Research has shown that while we all need food to survive, the right food can not only keep diseases at bay but also reverse the impact of life-threatening ailments. Our bodies are thriving ecosystems, and our immune systems are their fortresses. Eating good food can strengthen this stronghold to keep us safe and healthy and also affects our ability to live longer and happier lives.
There’s a lot of science behind how we can beat cancer and other challenging diseases by changing our diet, but it doesn’t seem possible for most people even to think about that. It’s also important to note that while food can be a savior, consuming the wrong food type can fuel our illness further.
From my understanding, most medical schools don’t teach much about nutrition and the importance of diet in preventing diseases. But today, I have someone who has dedicated his career to researching and understanding the role our diets play in helping our body heal itself. Please welcome our guest, Dr. William Li.
Dr. William is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and best-selling author. His groundbreaking work has transformed our understanding of more than 70 diseases including cancer, diabetes, blindness, obesity, and heart disease. His TED Talk “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” has reached more than 11 million views, and his research is slowly throwing light on how you can use food to prevent and beat diseases.
I am very excited about our guest Dr. William Li because I think that many people have been struggling with figuring out what to eat. But before we dive into the topic, let’s first get to know a little about the amazing Dr. William Li!
Who Is Dr. William Li?
Dr. William Li is an internationally acclaimed physician, scientist, and speaker. He has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. William is best known for leading The Angiogenesis Foundation, a non-profit organization disrupting disease through angiogenesis, which is the process for the formation of new blood cells in our bodies. His groundbreaking work has affected the impact of 70 diseases from cancer to diabetes and obesity.
He is also the best-selling author for his book Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. The book helps in understanding the science of healing and prevention of diseases through food and is an excellent read for anyone looking to transform their lives through diet.
Dr. William has also appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Voice of America, and in The Atlantic, TIME, and The New York Times. He is also an author of over 100 scientific publications in leading journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and Science.
“We hold our own destiny three times a day in the choices that we are making — when we’re sitting down to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” – Dr. William Li
If you are someone who seeks to change their destiny to a life of healthy living, then this episode of The School of Greatness with Dr. William Li will be highly insightful. This has been an inspiring interview, and I loved everything we talked about. I hope you, too, feel the same by the end. Read on!
The Five Different Defense Systems in a Human Body
Early in our conversation, I asked Dr. William about the different defense systems that a human body has, and Dr. William pointed out that there are five that he knew about:
#1: Angiogenesis
The first system is angiogenesis, which is also the main research area for Dr. William. He begins by mentioning that there is a 60,0000-mile channel of blood vessels in the human body that deliver oxygen and nutrients everywhere through it.
“Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels [in the human body]. When we have the right amount of blood vessels, our body is healthy. … The body never elects too many blood vessels to grow and cause problems. For example, cancers form in our bodies because we’re filled with these dividing cells, and some of them make mistakes. But microscopic cancers are completely harmless because they don’t have a blood supply. So our body prevents cancers from growing naturally by controlling the angiogenesis.” – Dr. William Li
Dr. Williams has been working to develop treatments that can cut off the blood supply to the cancer cells and starve them. This is called antigen therapy, and the same approach has been used to prevent blindness.
#2: Stem Cells
Unlike salmon, starfish, and lizards, humans can’t regenerate, right? Dr. William says that this is wrong and that humans do have the ability to regenerate.
“Humans regenerate from the inside-out. While we can’t regenerate a lost limb, we continuously regenerate our organs like the lungs, liver, kidneys, or any internal or external wounds. … It turns out that the way we naturally regenerate is through stem cells … that we are born with. … There are over 750 million stem cells packed in our bone marrow that are stored like bullets waiting for when they are needed. … Whenever [an organ] has to be regenerated, or a wound has to be healed, these stem cells come flying out of our bone marrow and [heal and] renew us from the inside out.” – Dr. William Li
What I am about to share next will simply blow your mind. I was curious to know the kind of foods that are good for one’s stem cells, guess what Dr. William recommended? Dark chocolate because it has natural chemicals that double the number of stem cells in humans.
#3: Gut Microbiome
Gut health and microbiome are almost like buzzwords these days, and there is a reason.
“There are 39 trillion bacteria in a typical human body, so we barely understand gut bacteria. But what we do know is that gut bacteria actually controls our metabolism, communicates with our brain, and helps us heal. 70% of our immune system lives inside our gut [so if you are feeding your gut a lot of bad foods], you are poisoning your immune system. … Certain gut bacteria can actually signal your brain to release social hormones and can affect your mood.” – Dr. William Li
Dr. William underlines the importance of keeping your gut healthy. Even conditions like autism, Alzheimers, and schizophrenia are all now seemingly connected to our gut bacteria. Food can enhance your gut’s good or bad bacteria, so eating mindfully is the way to go.
#4: DNA
When I got my DNA tested, I learned that I am 1% neanderthal. But what is DNA?
“DNA is like a genetic code, but it’s more than that. DNA protects us from the environment … and is hard wired to fix itself [after damage] like sunburns, inhaling toxic fumes, amongst other overlooked ailments. … The resistance for our DNA’s defense is something called a telomere [which is a compound structure at the end of a chromosome]. If your DNA is a shoelace, then a telomere is the plastic tip at the end of the shoelace, and over time that little tip kind of wears off. So what you want to do is to slow down your cellular aging by avoiding harsh things like smoking cigarettes, or being a couch potato, or being exposed to stress.” – Dr. William Li
Apart from avoiding harmful substances, Dr. William also stresses the effectiveness of food in lengthening the life of your telomeres. Green tea, coffee, and leafy vegetables are some of the superfoods he suggests for a healthy DNA.
#5: Immune System
Wondering about the best way to boost your immunity? Let’s first understand the importance of our immune systems.
“Your immune system is so powerful that when it is in its best shape … it is strong enough to fight cancer, … even if you are an eighty-year-old. In fact, it can even wipe out metastatic cancer, [when cancer has spread from the primary source to other parts of the body]. The immune system is like an army of super-soldiers who [use] their weapons, training, and tactics to fight off external and internal invaders like bacterias, viruses, and cancer cells.” – Dr. William Li
Now that you know a little about your immune system, it’s helpful for you to know the foods suggested by Dr. William for a healthy immune system. The top two are blueberries and broccoli sprouts. If this has piqued your interest, the next section will ease your curiosity.
