Billionaire Richard Branson, 71, Swears by Harvard-Trained Cancer Doctor’s Diet Recommendations; Dr. Li Believes We Can Beat Disease Through Food

Branson is a highly active businessman who is always on the go. How does he have the energy, and at age 71, no less?

Well, the tycoon writes on his blog about his views on food and the importance of good health. He says, “I have long prioritized an all-around healthy lifestyle. I exercise daily in the form of tennis, kitesurfing, swimming, weights, and cycling (sometimes to my detriment!)…”

Branson continues to say that he prioritizes sleep, and a healthy diet, designed by Dr. Li. “I go to bed at 9 p.m. when possible,” writes Branson. “I have an incredible team around me to help manage stress and am blessed with the most incredible friends and family. And diet, according to Dr. Li, is the final pillar to help realize full health potential,” he says, reports Inc.

Shedding more light on Dr. Li’s advice, Branson continues, “Dr. Li argues that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day lowers the risk of heart failure by 33 percent. And that by eating one kiwi fruit a day you can increase protection of your DNA from oxidative damage by 60 percent. He also suggests that by sipping five cups per day of green tea you can significantly lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”

Eating During Cancer

Dr. Li sees “food as medicine,” and he’s not the only one. Marisa Gholson, a Physicians Assistant at Compass Oncology says in an earlier interview, “We get questions all the time about whether they should cut out dairy or sugar or soy. And basically what I tell patients is that you should eat a well-balanced diet.”

Gholson says, “There’s not great evidence that cutting out sugar or dairy or soy is going to slow down or reverse the growth of your cancer. So I think just making sure that you’re getting the nutrition that you need.”

She says that due to some cancer treatments, like chemo, some people may lose their appetite during their cancer journey. “One of the side effects of chemo can be a loss of appetite,” Gholson explains. “You can also taste changes. So when those side effects occur, I tell patients just to try and eat whatever tastes good and to supplement with nutritional shakes like Ensure or Boost, just to make sure that they’re getting the nutrition that they need to make it through treatment.”

“Everything in moderation,” she says.

A Healthy Diet During Ovarian Cancer

Exercise During Cancer

Another component of wellness is exercise. Diet and exercise are the keys to being your best, no matter what kind of health issues you’re going through.

Research has shown that people with cancer who do moderate exercise have no negative side effects. And people diagnosed with cancer who exercise regularly have 40%-50% less fatigue. (Fatigue is a common side effect of treatments like chemo).

Dr. Marleen Meyers, a medical oncologist and Director of the Cancer Survivorship Program at NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, "Lack of exercise actually begets fatigue. So the best treatment for fatigue is exercise. And what we have to do is get people over the hump, to get initial exercise going."

The Benefits of Exercise after Ovarian Cancer Surgery

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