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| The Anti-Cancer Diet By making smart decisions every time you visit the grocery story, you can greatly reduce your risk of hormone dependent cancers like breast, ovary, uterus and prostate. This simple daily diet contains
foods rich in antioxidants, fiber and isoflavones. The Anti-Cancer Shopping List Blueberries Yogurt Green Tea Rainbow chard Tomatoes Tempeh Flaxseed Quinoa Garlic Onions Carrots Sweet Potatoes Squash Broccoli Beans Curry Acai, a small fruit from South American rainforests, often found in juice. Breakfast Berries, Yogurt and Green Tea Blueberries are believed to be one of the most powerful antioxidants; they also contain ellagic acid, which prevents carcinogens from latching onto your DNA. Yogurt contains the healthy bacteria lactobacilli, which stops enzymes that turn healthy cells into cancer. Green tea is another powerful antioxidant that you should be drinking at least once a day. Lunch Tempeh with Rainbow Chard, Tomatoes and Flaxseed Tempeh is packed with isoflavones, a plant-based estrogen that mimics estrogen found in animals and humans. A diet rich in isoflavones could be more impactful for women who have less natural estrogen (i.e., post-menopausal.) It's important to understand that isoflavones can help reduce estrogen-induced cancers by blocking our natural estrogen. The same chemicals that give rainbow chard its color are also powerful immune boosters. Tomatoes are one of the world's most concentrated sources of lycopene, which prevents cancer cells from growing and dividing. They are best absorbed if cooked with a bit of olive oil. Flaxseeds contain lignans that block natural estrogen, which can feed certain cancers like breast and ovarian. Makes 2 - 4 servings
1 lb. rainbow chard
1 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil, peanut oil, or lard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Wash the greens and remove the thick woody stems. Place them in a saute pan with 1 cup of water or broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and turn down heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the greens are tender. Drain the greens, but reserve all the remaining liquid in a bowl. Heat the oil in the saute pan and add the greens. Mix in the reserved water, the garlic, cumin, and ginger and cook uncovered at a low heat until the mixture is almost dry. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve with tempeh.
Dinner Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Curried Beans From Peru in the Andes, quinoa is a whole grain rich in fiber and antioxidants. Fiber stimulates the good bacteria in your colon to produce cancer-fighting compounds; it also lowers your risk for cancer by sweeping carcinogens through your colon. Garlic and onions, from a family of vegetables called allium, are powerful cancer-fighters. Studies have shown them to stop cancer growth in the stomach, colon, brain, lung, prostate and breasts. Additionally, one garlic component named diallyl disulfide was shown to kill Leukemia cells in the lab. Other cancer-fighting vegetables in this dish are packed with antioxidants are carrots, sweet potatoes and squash. Broccoli detoxes the liver, beans are rich in fiber and the tumeric in curry has been found to suppress tumors.
Makes 4 - 6 servings
Vegetables
1 small bundle of carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 butternut squash peeled and chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Quinoa
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups of water
Salt
Dressing
3 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic, crushed
To make the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, salt, thyme, and pepper. Arrange the vegetables on a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes until fork tender, turning once halfway through.
To make the quinoa
In a medium saucepan, add the quinoa to salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-14 minutes until the quinoa is cooked through. Fluff with a fork.
To make the dressing
Whisk it all together
To assemble the salad
Mix the dressing and the quinoa. Add the vegetables and toss to combine.
Curried Beans
3 cups dried bean such as pinto, scarlet, black, Anasazi or white Northern
2 springs of epazote, fresh or dried (optional)
9 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water (add more liquid if you like soupier beans)
1 tbsp olive oil or lard
1 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 chopped tomato
Rinse beans, cover with water, and soak overnight or for at least 6 hours. Discard water and rinse beans again. Place beans and epazote in a pot with 9 cups of low-sodium chicken broth or water and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Liquid should cover just about one inch above the beans.
While the beans are cooking, heat the oil or lard in a saucepan. Add the onions first and saute until soft, then add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion, tomato, and garlic mixture to the pot of beans while they are cooking.
Important: Wait until the beans are soft before adding salty or acidic foods, or else the beans will not soften.
You should eat about five servings of antioxidant-rich foods a day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which fruits and vegetables contain the least pesticides?
Onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbage, and eggplants are all low in pesticides. If you're not going to buy organic foods (which often cost more), I recommend eating more of these low-pesticide fruits and vegetables to keep your pesticide consumption down. This is especially important if you're pregnant.
What are the health benefits of eating a magnesium-rich diet?
Magnesium is essential for helping regulate metabolism, and it helps lower blood pressure and dilate arteries. Eating a magnesium-rich diet-400 milligrams for women, 333 for men-can make you nearly one year younger.
Magnesium is usually found in whole grain breads and cereals, while soybeans and lima beans contain 100 milligrams per serving and most cuts contain 100 to 300 milligrams per serving. Avocados, beets, raisins, and dates also contain magnesium.
