Healthy Food Bytes - What do you know about preventing cancer?
When the treatment is worse than the disease, it’s time to find a new treatment; or better yet, increase your chances of NOT getting cancer.
The U.S. spends billions of dollars on cancer research. We have top of the line treatment centers. But, the U.S. is severely inadequate when it comes to prevention. Patients have to be more informed than their doctors and do their homework on prevention b/c doctors don’t have a clue.
The U.S. spends way too much on treatment and nothing on prevention.
Cancer is preventable!
Based on a Harvard study, at least one third of cancers are due to diet just as one third of cancers are due to smoking. Naturopathic scientists and doctors believe diet plays a much more vital role. Only 5% of cancers are due to family history. And even if you have a family history of cancer, that does not mean that you are doomed – if you eat right and exercise and reduce stress.
The best way to reduce your risk of cancer is to consume a diet that decreases the chance of malignant cells from taking over. Also, boosting the immune system by eating a whole-food plant based diet and supplementation to fight free radical damage that can cause cancer and other diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The diet/cancer link is no longer controversial. Check out the six year study “The China Project.” “This study concluded that the standard American diet contributes greatly to the high incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease.” There’s no surprise here.
Here are the findings from that study:
• A plant-based diet instead of an animal-based diet lowers the rate of breast, prostate, and colon cancers.
• Lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers (the "big bad four") account for more than half of all cancer deaths. The good news is these are also the cancers for which dietary changes can lower the risk.
• Diet can be implicated in at least one-third of all cancers.
• Increasing your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables can greatly lower your cancer risk.
• Diet probably plays more of a role in cancer development than genes. It is well known that the incidence of most cancers are less in Asian cultures. The evidence for the diet-cancer link is studies have shown that when Asians moved to the United States and switched from primarily a plant-based diet to an animal-based diet, the cancer rates in these immigrants increased to approach those of Americans.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes - What do you know about preventing cancer?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Tip 5
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Make the switch
Acquire new healthy habits.
MAKE THE SWITCH:
Switch from refined, processed foods to whole, natural foods. Make the commitment today -
SWITCH White rice to brown rice
SWITCH White pasta to whole grain pasta
SWITCH White or “wheat” bread to “whole” wheat bread
Switch out soda, diet or regular, for naturally brewed unsweetened iced tea. If you must sweeten, use agave nectar or Xylitol (use moderately) or add a splash – just a splash - of lemonade; Or, switch to water with a squeeze of citrus – lemon, lime, orange.
Switch out one of your cups of coffee for green tea or white tea.
Switch out burger and fries at McDonalds for soup and salad at Panera.
Switch out those salty bag of chips for a handful of nuts.
Switch out a cake and cookies for a piece of fruit.
Take steps every day toward health.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Make the switch
Acquire new healthy habits.
MAKE THE SWITCH:
Switch from refined, processed foods to whole, natural foods. Make the commitment today -
SWITCH White rice to brown rice
SWITCH White pasta to whole grain pasta
SWITCH White or “wheat” bread to “whole” wheat bread
Switch out soda, diet or regular, for naturally brewed unsweetened iced tea. If you must sweeten, use agave nectar or Xylitol (use moderately) or add a splash – just a splash - of lemonade; Or, switch to water with a squeeze of citrus – lemon, lime, orange.
Switch out one of your cups of coffee for green tea or white tea.
Switch out burger and fries at McDonalds for soup and salad at Panera.
Switch out those salty bag of chips for a handful of nuts.
Switch out a cake and cookies for a piece of fruit.
Take steps every day toward health.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Make the switch
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Tip 4
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Add Superfoods to your daily diet.
Acquire new healthy habits.
Dark Green Leafy Veggies
Eat dark green leafy vegetables - red and green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard etc. Be creative, look up recipes and get these in your diet on a daily basis. If you don’t like them the first time around – keep trying new recipes – after 10 times of trying it, you may acquire a taste for it. The amount of nutrients you get in dark green leafy vegetables is outstanding. This is probably my number one! I eat a large dark green salad almost every day.
Stinky Veggies
Onions have powerful heart protection properties and anticancer properties. The compound - quercetin - accounts for their protective effect. Quercetin is also found in – apples. So, an onion and an apple a day, keeps the doctor away.
