that diet alone cannot suffice for cancer recovery.

"While diet significantly supports recovery, it cannot replace traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Cancer is multifaceted, requiring a combination of therapies to target its complex biology," said Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Surgical Oncology at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi.

Meanwhile, Dr. Amit Upadhyay, Senior Consultant Hematologist and Oncologist, PSRI Hospital New Delhi, highlighted that there's scientific evidence that the Mediterranean diet decreases the mortality rate of people who have breast or colon cancer. "But of course, diet alone doesn't suffice," he told IndiaToday.in.

Dr Malhotra explained that while low-glycemic diets and nutraceuticals could enhance the efficacy of treatments in glucose-dependent cancers, "they may not apply to others relying on protein pathways."

"Claims of dietary interventions as standalone treatments are not universally applicable. Patients should combine dietary strategies with evidence-based medical care for optimal outcomes, ensuring close collaboration with healthcare providers," he said.

However, diet is important in a patient's cancer journey as it helps mitigate treatment side effects, supports immunity, and sustains overall health, ensuring better treatment response.

"Patients should adopt a diet rich in proteins, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates to support energy needs and minimise cancer cell growth. Dietary plans should be tailored based on the type and stage of cancer, ensuring alignment with metabolic needs. Patients should work closely with their oncologists and dietitians for a personalised approach," added Dr Malhotra.

On X, hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, aka Liver Doc, discussed a myth in cancer treatment that highlights fasting as a mechanism for killing cancer cells.

"It is criminal to impose intermittant fasting or any fasting diets on cancer patients. It literally robs them of the nutrition they require for recovery, tolerate cancer meds and prevent infections looking to kill them. Just stop with this starving the cancer cells nonsense," he wrote.

Adding to this, Dr Upadhyay said that completely cutting off sugar from the diet also cannot kill cancer cells.

"It is a myth that avoiding sugar can kill the growth of cancer cells. But sugar is needed for each an every cell of the body," he said.

THE COMPLEXITY OF DIET AND CANCER

The field of research in diet and cancer is still evolving. Dr Upadhayay highlighted that emerging research known as nutrigenomics, in which patients are recommended nutrition as per their genetic profile, is still evolving.

"So the same diet cannot affect everyone in the same way. We are still trying to understand how genes could get affected by nutrition. Maybe in future, we can develop more guideline-based treatment on how to integrate nutrition into treatment. But currently, nutrition is a supplement but not the ultimate treatment," underscored Dr Upadhayay.