Everything a doctor who studies gut health and colon cancer ate in 2 weeks

Dr. Neelendu Dey knows how to eat to support his gut health without compromising on taste.

The 45-year-old gastrointestinal doctor and associate professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, who studies how gut microbes could prevent colon cancer, eats mainly plant-based whole foods, plenty of fiber, and minimal junk. But his meals are never boring.

He told Business Insider that he regularly opts for Pad See Ew, a Thai stir-fried noodle dish, tacos, and ramen. And if you weren’t sold already, there’s another benefit to the way he eats.

By looking after his gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes that live in the colon lining and impact overall health, he’s also lowering his risk of colon cancer, which is rising in people under 50.

Research has linked eating plant foods such as vegetables, nuts, and beans to a diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of good gut health, and a lower colon cancer risk. While ultra-processed foods, including processed red meats such as hot dogs and salami, have been linked to less diversity and a higher risk.

As well as the quantity of plants he’s eating, Dey thinks about how varied his diet is, which has been linked to greater microbial diversity in the gut. He also tries to eat resistant starches such as oats, which break down into beneficial fatty acids in the gut, but isn’t overly strict with himself.

“With the demands of modern life and the wages society sets, there are going to be some things that are beyond our control. And sometimes you just need the calories,” he said.

When it comes to alcohol, he drinks in moderation, as it can damage the lining of the colon, which makes it more likely that cancer will develop.

He also exercised daily during this period, playing soccer, pickleball, jogging outdoors, or working out at a climbing gym. Staying active is also thought to promote a healthy gut microbiome and protect against colon cancer.

Here’s what Dey, a father of two and busy doctor, ate for two weeks.

Monday

Breakfast: Cereal with fresh blueberries and soymilk.

Lunch: Half a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, roasted red peppers, and mayonnaise with a pickle on the side.

Snack before my soccer game: Banana

Dinner: Tofu Pad See Ew from one of my fave Thai places in town.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Oatmeal with raspberries, granola, and brown sugar. An iced oat milk latte.

Lunch: Papaya salad.

Snack: Finished half a banana and half of a sparkling water left over by my 13-year-old daughter before her softball tryout.

Dinner: Baby carrots as an appetizer, chana masala (chickpea curry) made with raw chickpeas from a farmers market, and a plum for dessert.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Cheerios cereal with dried cranberries and soy milk, plus a coffee with soy milk.

Lunch: Leftover Pad See Ew.

Snack: Slice of vegan chocolate cake I was gifted last week for speaking at a fundraising event.

Dinner: Leftover chana masala, mushrooms from a farmers market with some pasta (kids ate most of the pasta), corn, plums, cherry plums, and blueberries.

Thursday

Breakfast: Rice Krispies cereal with blueberries.

Snack during endoscopy: V8 (vegetable juice drink)

Lunch: Vegan hot dog, cherry plums, and mango lemonade.

Snack: Dried mango strips.

Dinner: Leftover chana masala

Post-dinner snack: More dried mango strips.

Friday

Breakfast: An egg on a piece of toast.

Lunch: Tofu ramen, seaweed salad, and an avocado roll.

Dinner: Took my 13-year-old daughter to a concert (Mumford & Sons), had a Cliff Bar.

Saturday

Brunch: Made banana, blueberry pancakes for the kids with blueberries on the side.

Dinner: Oysters, fries, one beer, and one Old Fashioned (had a close friend from my residency and fellowship days visiting).

Snack: Blueberries.

Sunday

Brunch: Made French toast with blueberries for the kids, drank tangerine juice and coffee.

Snack: Plums.

Afternoon drink: One beer at a bar with friends while watching the Mariners baseball game and playing billiards.

Dinner: Went out to sushi.

Monday

Breakfast: Oatmeal with raspberries, granola, and brown sugar with an iced oatmilk vanilla latte.

Lunch: Pear and blueberry salad, vegan sandwich, BBQ chips, and sparkling water.

Dinner: Tofu bun, egg fried rice, boba tea with oat milk, and a plum.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Rice Krispies cereal with blueberries.

Late lunch/early dinner: Tofu bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwich).

Snack: Plums.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Egg sandwich and coffee.

Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich, a banana.

Dinner: Tacos with rice and beans. Blueberries for dessert.

Thursday

Breakfast: Cheerios cereal with blueberries, and an iced oatmilk vanilla latte.

Late lunch/early dinner: Rice, daal (lential curry), spinach, Malabar spinach, begun bhaji (fried eggplant), eggs, okra, bitter melon, and mango.

Friday

Breakfast: Suji (South Asian cream of wheat).

Lunch: Sushi.

Dinner: Yogurt with blueberries and raspberries, plus grapes and a plum.

Saturday

Brunch: Egg sandwich, vegan sausage, pretzel, and hibiscus iced tea with habanero.

Dinner: Lentils (Ethiopian style), corn, nectarine, blueberries, and raspberries.

Sunday

Brunch: Made blueberry, banana pancakes for the kids. Vegan sausage, iced coffee with soy milk, mangoes, and blueberries.

Afternoon drink: Two beers at a soccer match.

Dinner: Veggie fried rice and mango.

Dessert: Vegan cashew-based salted caramel ice cream bar.

The post Everything a doctor who studies gut health and colon cancer ate in 2 weeks appeared first on Business Insider.