Health Symposium Synopsis

Top three takeaways from an afternoon with Eat to Beat Disease author Dr. William Li

A while back, a friend invited me to the Adventist Health “Advancing Healthcare Symposium” at Pasadena’s picturesque Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. In the spirit of the old adage, “good things come in threes,” it was an easy yes. First, I’m always up for a visit to the stunning gardens, so I was immediately inclined to accept her gracious invitation. Second, I’m eager to learn about what’s new in healthcare, and the event sub-title included the word “interventional,” which was intriguing. Third, and of great interest, was the keynote speaker: globally renowned physician, best-selling author, scientist, and holistic health thought leader, Harvard-trained Dr. William Li. Clinched!

As predicted by these three enticing reasons to attend… it was a delightful afternoon. First, I must give kudos to Adventist Health Glendale for producing a very informative and well-done event. From a designer’s perspective, all the presentations were engaging and cohesive, the pacing of the presenters was excellent, the information was fresh, and the reception was top-notch. Not to mention the symposium’s location in the Huntington’s elegant Rothenberg Hall: a beautifully designed and well-appointed event space.

Additionally, it was impressive that a hospital and medical center highlighted the power of nutrition in fighting disease. But then again, it is the Adventist community, which places a high value on a primarily vegetarian diet, exercise, faith, and community in a person’s overall wellness plan.

Second, I learned what interventional medicine is. At first glance, I incorrectly thought it was akin to integrative medicine. Silly me. Actually, “interventional” refers to medical specialties that use minimally invasive, image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions. Instead of traditional open surgery, doctors use medical imaging like X-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans to guide instruments and therapies through small punctures or incisions in the body, which often results in faster recovery times, less pain, and fewer complications for patients.

The presenting doctors were in the fields of gastroenterology and endoscopy; pulmonary and critical care; vascular and radiology; and cardiology, endovascular, and structural heart care. I was absolutely floored by what these exceptional physicians accomplished with interventional medicine, achieving a higher level of success with a fraction of the downsides of traditional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It was truly impressive. If I, or a family member, ever has a serious medical issue, I’m searching out interventional options, most likely at Adventist Health.

Third, the keynote speaker did not disappoint. Dr. William Li is best known for his revolutionary insights into disease prevention through the power of nutrition. In his groundbreaking New York Times bestsellers, Eat to Beat Disease and Eat to Beat Your Diet, Dr. Li demonstrates how selecting the right foods can enhance health, combat disease, and extend healthspan. His specialty is angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels form from existing ones.

The positive aspect of angiogenesis promotes the growth and development of tissues, muscle growth, and tissue repair, while also inhibiting inflammation. However, dysregulation of angiogenesis can lead to various diseases, such as cancer, macular degeneration, and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Li has developed clinically tested therapeutic strategies to manipulate angiogenesis with nutrition across diverse medical fields, including oncology/hematology, cardiology, ophthalmology, vascular surgery, dermatology, wound care, and regenerative medicine.

This gratifying afternoon also led to three important takeaways.

Takeaway 1: Food has a scientifically proven impact on health
While I firmly believe in the power of nutrition, both positive and negative, it was gratifying to see slide after slide of clinical studies that demonstrated nutrition’s eye-opening impact. Dr. Li’s conclusions are rooted in science, which serves as the basis for all his recommendations. In addition to being able to positively manipulate angiogenesis, he believes (and can prove) that what we put in our mouths also significantly affects our gut microbiome, immune system, cell regeneration, and DNA modification.

According to Dr. Li’s research, certain foods and nutrients have a positive influence, and in some cases, a better outcome than common drugs and cancer drugs. For instance, he shared a slide that charted tests for anti-angiogenesis potency of “farm” versus “pharmacy”—which demonstrated that the substance that had the greatest effect on blood vessels was not a medicinal drug, but rather vitamin E! Also high up on the list, virtually neck-and-neck with pharmaceuticals, are foods such as tea, turmeric, citrus, garlic, soy, and berries, amongst others.

