Colon Cancer Specialist's Personal Two-Week Eating Regimen Revealed

Health-Conscious Gastroenterologist's Diet and Exercise Routine

Dr. Neelendu Dey, a gastroenterologist and professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, follows a plant-based diet that is rich in whole foods, fibre, and low in junk food. His dietary choices are linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer, as well as a diverse microbiome in his gut.

On Saturdays, Dr. Dey's brunch typically includes banana-blueberry pancakes, while for dinner, he enjoys Ethiopian-style lentils, corn, nectarine, blueberries, raspberries, and sometimes oysters. He also snacks on blueberries and plums throughout the day.

On Sundays, Dr. Dey's brunch might consist of blueberry-banana pancakes for the kids, vegan sausages, iced coffee with oat milk, mangoes, blueberries, and vegan salted caramel ice cream bar on a cashew base for dessert. In the afternoon, he might have a beer at a bar while watching a baseball game and playing pool. For dinner, he often goes out for sushi, and for a late lunch/early dinner, he enjoys rice, daal (lentil curry), spinach, Malabar spinach, fried eggplant, eggs, okra, bitter melon, mango, and more.

On weekdays, Dr. Dey's meals are equally varied. On Monday, he might have oatmeal with raspberries, muesli, and brown sugar for breakfast, a pear and blueberry salad, vegan sandwich, BBQ fries, and sparkling water for lunch, and tofu sandwich, fried rice with egg, bubble tea with oat milk, and a plum for dinner. On Tuesday, he might start his day with muesli with blueberries, followed by a tofu bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwich) for a late lunch/early dinner and plums as a snack.

Friday's meals might include Suji (South Asian semolina cream) for breakfast, sushi for lunch, and yogurt with blueberries and raspberries, with grapes and a plum on the side for dinner. On Thursday, he might have Cheerios muesli with blueberries and an iced oat milk vanilla latte for breakfast, rice, daal (lentil curry), spinach, Malabar spinach, fried eggplant, eggs, okra, bitter melon, mango, and more for a late lunch/early dinner, and on Wednesday, he might have a turkey and avocado sandwich and a banana for lunch, tacos with rice and beans for dinner, and blueberries for dessert.

In addition to his balanced diet, Dr. Dey exercises daily, engaging in activities such as playing soccer, pickleball, running outdoors, or training at a climbing gym. However, he drinks alcohol in moderation as it can damage the gut lining and increase the likelihood of cancer.

Dr. Dey began his academic career at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center before 2018, as indicated by his involvement with students and research activities listed from 2017 and 2018. Consuming plant-based foods like vegetables, nuts, and legumes, as well as staying active, promotes a healthy gut microbiome and protects against colorectal cancer. Ultra-processed foods, including processed red meats like hot dogs and salami, are associated with less diversity and a higher risk of colorectal cancer.