My father had prostate cancer two years ago and now my father-in-law has been diagnosed. My wife read that eating tomatoes can reduce my risk of prostate cancer. Is this true? If so, can you give me suggestions on how to include tomatoes in my diet?

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a phytochemical (plant chemical) associated with reduced prostate cancer risk, (as well as other types of cancer & heart disease). Research shows that cooked or processed tomato products, like tomato sauce, ketchup, and spaghetti sauce, have higher concentrations of lycopene and can be absorbed more efficiently by the body.
One of the easiest ways to get lycopene is to include tomato or V-8 juice (low-sodium variety is best) in your diet. Maybe next time you have veggie pizza you won't feel so quilty either!!! (There's lycopene in the tomato sauce).

My mother has lung cancer and drinks Ensure Plus to keep her weight up. I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to drink Ensure Plus or one of the other liquid supplements in place of a meal when I'm too busy to eat. Could you please comment.

I'm sure you have seen advertisements for these "meals-in-a can" geared toward busy lifestyles. In the past, nutritional supplements including Ensure, Boost, Resource, etc. have been recommended for patients like your mother who have lost weight. True, these supplements are a convenient source of calories & protein (250-350 calories & 10-14 grams of protein per can) but you could get the same nutritional content by drinking a milkshake and taking a multivitamin/mineral pill. Also, these drinks don't contain fiber and the beneficial phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables.
My advice is to eat real food at meals (you also get the pleasure of chewing your food!!!) .
Pick up some convenient snacks at the grocery including cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, frozen low-fat burrito's, sandwich fixin's,etc. to have on hand when you're busy.

A few weeks ago I heard on the news that a high fiber diet may not reduce the risk of colon cancer. My older brother died of colon cancer & I want to do everything I can to prevent it. What other dietary nutrients are linked to protecting against colon cancer?

In January's issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, Fuchs et al. report no association between fiber consumption and colorectal cancer or adenoma in women. In this prospective study of 88,757 female nurses followed for 16 years, colorectal cancer was documented in 787 women. In addition, 1012 of the 27,530 women who had undergone endoscopy during the follow-up period were found to have distal colonic & rectal adenomas. The data from this study do not support the protective effect of dietary fiber against colorectal cancer which is conflicting to earlier studies in the literature which suggest a reduced risk of colon cancer with higher intakes of dietary fiber.
First of all, don't stop eating high fiber foods (plant foods including fruits, vegetables, & whole grains) based on the results of this one study. A high fiber diet is still beneficial for other types of cancer (breast), as well as heart disease, diabetes, and weight maintenance.
Physical activity (exercise) also protects against colon cancer and obesity.

Some of the newest nutrients thought to be protective against colon cancer include folic acid and calcium. Therefore, include folate rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals and orange juice and/or consider taking a folic acid supplement. For calcium, it's recommended to increase your intake of dietary calcium from dairy products rather supplemental calcium since other substances in dairy foods may play a beneficial role.

My sister is receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy for gastric cancer. We both have numerous questions concerning alternative medicine. What website do you recommend for information on alternative medicine?

You may want to try Dr.Andrew Weil's website at www.askdrweil.com for information on alternative medicine. Andrew Weil, M.D., is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and teaches at the University of Arizona in Tucson, specializing in alternative medicine, mind/body interactions and medical botany. He is a leader in the exploding field of alternative medicine and author of seven books on the topic.