What is potassium, and why is so good for you?Potassium is an electrolyte-an electrically charged particle needed for proper cellular functioning. Potassium specifically helps in carrying an electrical charge to help a nerve or muscle contract, and it helps regulate blood pressure and allow the heart and kidneys to function properly. Studies have shown that increased potassium intake can decrease the incidence of forms of arterial aging. What's more, adding the potassium equivalent of three bananas a day to your diet can make your as much as 6 years younger.
The recommended amount is 3,000 milligrams a day (in a balanced diet, you probably get about half that). One banana contains about 450 milligrams and avocados contain about 1,000 milligrams Which fats are good.Monounsaturated Fats. They come in two forms—omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, in the form of fish (3s) and nut oils (3s and 6s). The omega-3's have been shown to improve arterial and brain function. They're found in olive oil, canola oil, fish oils, flaxseeds, avocados, and nuts (especially walnuts). They've also been shown to reduce blood pressure and lipid levels when used in place of carbohydrates. Bottom line: Make about 30 to 40 percent of your fats the monounsaturated variety.Good fats include: · Monounsaturated Fats. They come in two forms—omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, in the form of fish (3s) and nut oils (3s and 6s). The omega-3's have been shown to improve arterial and brain function. They're found in olive oil, canola oil, fish oils, flaxseeds, avocados, and nuts (especially walnuts). They've also been shown to reduce blood pressure and lipid levels when used in place of carbohydrates. Bottom line: Make about 30 to 40 percent of your fats the monounsaturated variety. · Polyunsaturated Fats. These are like monounsaturated except they contain more than one unsaturated bond. They are usually present in vegetable oils and sesame oils. The may improve arterial and brain function, and will help keep up your satiety levels. Bottom line: Make 20 to 40 percent of your fats polyunsaturated.
Recommend limiting saturated fats. Saturated fats are found in foods such as whole milk, butter, cheese, red meats, and coconut. Standard nutritional advice recommends limiting saturated fats in our diets because they are believed to contribute to high blood cholesterol levels, which are linked to heart disease. While there is some controversy about how important it is to limit saturated fat, most nutritionists suggest substituting low-fat dairy for full-fat products and limiting our intake of fatty meats. Trans fats, on the other hand, are clearly "bad" fats. These fats, also known as hydrogenated fats, are found in many commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, and processed foods. All foods that list partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list contain trans fats. New government regulations mandate that trans fats be listed on all food labels. Trans fats contribute to heart disease and should be eliminated from our diet, whenever possible. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is a healthy blood-sugar levels?You should keep your blood-sugar levels to less than 100 mg/dL.
The excess sugar in the blood that's caused by diabetes damages the arteries by inactivating a specific substance (phosphokinase, to get technical) that makes it possible for your arteries to smoothly dilate and contract. Without that substance, the risk of holes or cracks appearing at junctions in the arterial walls increases dramatically.
So all of us, not just diabetics, really want to avoid foods that are high in simple sugars and saturated and trans fats like jelly doughnuts. Also steer clear of foods and drinks with high fructose corn syrup----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are the signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
The classic symptoms of diabetes are the "three polys":
polyuria (frequent and abundant urination),
polydipsia (excessive thirst), and polyphagia (excessive eating and appetite).
These mainly apply to type 1 diabetes but do occur frequently in type 2 diabetes also.
In diabetes, the average blood sugar is high. The sugar in the blood acts as an "osmotic diuretic," or a chemical force on the kidney, which increase urination. The sugar comes out in the urine and creates a much larger volume of urine. This also creates dehydration, as water is lost with the sugar. For these reasons, people with uncontrolled diabetes will find themselves urinating very frequently and in larger than usual volumes. They will also notice that they are thirsty.
When diabetes is uncontrolled, people may start losing weight. Because their cells are not able to use sugar for energy, it stays in the bloodstream and comes out in the urine. The body then is forced to make new sugar from protein stores in muscle (a process called gluconeogenesis), and people start breaking down their protein from their muscles. They may at first feel happy about losing weight, but this is actually a very unhealthy way to lose weight: it is muscle, not fat, that they are losing. It is very important to be tested for diabetes with blood and urine tests in this situation.
However, there is a big difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, a person can have the disease with no symptoms whatsoever. In this way, diabetes can be harming a person's health as a "silent" and, therefore, more sinister process. It is estimated that a very large proportion of people (one third to one half) with diabetes are unaware that they even have this condition. Thus, a key strategy for maintaining optimal health is to understand what type 2 diabetes is and to be watchful if you or someone in your family might be a likely candidate for it. If this is the case, screening with blood and urine tests for diabetes is advisable
Supplements that may help regulate blood sugar?In addition to a high-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement, there are two additional supplements in particular that may help regulate blood sugar. Of course, the following is not intended as medical advice. Always check with your physician before altering your supplement regimen, and be sure to monitor your blood sugar levels frequently.