Garlic has strong antibacterial properties; and, the organosulfur compounds protect against DNA damage. There is a long list of historical medicinal uses for garlic including preventing heart disease, but the stronger research shows garlic to aid in preventing and fighting the common cold. Using garlic for medicinal purposes dates back to our American heritage when the Cherokee used it as an expectorant and for coughs and croup.
Add onions raw on a dark green leafy salad and press a garlic clove in salad dressing for a powerhouse salad. I eat onions and garlic mostly every day.
Cruciferous Veggies
Also, other powerhouse anticancer veggies Cruciferous veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages all have cancer protective compounds called glucosinolates. Make it part of your weekly intake of veggies. Again, go online, find some recipes and make it interesting.
Berries
They are probably my number one powerhouse fruit. I buy tons and eat almost every day when in season. In the winter, I buy frozen. I always buy organic b/c otherwise they are loaded, I mean loaded, with pesticides. Different types of berries have different nutritional benefits. But one thing is for sure, they all have amazing antioxidant compounds to fight free radical damage in your body. Remember, you need these beneficial fruits in your diet on a regular basis in order to benefit from them.
Add berries to: oatmeal, cereal, plain yogurt, blend them in a yogurt smoothie, or just snack on them alone. My boys and I love blueberry, whole grain pancakes.
Phytochemical compounds – also called phytonutritents - are chemicals naturally found in fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes and have an extremely powerful effect on health. The more color you add on your plate, the more phytonutrients you are eating.
Take charge of your health. Do it this year!
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010
Acquire new healthy habits.
Dark Green Leafy Veggies
Eat dark green leafy vegetables - red and green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard etc. Be creative, look up recipes and get these in your diet on a daily basis. If you don’t like them the first time around – keep trying new recipes – after 10 times of trying it, you may acquire a taste for it. The amount of nutrients you get in dark green leafy vegetables is outstanding. This is probably my number one! I eat a large dark green salad almost every day.
Stinky Veggies
Onions have powerful heart protection properties and anticancer properties. The compound - quercetin - accounts for their protective effect. Quercetin is also found in – apples. So, an onion and an apple a day, keeps the doctor away.
Garlic has strong antibacterial properties; and, the organosulfur compounds protect against DNA damage. There is a long list of historical medicinal uses for garlic including preventing heart disease, but the stronger research shows garlic to aid in preventing and fighting the common cold. Using garlic for medicinal purposes dates back to our American heritage when the Cherokee used it as an expectorant and for coughs and croup.
Add onions raw on a dark green leafy salad and press a garlic clove in salad dressing for a powerhouse salad. I eat onions and garlic mostly every day.
Cruciferous Veggies
Also, other powerhouse anticancer veggies Cruciferous veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages all have cancer protective compounds called glucosinolates. Make it part of your weekly intake of veggies. Again, go online, find some recipes and make it interesting.
Berries
They are probably my number one powerhouse fruit. I buy tons and eat almost every day when in season. In the winter, I buy frozen. I always buy organic b/c otherwise they are loaded, I mean loaded, with pesticides. Different types of berries have different nutritional benefits. But one thing is for sure, they all have amazing antioxidant compounds to fight free radical damage in your body. Remember, you need these beneficial fruits in your diet on a regular basis in order to benefit from them.
Add berries to: oatmeal, cereal, plain yogurt, blend them in a yogurt smoothie, or just snack on them alone. My boys and I love blueberry, whole grain pancakes.
Phytochemical compounds – also called phytonutritents - are chemicals naturally found in fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes and have an extremely powerful effect on health. The more color you add on your plate, the more phytonutrients you are eating.
Take charge of your health. Do it this year!
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Tip 3
A Happy Healthy You in 2010: Watch Your Portion Sizes
Acquire new healthy habits.
You can get into the habit of eating appropriate sizes for your body type and lifestyle. People that work out will require more calories than people that are sedentary. Here is a guideline you can start off with:
Animal Proteins – chicken, turkey, fish, beef etc. - about 4 oz or the size of your palm or ¼ of your plate. The portion size that is right for me is 3oz – small palms, small body frame. This is far from what most Americans eat. Usually Americans eat 2-4x this amount. And what ails this country most – Heart Disease and Cancer. People that eat a lot of animal protein tend to eat a lot less veggies. So, don’t make meat the star of your plate.
