Hiya Gorgeous!
One of my favorite places can be found right outside of Chicago and worlds away from the scary, sterile hospitals that many of us have become all too familiar with. It’s warm, inviting and filled with energy. I truly believe that it’s one of the most unique, special and important places in all of cancer care.
I’m talking about the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, and saying that I was surprised the first time I visited this magical, healing haven would be a serious understatement.
I was inspired not only by the environment—complete with a beautiful kitchen, exercise equipment, and spaces to connect and meditate—but also by the positive, patient-centric approach to cancer treatment, management and prevention.

That’s why I’m so excited to bring you this interview with Lizabeth Gold MS, RDN. Liz is one of three incredible Block Center care team members I interviewed for the Healing Cancer World Summit (I also spoke with co-founders Keith I. Block, MD and Penny Block, PhD). She works closely with patients to incorporate nutrition into their healing journeys, and we have so much to learn from her extensive knowledge and experience.
Liz: Like most of the people I meet who are passionate about nutrition, I have a bit of an interesting story. I started my career in a high-stress sales job. Many evenings consisted of dinners out with clients and I did a lot of traveling. Needless to say, my diet and lifestyle choices were not a priority and I began to get very sick. After numerous visits to my doctor with no solid diagnosis other than a severe case of IBS (and me being unwilling to take pills to solve the problem), I began to do my own research.
Through that research and a lot of help from an amazing acupuncturist here in Chicago who helped me make some additional dietary changes, I made a full recovery and felt better than I ever had in my whole life. It was then that I realized the importance of nutrition and the dramatic difference it can make in one’s overall health. I became more and more passionate about cooking, nutrition and health in general, and finally decided to scrap my sales job and pursue a master’s in nutrition!
I knew that after I finished my degree, the best fit for me would be at a place where people really understood the importance of nutrition and were on top of all the latest research. In the world of nutrition, things are changing quickly and I wanted continuous exposure to the latest research. Luckily, I got accepted to a program that allows students to set up their own clinical rotations, and I was fortunate to be able to arrange an internship at the Block Center.
From there it was easy, I knew this was the place for me. The Block Center is an integrative cancer treatment center that provides conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, but we also understand the impact that nutrition and other lifestyle habits can have on the biochemistry of the body. Put simply, we use nutrition to not only make chemotherapy less toxic, but also to alter the body’s biochemistry making it less hospitable to cancer. We provide specific nutrition instructions for a whole-food, plant-based diet customized to fit each patient’s individual needs. We also provide all follow-up nutrition support as they move through chemotherapy and into remission.
Research is also a large part of my job as we are constantly assessing new information regarding various supplements, natural remedies, and new cancer treatments and their side effects, such as immunotherapy. I work extensively with our research team to parse out the large amounts of misinformation found on the internet. We have a lot of patients coming in with misconceptions regarding various diet trends and/or cancer “cures,” so I need to understand the issues in order to address their concerns.
Liz: Probably the single biggest challenge is loss of appetite. When you think about it, food is such a huge part of our life and, for most people, it is associated with feelings of pleasure and good times. So when patients don’t feel like eating, it is not just a physical problem, it’s a mental problem. Patients have to do this whole shift from “I can’t wait to eat dinner” to “I know I should eat dinner.”
This is tough on not just the patient, but also on the family members caring for that person. As the patient begins to eat less, the family members have a tendency to want to force him/her to eat. This causes a lot of guilt on the side of the family member and also on the patient. This is where I really try to dig in and find out what sounds good to the patient because everyone is very different.
When people are sick, they have a tendency to fall back into habits of comfort foods like sugary foods, junk foods, or things like macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes. A large part of our job is providing the resources they need to make healthier versions of those comfort foods or to adapt recipes to their current preferences.
Patients often quickly lose interest in smoothies and shakes, but freezing them into little smoothie pops is effective for someone craving cold foods and can be very soothing for mouth sores. If a patient is doing better with warm foods, we have dozens of hearty soup recipes we can suggest. We also provide cooking classes at the Block Center where we might take a classic comfort food or junk food and make a healthy version such as crispy eggplant pizza, tempeh gyros or BBQ jackfruit sliders. I think it is really useful for patients and their loved ones to see how easy it is to make something healthy and delicious.
