For patients with pre-cancerous conditions like MGUS and smoldering myeloma, diet can significantly influence their progression to an active myeloma diagnosis. This positions dietary intervention not just as supportive care but as a key tool for mitigating disease progression.

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Many cancer cells rely heavily on glucose (the Warburg effect) and cannot efficiently use ketones. A strict ketogenic diet may starve these tumors while nourishing healthy cells. In one case, it led to a 70% reduction in cancer markers in six weeks, far exceeding chemotherapy's expected 30%.

Dr. Fred Hatfield, a famous powerlifter, reportedly achieved years of remission from metastatic prostate cancer by implementing a 'sardine fast.' This protocol involved consuming only one can of sardines per day for one week each month, similar to a fasting-mimicking diet.

In a head-to-head study, a diet high in fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi significantly increased microbiome diversity and lowered markers of inflammation. A high-fiber diet did not consistently produce these effects, suggesting that introducing live microbes is a more direct strategy for improving gut health and immune status in Western populations.

Research published in Nature Medicine indicates that ketogenic and vegan diets impact the immune system differently. While a vegan diet tends to enhance the broad, non-specific innate immune system, a ketogenic diet was shown to augment the more specialized adaptive immune system (T-cells and B-cells).

A common multiple myeloma treatment, autologous stem cell transplant, causes a significant decrease in beneficial, butyrate-producing gut bacteria. This treatment-induced change is directly associated with inferior progression-free survival, revealing a paradoxical negative effect of a standard therapy.

Being a "supertaster" has health downsides. Their intense genetic aversion to bitter tastes often leads them to avoid antioxidant-rich foods like leafy greens. This dietary pattern is linked to a higher incidence of colon cancer among supertasters, showing a direct link between taste sensitivity and long-term health outcomes.

Many chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, cancer, and cognitive decline, are not separate issues but symptoms of a single underlying problem: chronically elevated insulin levels. This metabolic “trash” accumulates over years, making the body a breeding ground for disease.

Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid from gut bacteria, functions similarly to HDAC inhibitor drugs used in cancer therapy. This provides a scientific mechanism for how diet impacts myeloma, revealing its role in anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory pathways.

Studies of traditional populations show their microbiomes are vastly different from those in industrialized nations. This suggests that what is considered a 'healthy' American microbiome might actually be a perturbed state, silently predisposing individuals to chronic inflammatory and metabolic diseases due to factors like antibiotics and diet.

Chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's typically develop over two decades before symptoms appear. This long "runway" is a massive, underutilized opportunity to identify high-risk individuals and intervene, yet medicine typically focuses on treatment only after a disease is established.

Diet Influences Progression of Precursor Conditions to Active Multiple Myeloma | RiffOn