Another example is the tomato. Although tomatoes are members of the much-maligned nightshade family, they are powerful anti-cancer agents. In a study of 46,719 men, it was found that consuming two or more servings of tomato sauce per week was associated with a 30% reduced risk for developing prostate cancer. And it’s not just any old tomato; specifically, San Marzano tomatoes are the most potent. Interestingly, preparation is just as important. Simmering tomatoes not only enhances flavor but increases lycopene (its overachieving antioxidant) bioavailability by 50% at 2 minutes, and 250% at 30 minutes. Your Italian grandmother instinctively knew best!

These few examples only scratch the surface of the many incredible foods we have at our disposal that can have a positive and significant impact on our health and help deter disease. If you want to learn more, Dr. Li’s book, Eat to Beat Disease, is easy to digest (pun totally intended) and chockfull of invaluable, actionable information and recipes.

Takeaway 2: All roads lead from the gut microbiome
The gut microbiome may seem like a trendy topic, but it should be taken very seriously as ground zero for our overall cognitive and physiological health. Microorganisms in the gut play a crucial role in supporting immunity and suppressing infections, maintaining healthy blood lipids, balancing insulin sensitivity, regulating mood, releasing social hormones, and promoting cell regeneration.

Unfortunately, the grocery shelves are mostly filled with food items that disrupt the delicate balance of the billions of bacteria, fungi, and flora of the microbiome, to the point that many of our health ailments are rooted in an unhealthy gut. However, with proper care and feeding, science has shown we can both repair and prevent future damage.

Start with whole, unprocessed high fiber fruits, vegetables, legumes, and tubers. Add in a good dose of fermented foods such as fermented dairy products, sauerkraut, kimchi, and—my favorite—authentic sourdough bread. Finish with a little dark chocolate and you’ve got a recipe for very happy and symbiotic gut flora to beat disease and boost longevity.

Takeaway 3: You can create your own ecosystem
Dr. Li shared a personal, firsthand experience of the power of angiogenesis and holistic, coordinated treatment. At the age of 80, his mother received the scary news that she had stage 4 endometrial cancer that had spread to various parts of her body. Her oncologist told Dr. Li that the treatment would be worse than the cure, and perhaps the best course of action was to spend her remaining days enjoying time together.

Armed with his angiogenesis and nutritional knowledge, and a slew of studies substantiating that food can influence cancer therapies, Dr. Li chose to approach her cancer with an “all of the above” strategy that combined diet and medicine. He began by optimizing a cancer-starving diet that also supported a healthy gut microbiome, and combined foods and medications to reduce inflammation. With her ecosystem fine-tuned, they opted for the emerging immunotherapy treatment, which consisted of three infusions spaced three weeks apart.

After 9 weeks, her scans were all clear. That was 10 years ago. She just celebrated her 90th birthday. Dr. Li credits the multi-pronged approach to her treatment with eradicating her previously barely treatable cancer, especially in preparing and bolstering her “ecosystem” with proper nutrition to strengthen immunity, cultivate a healthy microbiome, promote optimal angiogenesis, stimulate cell regeneration, and facilitate DNA modification.

While these are viable tools we can all apply to our health, don’t wait until disease strikes. As I wrote about my unfortunate bout with shingles in Are You Battle Ready, I believe my foundationally strong health was the key to weathering a very difficult (and scary) infection and coming out the other side with little significant lingering side-effects. That experience taught me to have, as Dr. Li would say, my ecosystem dialed in and ready for battle…although knowing what I know now, I could have been in even better shape!

Health is a matter of choice
Dr. Li’s research and practical plan are proof positive that our choices can dictate our health, and we have near-total control over our choices. With intention, we can integrate foods that many of us already know and love into our diets to activate our powerful health defense system to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, autoimmune disease, and many other debilitating illnesses.

I’m so grateful to my dear friend who invited me out for an inspiring afternoon. I left invigorated and armed with new information to add to my core health and wellness principles to live well, age great.

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