Liz: The most important thing is to begin by eating more vegetables and less processed foods, and to really cut down on refined carbohydrates and refined sugars because they have little nutritional value and cause spikes in blood sugar. Every meal should consist of mostly vegetables with a serving of some whole, unprocessed grains and a bit of fruit.
Meat and dairy are also inflammatory, so I would also suggest beginning to back off quite a bit on those as well, and start focusing on plant-based proteins like beans, peas, whole soy foods like tempeh or edamame, and lentils. I also suggest switching to dairy alternatives like oat, almond or cashew-based products.
Things like alcohol, soda, energy drinks, artificial ingredients, chips, baked goods, etc. should all be avoided. Whole foods are always best, but if you have to buy something in a bag or box, now would be a good time to start paying attention to labels and looking out for hydrogenated fats, refined sugars and artificial additives.
Liz: Supplements can provide an additional boost in immunity, help fight inflammation and even help balance blood sugar. There are also some supplements that should be avoided, especially if they interfere with medications or if they are known to cause problems with the liver or kidney. Doctors are usually open to having a conversation about supplements and can help you get the proper testing to determine which supplements you should and shouldn’t include in your routine.
Curcumin and vitamin D are two things that are good for everyone. Curcumin is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Many people know that vitamin D is necessary for bone health, but what a lot of people don’t know is that almost every cell in our body has a vitamin D receptor—and many people aren’t getting enough. Deficiencies in vitamin D have been implicated in a multitude of diseases from diabetes to multiple sclerosis.
Keep in mind: Because vitamin D is fat soluble, you can also take too much. Testing is the best way to be sure about the vitamin levels in your body. Here at the Block Center, we do a full terrain panel that assesses antioxidant levels, immune system functioning, glycemic functioning and inflammation. Again, working with your doctor is the best way to determine the supplement regimen that’s right for you.
I was wondering where Ms. Gold got her Masters and what exact degree she received. I’m interested in going to get an advanced holistic nutrition degree and get overwhelmed with all the different programs!
Hey Liesl! Liz got her Master of Science in Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. xo
Been reading different interviews and articles on you for a long time now Kris. Then this year I was diagnosed with breast cancer, so now I’m following you and lots of others on the new road for many great tips and advise. Keep up the great work. Sincerely, Elaine
Sending you lots of love and healing vibes, Elaine. Thank you for being here <3 xo!
Kris … this is really exciting … Liz mentioned vitamin D is important for MS and Diabetes … I have learned so much from you … I did not know about vitamin D … maybe that is why my neurologist was so freaked out over a blood test … I’m really interested in nutrition and the body’s innate ability to heal and ,of course, Louise’s movie … so you’ve knocked it out of the ball park by hand picking all of the speakers … it seems that they all contribute stuff that I’m interested in … how long did it take you to become the head unicorn ?????????
So glad you’re joining, Linda! You’re gonna love Day 3 (Food as Medicine) – tons of great nutrition content in those lessons. xo!
After meeting Kris at a conference, we consulted with the Block Institute. This consult was for my son, who had been diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma at age 11. We (of course) wanted the most skilled professionals on our wellness team, but I also needed to feel a soul/heart connection. This was my child. Cancer has a way of striping our identity; I needed to feel like my team understood who my son was at his core (his hopes, his dreams, his gifts, his sense of humor–his unique spirit). I needed to trust them with my most prized possession. And we needed to know that they would honor our faith-driven, holistic, integrative approach to wellness. Liz is not only an amazing professional–she;s a mother who immediately understood my plight. When you are facing a diagnosis and frantically searching for answers, it feels so good to feel understood/valued. And, Dr, Block has the exact same intuitive way of bonding with his patients–so refreshing–puts you instantly at ease.
Today, you would never know what my son has been through. He is now a junior in high school, plays varsity sports, drinks lots of green juice, and (like most teens) gets into a little mischief from time to time (I am so grateful–even the mischief is a pure blessing!) As we get ready to celebrate our 5th cancerversary–we are so grateful for the people who have been a part of our path to wellness! Thank you Kris! Thank you Liz!