Veggies should be the star of your plate. ½ your plate – should consist of beautifully colored vegetables. Eat several veggies at each meal. My recommendation is that you don’t load it up with fats and cook them lightly. Some may be cooked longer such as tomatoes in pasta sauce which actually release the powerful antioxidant Licopene with cooking. For the most part, veggies should still be crunchy and full of color. If you’re veggies are too soft and color has changed – you overcooked them, therefore, killed vital enzymes necessary for nutrient intake. So you have a “dead” vegetable. Also, find a way to eat veggies throughout the day – not just at dinner time. I don’t think we need have a limit on veggies – eat as much as you like. I know that some diabetics have been told to stay away from certain veggies like carrots – I personally think there are better ways of balancing your blood sugar than giving up something as healthy as a carrot.
Quality sides – should be about ¼ of your plate. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. Yams are more nutritious than white potato. Try experimenting with new sides such as whole grain couscous and lentils, or quinoa and peas. This rule can apply to spaghetti and meatballs as well - ¼ plate whole wheat pasta, 4 oz of lean meatballs, and ½ plate of green salad. Oh and the spaghetti sauce does count as a nutritious veggie serving.
Nuts and Butters – 1 oz of nut butters is ideal per serving. They’re great on whole grain toast, on a banana or an apple. Nuts are very healthful, but that does not give you the green light to eat ½ can of cashews or peanuts. They are high in fat. A small handful should suffice – great in-between meal snack or before workout snack.
Oils Рeven thought some oils are healthful, we should watch portion sizes. 1 teaspoon of oil is good for a serving in salad dressing. When saut̩ing with olive oil; 1 tablespoon should be enough to saut̩ a batch of onions or chicken etc.
OK so you want some chocolate – eat only a 1 oz portion as an occasional treat (food for the soul). Learn how to enjoy dark chocolate. It’s a better choice than milk chocolate.
It’s all about making choices folks. You can choose to eat for nutrition or eat till you’re stuffed and uncomfortable.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010
Acquire new healthy habits.
You can get into the habit of eating appropriate sizes for your body type and lifestyle. People that work out will require more calories than people that are sedentary. Here is a guideline you can start off with:
Animal Proteins – chicken, turkey, fish, beef etc. - about 4 oz or the size of your palm or ¼ of your plate. The portion size that is right for me is 3oz – small palms, small body frame. This is far from what most Americans eat. Usually Americans eat 2-4x this amount. And what ails this country most – Heart Disease and Cancer. People that eat a lot of animal protein tend to eat a lot less veggies. So, don’t make meat the star of your plate.
Veggies should be the star of your plate. ½ your plate – should consist of beautifully colored vegetables. Eat several veggies at each meal. My recommendation is that you don’t load it up with fats and cook them lightly. Some may be cooked longer such as tomatoes in pasta sauce which actually release the powerful antioxidant Licopene with cooking. For the most part, veggies should still be crunchy and full of color. If you’re veggies are too soft and color has changed – you overcooked them, therefore, killed vital enzymes necessary for nutrient intake. So you have a “dead” vegetable. Also, find a way to eat veggies throughout the day – not just at dinner time. I don’t think we need have a limit on veggies – eat as much as you like. I know that some diabetics have been told to stay away from certain veggies like carrots – I personally think there are better ways of balancing your blood sugar than giving up something as healthy as a carrot.
Quality sides – should be about ¼ of your plate. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. Yams are more nutritious than white potato. Try experimenting with new sides such as whole grain couscous and lentils, or quinoa and peas. This rule can apply to spaghetti and meatballs as well - ¼ plate whole wheat pasta, 4 oz of lean meatballs, and ½ plate of green salad. Oh and the spaghetti sauce does count as a nutritious veggie serving.
Nuts and Butters – 1 oz of nut butters is ideal per serving. They’re great on whole grain toast, on a banana or an apple. Nuts are very healthful, but that does not give you the green light to eat ½ can of cashews or peanuts. They are high in fat. A small handful should suffice – great in-between meal snack or before workout snack.
Oils Рeven thought some oils are healthful, we should watch portion sizes. 1 teaspoon of oil is good for a serving in salad dressing. When saut̩ing with olive oil; 1 tablespoon should be enough to saut̩ a batch of onions or chicken etc.
OK so you want some chocolate – eat only a 1 oz portion as an occasional treat (food for the soul). Learn how to enjoy dark chocolate. It’s a better choice than milk chocolate.
It’s all about making choices folks. You can choose to eat for nutrition or eat till you’re stuffed and uncomfortable.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: A Happy Healthy You in 2010
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