Dr. William Li is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and author. He joins JJ in today's podcast episode to talk about the incredible healing power of food! Listen as Dr. Li explains the science behind how to eat to starve cancer, including the concept of anti-angiogenesis, which was discussed in his widely-viewed TED Talk. Dr. Li also shares his thoughts on meal timing and why your body is hardwired for health, as well as the powerful foods that can support your body's key defense systems. Find out about the incredible health-boosting foods to add to your diet in order to help prevent disease and live a long, vibrant life!     Freebies From Today’s Episode Get Dr. William Li’s free Eat to Beat Disease guide by going to jjvirgin.com/eattobeat.   Main Points From Today’s Episode Dr. Li explains the concept of anti-angiogenesis for treating cancer that he discussed in his TED Talk, “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” Anti-angiogenesis involves preventing the growth of blood vessels that can feed a tumor. The body has five key defense systems: angiogenesis, regeneration, microbiome, DNA protection, and immunity. There are certain foods that can activate your body’s health defense systems. Lycopene is a natural chemical in tomatoes that can cut off the blood supply to tumors. Cooking tomatoes converts lycopene into a form that is more easily absorbed by your body.   Episode Play-By-Play [1:16] Introduction to today’s episode  [1:51] Dr. William Li’s career briefing [4:03] Listener shout-out [5:38] Ready to lose fat fast and keep it off forever? Discover the number one resource for fast and lasting fat loss by visiting jjvirgin.com.  [6:42] How Dr. Li became interested in the concept of food as medicine  [7:43] The connection between food and health  [8:57] What is angiogenesis and why does it matter?  [10:41] Dr. Li has been interested in balancing the body so we have just the right amount of nutrition through our blood vessels.  [11:38] Dr. Li explains the concept of starving cancer that he discussed in his TED Talk. [13:15] Anti-angiogenesis as a powerful pillar of cancer therapy  [14:38] Developing a scientific approach to studying food as medicine  [15:33] Certain foods can cut off the blood supply of cancers. [16:18] Foods with powerful anti-cancer effects  [18:34] What are the body’s health defense systems? [20:18] Angiogenesis: the body’s first defense system  [20:34] How the regenerative defense system works [21:59] The link between certain health issues and imbalances in the gut microbiome  [22:48] DNA Protection system: our DNA is hardwired to protect us against the environment.  [23:25] The fifth defense system, the immune system, is more powerful than we ever imagined because it can protect us against cancer, and foods can activate that, too. [23:44] Is meal timing important?  [25:17] When it comes to meal timing, Dr. Li shares why you have to adapt to the reality of your life.  [27:04] Systems in your body that work differently during the day than in the night  [28:43] Lycopene is a natural chemical in tomatoes that can cut off the blood supply to tumors. [29:10] Results of a study looking at the effects of tomato consumption on the risk of developing prostate cancer [31:15] Making sense of some of the long-known wisdom that we’ve had in different cultures for many years  [32:20] What type of tomato is most powerful for your health?  [34:18] One of Dr. Li’s missions is to generate practical solutions that can benefit people today.  [35:55] Instead of focusing on removing foods from our diet, we can think about the health-promoting foods that we can be adding to our diet.  [38:22] How to get Dr. Li’s Eat to Beat Disease guide  [40:13] Key takeaways from today’s episode    Mentioned in this episode: Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself, by William W. Li, MD Dr. William Li’s TED Talk “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” Find a Practitioner through The Institute for Functional Medicine Subscribe to the JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices