β All guides
Protocol
Β·
14 min read
Building an evidence-based protocol
How to approach nutrition, supplements, tracking, and lifestyle systematically.
Standard medical care treats the disease. It rarely covers the full picture: nutrition, sleep, supplementation, glucose management, stress, microbiome, and exercise all affect treatment response, quality of life, and long-term outcomes. Building a protocol means taking intentional control of the factors you can influence. This is a framework for doing that systematically.
01
The framework β what to optimise
Research in integrative oncology converges on a set of modifiable factors that independently and collectively affect cancer outcomes. The goal is not to treat cancer with lifestyle β it is to create the best possible physiological environment for treatment to work, side effects to be tolerable, and recovery to proceed.
β
Nutrition: inflammation and glucose are the two most directly actionable dietary targets.
β
Supplementation: evidence-based compounds that address deficiency, immune function, and direct anti-cancer activity.
β
Blood markers: regular testing to track what's actually changing and identify problems early.
β
Sleep: the single most powerful recovery and immune-modulating intervention available.
β
Physical activity: directly regulates glucose, inflammation, immune function, and mood.
β
Stress and cortisol: chronic cortisol elevation impairs immune function, muscle maintenance, and sleep.
02
Nutrition fundamentals
The core dietary principle is straightforward: reduce the conditions that cancer exploits (high glucose, systemic inflammation, excess IGF-1) while maintaining or building nutritional status. Malnutrition is common in cancer patients and independently worsens outcomes.
β
Low-glycaemic: remove added sugar, refined carbohydrates, and foods that spike blood glucose. The Warburg effect means cancer cells consume glucose at 10β50Γ the rate of healthy cells.
β
Anti-inflammatory: remove red meat, dairy, and ultra-processed foods. Prioritise fish (omega-3), vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and turmeric.
β
High-protein: aim for 1.5β2g protein per kg body weight. Muscle mass directly affects treatment tolerance and recovery speed. Fish, eggs, legumes, and plant proteins are preferable sources.
β
Microbiome: fermented foods, prebiotic fibre, and minimal antibiotics. Gut microbiome composition directly affects chemotherapy and immunotherapy response.
β
Track your weight weekly β loss of more than 1kg/week warrants immediate attention.
03
Where to start with supplements
The supplement landscape is overwhelming. Start with what addresses the most common deficiencies and has the strongest evidence in oncology. Add complexity gradually once the fundamentals are consistent.
β
Priority 1 β get right and stay right: Vitamin D3 + K2, Omega-3 (EPA/DHA), Magnesium. Almost everyone is deficient in all three, and deficiency worsens outcomes.
β
Priority 2 β immune and treatment support: Melatonin (sleep + oncology research), Probiotics (microbiome + immunotherapy), Astragalus or Turkey Tail mushroom (NK cell activity).
β
Priority 3 β anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory: Curcumin (liposomal), Berberine, Quercetin, EGCG. Add systematically, not all at once.
β
Always discuss with your oncologist before starting new supplements β interactions exist, particularly around chemotherapy timing.
04
Which markers to track
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Regular blood tests tell you whether your interventions are working and identify emerging problems before they become serious. In oncology, standard panels often don't include everything useful.
β
Essential baseline: full blood count, liver enzymes (AST/ALT/GGT), CRP, vitamin D, B12, iron/ferritin, glucose/HbA1c.
β
Oncology specific: your primary tumour markers (CEA, CA19-9, AFP etc. depending on diagnosis), plus LDH.
β
Recovery indicators: albumin (nutritional status), SII (systemic immune-inflammation index), NLR (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio).
β
Track trends, not single readings. A marker moving in the right direction over three tests is more meaningful than any individual result.
β
Build a simple spreadsheet or use a tracker to visualise trends over time.
05
Physical activity during treatment
The instinct during treatment is to rest. Current evidence strongly suggests that maintaining physical activity β even at reduced intensity β produces better outcomes than rest. Exercise independently regulates glucose, reduces inflammation, improves immune function, and counteracts the anxiety and depression common during treatment.
β
Aim for 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week, even if that means 20-minute walks.
β
Resistance training (even light) preserves muscle mass and directly regulates glucose β both critical during chemotherapy.
β
Adjust intensity to your current capacity β some activity on difficult days is better than none.
β
Post-meal walks of 10β20 minutes significantly blunt glucose spikes β one of the most effective and accessible interventions.
β
Swimming and yoga have good evidence for tolerance during treatment for patients with limited energy.
06
Sleep as medicine
Sleep is where the immune system does most of its work β including anti-tumour surveillance. Chemotherapy, anxiety, and pain all disrupt sleep. Treating sleep disruption actively is one of the most impactful things you can do.
β
Target 7β9 hours per night. Quality matters as much as quantity β uninterrupted slow-wave and REM sleep drive recovery.
β
Melatonin at 3β10mg 30β60 minutes before sleep is one of the most studied supplements in oncology β directly relevant.
β
Consistent sleep and wake times stabilise circadian rhythm which regulates immune function, cortisol, and glucose.
β
Temperature: sleeping cool (18β20Β°C) improves sleep quality measurably.
β
Light: blackout curtains and no screens in the hour before sleep are the highest-impact behavioural interventions.
This guide reflects personal experience and research. It is not medical advice. Every diagnosis is different β always work with your care team when making decisions about your treatment and protocol.