Peace & Health,
Kelly
Wow, Kelly – this gave me the chills. I’m so glad to hear that your son is thriving. This is such a testament to the incredible work that the Block Center does – Liz, Keith and the entire time are such special people! Sending you and your whole family big hugs. xo!
Hi Kelly!
So nice to hear from you and thank you for your kind words! Don’t minimize all your hard work too…..you have been (as Kris likes to say) such an awesome health detective and warrior for your son!
All the best from all of us here at The Block Center,
Liz
Hi Kris,
I think the Summit series is incredible. However, I just have 1 concern. Lizbeth Gold recommended eating Tuna for lunch. Having followed diet recommendations, Tuna has always been recommended to stay away from due to its mercury content. Has this changed recently and is Tuna now a good dietary choice, with no worries of mercury contamination?
My daughter recently died of Stage 4 Breast Cancer and followed a similar diet, but Tuna was definitely in the never-to-eat list due to the mercury content. Please clarify. I
Thank you so much,
Pam
I’m curious about the same. I was excited to hear tuna mentioned but wondered how to get good tuna or where. I had given up on making these kind of changes because the nutritional person I talked to just basically told me I could never eat any of the things I have eaten my whole life including tuna and most seafood. When I asked questions she was put off and basically told me to do what I want. I’m ready after a few months to try again to make some changes. Just so much confusing information out there.
Hello!
There are two brands of canned tuna and salmon that are lower in mercury and sourced with sustainable methods…..Safe Catch and Raincoast Trading. Also, for some really awesome information regarding all seafood/fish, please check out the website http://www.seafoodwatch.org. There is a ton of info regarding each type of fish or seafood, where the best is located and it makes it easy to net out what type of seafood we should be choosing based on several factors. Look for environmentally friendly catch methods, BPA free cans, and companies that test for toxins!
All the best,
Liz
Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe.. looks yummy
this blog very useful for cancer patients.. Good job dear!!
Hello Kris!
Do you have any good curcumin supplement suggestions? I get confused choosing a good supplement and a lot of turmeric supplements don’t have a lot of curcumin.
I’ve also read it’s hard for the body to absorb without a fat or pepper??? Yikes.
Hi liz
You are just who I am looking for! I don’t live in the USA but next trip over I hope to make an appointment to see you.
I have been a fan of kris Carr books and I followed her advice during my own battle. She gave me hope when I needed it the most!
I have made amazing progress and agree completely with what you say. Now I need help to see what supplements I may need, and tests to check other things. Such as gut health etc.
Can you advise on how long I need to get this done as I would be arranging a trip especially. Thank you ?
Help! From N.H. My Dad isn’t doing good. He’s in hospital. Waiting on results from a liver biopsy but looks like liver cancer they are saying. Seven days on jello and chic broth he’s withering away.. what can we do to get strength back?
Hi there, Janine from Team Crazy Sexy here. So sorry to hear your dad is not doing well! Please email us at [email protected] for some additional resources.
Compassion and kindness light the path of my soul this morning. Thank you for your posts.
Hi Kris and Liz,
Before covid, I was a so good at focusing on veggie-forward meals. But I kept hearing that protein was so important in helping us stave off this virus. Now, my family is eating pastured chicken and grass fed beef 5 nights a week. We’re not huge tofu/tempeh fans, but love edamame and legumes. Beyond stir fries and bean burgers, do you have any tips on getting back to plant based cooking right now? Or should we stay our current course until summer? I’m an 11 year metastatic breast cancer survivor, Mets to liver, if that matters! I’ve been taking aromasin since 2009
Hi! I am a new member of your inner circle. I have stage IV lung cancer and am on chemo, radiation, antibody, etc. I never was a vegy person and am struggling to eat right. Does Liz do personal consults? Chicago is too far. I’m not much of a cook either so complicated recipes are a problem. Please help! I love reading your valuable information. BTW I made ur Za’tar sweet potatoes and they were delish. Others don’t really appeal to me. Also, is overnight oats ok for a cancer patient?
Thanks.