Diet as a self-confidence boost!
- Manja Gideon Foundation
- May 27
- 4 min read
Updated: May 27
Want to get a comprehensive overview of hereditary cancer risk and how you can do yourself good via your diet? This evening information event was organized by the Zurich Cancer League (Krebsliga Zürich) and the Manja Gideon Foundation.
Dr. Susanna Stoll, Head Doctor of Hereditary Cancer Counselling at Triemli Waid City Hospital in Zurich, spoke about the link between genes and ovarian cancer, as well as what women should watch out for if they have non-specific abdominal pain and come from a family in which other members have had or died from cancer.
An insightful lecture on the basics of genetics, the importance of knowing your family history, genetic testing, and Swiss law. She also explains the latest recommendations for mutation carriers and possible treatments.
Jasmin von Wartburg and Jelina Linder spoke about diet from two different perspectives: one as a breast cancer survivor, BRCA1 mutation carrier and nutrition coach; the other as a nutrition coach with a medical background.
The second cookbook by Jasmin von Wartburg can be found here: https://fruchtmunter.ch/kochbuch/
Highlights from the talk:
“After finishing acute cancer treatment I had a realization: I’m cancer-free, but I’m not healthy. I had never felt as sick or powerless in my entire life as I did at that point. Then I got the BRCA1 diagnosis. It felt like a ticking time bomb. I thought: What can I do for myself? I was suffering from extreme exhaustion, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, an overactive bladder... so to get out of that, I started looking into the world of nutrition. And made the decision to become a nutrition coach myself.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“You have the power to do something. I specialize in counselling women after they finish their cancer treatment. How can healthy foods be incorporated into everyday life without it being a burden?” Jasmin von Wartburg
“Unfortunately, ‘nutritionist’ is not a protected title in Switzerland. Through our consultations, we pursue a therapeutic objective during cancer treatment. I have a medical background and am therefore connected to medicine. One of the things we focus on is malnutrition because nutrient intake requirements in sick people is different from in healthy people.” Jelina Linder
“Diet is not equally important in the prevention of all cancer types. In the case of ovarian cancer, diet can only do so much. There are no studies that give specific recommendations for prevention. An anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean diet is generally recommended. We all know that it would be good to eat that way – but putting it into practice is difficult. Fast food is readily available. We in the Western world have lost our connection to a whole foods diet.” Jelina Linder
“From my perspective, there is a connection between food and risk. Everything we put into our body has an effect on it. Vegetables and plant-based foods should be the basis of our diet. Proteins are very important for cell regeneration. Carbohydrates can be consumed in whole-grain form so as to provide the body with energy for longer.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“Undergoing Cancer treatment is like a marathon. Your body is put under extreme stress and needs a lot of nutrients. Perhaps even in amounts that are impossible to absorb via our diet alone. And when there is a loss of appetite, then it’s definitely not enough. So in nutritional therapy we ask ourselves: How can we get enough nutrients? How can we boost our energy with lots of small meals?” Jelina Linder
“In my daily work I see that every woman has different dietary needs. That’s why I am skeptical of general dietary recommendations. A family has different needs from a woman who lives alone. I think it’s also important to consider people’s personal preferences. After all, enjoyment is an important part of eating! I don’t hand out any plans where it says: For lunch on Wednesday you have to eat broccoli.” Jelina Linder
“My sense of taste was gone. I started restricting my food intake. But when you’re undergoing treatment it is not the right time to completely change your diet. You’re already overwhelmed. I lost a lot of weight and at some point I just needed to eat chocolate.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“The goal is always to do what’s best for your intestines. Light meals are preferable. It’s quite possible that sweet things are acceptable if there are changes in taste. Some dietary supplements I like to prescribe are zinc, selenium, vitamin D, protein powder and omega-3 fatty acids. Too much can be counterproductive. It’s important that it complements the treatment.” Jelina Linder
“I didn’t have the energy to chew, I hardly had enough to swallow. Smoothies were nice because my mouth felt sore. They gave me energy, my digestion got better... and that’s how I got interested in this field. I tested every diet on myself and learned a lot in the process. There’s no such thing as one ultimate anti-cancer diet.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“The psychological aspect is very important. When we talk about diet, we’re talking about why we’re scared of sugar or products made with white flour. The illness can make you lose control and question yourself. Your diet can be a way of empowering yourself and taking control of your own life.” Jelina Linder
“I share recipes on my Instagram page and encourage other people to eat joyfully and healthily. I was approached by a publisher and they made me a book offer. I’m always happy when I get feedback like ‘My husband loves it’, ‘My kids love it’ – that’s the idea.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“Today I’m 39 years old. I have to decide if I want to be operated on... I had breast cancer, but I still have my ovaries. At the moment I’m doing what I feel is best for me and my body.” Jasmin von Wartburg
“Don’t listen to anyone – except for your nutritionist and your body”. Jelina Linder
“There is no anti-cancer diet. But eating healthily can help me and I’m allowed to have fun with it”. Jasmin von Wartburg
Epilogue
Starting at 39 min. 29 sec.: short overview of the “Grüne Socken” (“Green socks”) initiative.
