Ep 64 - Nutrition and Cancer: Prevention, Treatment and the Power of a Plant-Based Plate (with Dr Zahra Kassam)

Michelle and Kevin sit down with radiation oncologist Dr Zahra Kassam to unpack one of the most important, and personal, topics in health: the relationship between nutrition and cancer.

Dr Kassam is a radiation oncologist at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, co-founder of Plant-Based Canada, and co-author of Eating Plant-Based. With more than 30 years in medicine, she brings both clinical expertise and deep compassion to the conversation.

Together, they explore:

• What the research really says about plant-based eating and cancer prevention
• Major population studies like the Adventist Health Study and EPIC-Oxford Study
• How nutrition may influence cancer treatment outcomes, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy response
• The role of epigenetics, and why your genes are not your destiny
• Lifestyle medicine’s six pillars and their impact on chronic disease
• Why nutrition still isn’t central in most medical training
• Practical ways patients can advocate for themselves
• Simple, realistic strategies to “plant the seeds” for change

Dr Kassam also shares insights into how planetary health, food systems, and cancer risk are deeply interconnected, including the work of the EAT-Lancet Commission and leaders like Dr Scott Stoll.

Whether you’re looking to reduce your cancer risk, support someone undergoing treatment, or simply understand how food influences long-term health, this episode offers evidence-based guidance grounded in both science and empathy.

As Dr Kassam reminds us: “There is no human activity that has a deeper impact on our health and our planet than what we eat. The power is on our plate.”

Plant Based Canada links:

• http://www.plantbasedcanada.org
• @plantbasedcanadaorg
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/plant-based-canada-org/

Dr Kassam's book:

• https://a.co/d/02oV3QTr

Please subscribe and drop us a review; your feedback helps fellow noobs find their way to better nutrition.

Have a question for Michelle? Have a recipe (or recipe disaster) you want to share? Get in touch at n4noobs@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4noobs.