Chromium
Chromium is essential for maintaining proper blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels begin to rise after you eat a meal, the pancreas secretes insulin in response. Chromium is a key nutrient in glucose tolerance factor, which helps insulin to transport glucose into cells.
There is also evidence that suggests chromium helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and may aid in weight loss.
Any of the following conditions may indicate a need for supplemental chromium: · Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus · High cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels · Low HDL cholesterol · High blood pressure · Ongoing stress · Physical injury or trauma Dosage: A typical supplement dosage of chromium is often 20 to 400 micrograms per day. However, you can safely supplement up to 1,000 micrograms per day if needed.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a key enzyme used by the body to generate energy in the mitochondria – the energy production factories inside each cell. ALA is also a powerful antioxidant that works to detoxify the body and protect cells against free radical damage. In addition, ALA is very unusual in that it is a "double-duty" antioxidant, working in both water- and fat- soluble areas of the body. Most anti-oxidants (such as water-soluble vitamin C and fat-soluble vitamin E) function in only one area or the other.
ALA my be especially helpful for people with diabetes since much of the damage from diabetes results from free radicals produced when sugar in the blood binds with protein molecules – a process called glycation. Since the body produces only small amounts of ALA and food is a poor source, supplements are often recommended.
Any of the following conditions may indicate a need for supplemental ALA: · Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus · Diabetic neuropathy · Diabetic retinopathy · High cholesterol and/or high triglyceride levels · Cardiac disease · Helps wound healing Dosage: A typical ALA dosage is 600‐1800 mg for blood-sugar-lowering effect ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ What are the major health problems associated with diabetes?Diabetes can dump a big sack of trouble on you, since it can lead to so many health issues. There are many problems associated with diabetes, including frequent urination, fatigue, impotence, nerve dysfunction, numbness, and even the development of vision problems that can cause blindness.
Diabetes is a big contributor to accelerated arterial aging--and that, in turn, can lead to a multitude of conditions and ailments-including heart attacks and stroke. This is one reason that keeping your blood pressure under control if you're a diabetic (and if you're not, as well) is so important.
Although a dangerous diagnosis, diabetes is one of those conditions that is a perfect example of what you can do to help yourself. Diabetes can steal one-third of your life, but if you do three things-control your blood pressure, walk 30 minutes a day, and control your blood sugar-the disease won't age you at all.
Why is controlling blood pressure important for diabetics?Having high blood pressure can really magnify the effects of diabetes by aging your arteries –both high blood pressure and high blood sugar cause nicks or holes in the arteries' walls. Aged arteries then would lack the ability to deliver blood supply to certain key areas, like the heart, brain, penis, and clitoris. And that leads to the possibility of causing heart attacks, strokes, impotence, and decline of orgasm quality. A little physical activity can dramatically improve the ability of insulin to get glucose (blood sugar) into many cells
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Vitamin D may actually be the more critical vitamin when it comes to fighting off colds, Anti-aging. Vitamin D plays a number of roles in our bodies, including: · Promoting absorption of calcium and bone health · Boosting immune function · Reducing inflammation · Healthy neuro-muscular function · Protecting against some forms of cancer For such an amazing nutrient, vitamin D doesn't always get the attention it deserves, perhaps because very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The best sources are salmon, tuna and mackerel (especially the flesh) and fish liver oils. You don't have to eat vitamin D to make sure you're getting your daily dose! Vitamin D is actually produced in your body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike your skin. The UV rays trigger synthesis of vitamin D, which then gets converted in your liver into its active form. This means one of the best ways to get vitamin D is to spend about 10-15 minutes a day outside in the sun. Keep in mind that wearing sunscreen will prevent you from getting adequate vitamin D outdoors. In the summertime, an easy solution is skipping sunscreen on your legs for the first 15 minutes in the sun. Just make sure you apply in time to prevent any burns or damage. If this sounds complicated (or it's cloudy!), there's an even easier way to get your vitamin D: many foods in the American diet are fortified with this essential nutrient. In fact, fortified foods provide the majority of vitamin D in our diets. Almost all of the US milk supply is fortified with 100 units per cup - that's about 25% - 50% of the recommended daily dose! This means milk packs a double punch for bone strength. Milk contains a good amount of calcium and the additional vitamin D to ensure that your body absorbs all that calcium. So exactly how much Vitamin D should you aim for each day? The answer varies depending on your age. · For ages 0-50 (including pregnant and lactating women), 5 mcg or 200 international units is adequate · For ages 50-70, 10 mcg or 400 international units is better · For ages 71+, aim for at least 15 mcg (600 international units) So if preventing colon, prostate and breast cancers, building strong bones, fighting off colds, and slowing aging sounds like a good deal to you - look for in all in one simple package: vitamin D.
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