Ondo State – Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, disclosed that eliminating starchy foods played a crucial role in her surviving breast cancer......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
After being diagnosed 27 years ago, she stated that her decision to stop consuming eba, amala, akpu, and pounded yam was driven by her determination to stay alive and raise her young children.
Former governor’s wife’s lifestyle changed after cancer
In a social media post on February 5, marking World Cancer Day, Anyanwu-Akeredolu described her cancer journey as a ‘mixed grill of triumph and lately of grief’, emphasising how lifestyle changes, research, and medical intervention contributed to her survival.
Since 2000, she has avoided sugary and starchy foods, opting instead for a diet rich in vegetables, smoothies, green tea, lemon and ginger tea, beans, moimoi, fish, chicken, snails, zobo and occasionally rice.
“If stopping drinking coke and other minerals, swallowing eba, pounded yam, amala and akpu would prolong my life knowing that starchy foods and sugar fuel the growth of cancer, so be it,” she said.
Importance of early detection and positive mindset
The former Ondo First Lady, whose husband passed away from prostate cancer on December 23, 2023, highlighted the significance of maintaining a positive mindset for her survival.
She credited her decision to seek medical care at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, rather than relying on spiritual healers, as a crucial step in her recovery.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu also noted that detecting cancer in the earliest stage significantly improved her chances of survival, highlighting the need for regular screenings.
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The post by the wife of the late former Ondo governor attracted numerous reactions, with many taking inspiration from her words.
Ayodeji Osuntokun, a medical doctor, explained to Legit.ng how avoiding certain foods can help cancer patients:
“All cancers have a genetic basis, which is well established now. Genetic disease more often than not need a trigger. What does this mean?
“If you have inherited a faulty gene for a disease, in this case breast cancer from your parent, and you take time to avoid certain things in your lifetime that can cause this disease to happen you might not get this as you are not pulling the trigger. So the bad diets, lifestyle and all are the triggers.
“This brings me to the popular Analogy that Gene loads the gun, environmental factors(like what we eat) pull the trigger.”
Another doctor speaks on dietary changes for cancer management
Medical doctor and health policy analyst, Olorunfemi Oluwaseun, has shed light on the scientific basis for reducing starchy or sugary foods to slow cancer growth.
He revealed this to Legit.ng at the weekend.
According to him:
“Food alone cannot and will not be responsible for the causation and the management of cancers.”
Olorunfemi emphasised that cancer is caused by an interaction of several factors, including modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Modifiable factors, he noted, include diet, obesity, alcohol consumption, and lifestyle choices, while non-modifiable factors include genetics, ageing, sex, and race.
Regarding dietary changes, Olorunfemi noted that several studies have shown weak links between eating fruits and vegetables and the development of some cancers. However, he also pointed out that high fibre intake has been linked to a decrease in the incidence of colon cancer.
He explained:
“The starchy food taken in this clime, such as pounded yam, fufu, eba, yam, and amala, are some of the least processed carbohydrates. These meals are also rich in fibre and are often eaten with a good serving of vegetables.”
The expert emphasized that the focus for cancer management should be on prevention and preventive care. He highlighted the importance of primary prevention, which aims to prevent cancers from occurring through programmes such as vaccination, campaigns against smoking and alcohol usage, and advocacies for active lifestyles and healthy eating.
The doctor stressed:
“There is no one size fits all in the management of cancers, though there are advisories based on clinical research for the general populace.”
Ondo Governor pays moving tribute to Akeredolu
In a statement he signed, the governor reflected on Akeredolu’s life and legacy, saying the late former governor’s contributions to Ondo state and Nigeria would ‘forever be etched in our hearts.’