How to be free from cancer

When I started medical school in 1995, we were taught that one in four people was likely to develop cancer in their lifetime. Today, that statistic has changed to one in two – a rapid rise that can’t be explained by genetics. But if our <a href="/blog/healthy-eating-for-cancer-prevention" title="Healthy Eating for Cancer Prevention">modern diet and lifestyles</a> are the cause, we have more control than we might think. That’s the message my guest, Professor Thomas Seyfried, has worked tirelessly to prove and communicate over his four decades as a cancer researcher. Professor Seyfried is a professor of biology, genetics and biochemistry at Boston College, Massachusetts, and author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, as well as the 2012 book Cancer As A Metabolic Disease. Through his research, and in this conversation, he sets out to explain how it’s a malfunction in our mitochondria – the energy powerhouses in each of our cells – that’s at the root of every cancer he’s studied. Normal-functioning mitochondria, he explains, use oxygen to make energy. In cancer, this process is disrupted. Cancer cells cannot use oxygen, so they fall back on a primitive form of energy creation known as fermentation. It follows then, explains Professor Seyfried, that if we can somehow stop this fermentation process, then cancer cells will die. Cancer uses glucose and glutamine to fuel fermentation. While we don’t want to block glutamine, as it has other uses in the body, we can drastically lower our glucose levels to stop driving cancer growth. We discuss some of the ways in which we can start doing this – for example, using specific low-carb diets and nutritional ketosis. Professor Seyfried also talks us through his ground-breaking ‘metabolic therapy’ protocols for treating cancer – sometimes, alongside conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Professor Seyfried has spent decades researching and proving a metabolic cause for this devastating disease. This a compelling and optimistic conversation, packed with actions we can all take to reduce our risk not just of cancer, but all the chronic conditions driven by metabolic disruption. CAUTION: This podcast discusses ketogenic diets and water-only fasting. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before making any drastic changes to your diet or before going for prolonged periods without eating. Watch the video version of the conversation here: Watch on YouTube Sponsors AG1 Get £20 off your first month’s subscription, plus 10 free travel packs and welcome kit (UK & EU only) Kickstart your journey to better health. Connect with Prof Seyfried: Prof Seyfried’s book: Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: On the Origin, Management, and Prevention of Cancer – Kindle edition Also available at www.wiley.com The Way: March Join our 30-day meditation challenge with The Way app DO Health Tease In 2026 I want to help you stop guessing how to improve your health – and start doing. Book - Happy Mind, Happy Life Order Now Book - TV JAN Watch Now On Channel 4 Sign up for the Friday Five. My weekly email with my top five life-improving finds. Your email I agree to receive emails from Dr Chatterjee. My information will be secure, and I can unsubscribe anytime (required). Submit Navigation Home Podcast UK Live Dates Australian Live Dates Newsletter About Do HealthNEW Journal Search & Explore Contact Books Make Change That Lasts Happy Mind Happy Life Feel Great Lose Weight Feel Better in 5 The Stress Solution The 4 Pillar Plan View All Books Useful Links Watch on YouTube Blog Doctor In The House Education for Doctors Membership Previous Newsletters Press Sponsors How To Listen © 2026 Dr Chatterjee Privacy Cookies Disclosures Site by MI v1.41