Our Yummy Summer Produce to Prevent Cancer

In combination with exercise and a healthy weight, the American Institute of Cancer Research states that about 35% of cancer cases are preventable through a healthy diet.  It is so important to have good nutrition if you have cancer because both the disease and the treatments can affect your appetite.
 

 

Eat plenty of Vegetables and Fruits.  Choose mostly plant foods and fill your plate 2/3 full with a selection of colorful nutrient-rich Vegetables and Fruits.

**Scrub all raw Vegetables and Fruits before you eat them.

Do not eat foods (like raspberries) that cannot be washed well, to prevent infection.

Once Cancer Treatment is over, Good nutrition is just as important.
You will hopefully find that the eating problems that developed from the treatments will get better.  

 

My Top 3 Recommendations:

* Vegetables and Fruits that contains Vitamin C: grapefruit, oranges, bell peppers, and broccoli.  Diets high in vitamin C have been linked to a reduced risk of stomach, colon, esophagus, bladder, breast, and cervix cancers.

* Orange vegetables and leafy greens.  Studies have shown that people who eat a diet high in beta-carotene have a reduced risk of cancer, particularly of the lung, colon, and stomach because of the antioxidants. 

* Cruciferous Vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage contain great phytonutrients that block the metabolism of some carcinogens and stimulate the body's production of detoxification enzymes.

 

 

 

Those Dang Allergies

This is the time of year when your Allergies could be insufferable.  Did you know that the food you are eating could be to blame?  The Allergy and Asthma Center of New York have found that raw fruits and vegetables have proteins that are similar to tree, grass, and weed pollens.  A third of people that have seasonal allergies, learned that their bodies reacted the same way with these foods. 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are allergic to Tree Pollen…

Avoid: Almonds, Apples, Celery, Cherries, Hazelnuts, Pears, and Parsley

 

If you are allergic to Grass Pollen…

Avoid: Melons, Oranges, and Tomatoes

 

If you are allergic to Weed Pollen…

Avoid: Carrots, Celery, Coriander, Fennel, Parsley, Pepper, and Sunflower

 

If you are allergic to Ragweed Pollen…

Avoid: Bananas, Cantaloupe, Chamomile, Cucumbers, Honeydew, Watermelon, and Zucchini. 

 

 

2013 Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen List

The Dirty Dozen Plus and Clean 15 lists - This list will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and which are the most important to buy organic.

 

 

Dirty Dozen
We suggest that you buy organic versions of the following (or from local farmers markets, or grow in your own garden) whenever possible:

Apples

 

Celery

Cherry tomatoes

Cucumbers

Grapes

Hot peppers

Nectarines

Peaches

Potatoes

Spinach

Strawberries

Sweet bell peppers

Kale /Collard greens

Summer squash

 

 

 

 

 

Clean Fifteen
The Fruits and Vegetables from the Clean 15 list are generally low in pesticides:

Asparagus

Avocados

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Sweet Corn

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Kiwi

Mangos

Mushrooms

Onions

Papayas

Pineapples

Sweet peas - frozen

Sweet potatoes

 

 

Cancer Prevention

Certain foods can reduce the risks of illness and a healthy diet can help the body heal itself. Integrate the following items into your diet to reduce your cancer risk:

 

~ Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils and all foods that might contain trans-fatty acids. I recommend using Coconut butter. Use it in replace of margarine and butter.
 
~ Each day, drink some green tea.
 
~ Avoid all processed and packaged foods.
 
~ Eat more cold-water oily fish, freshly ground flaxseed and walnuts. This will Increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake.
 
~ Eat a plethora of fresh vegetables and fruits.
 
~ Buy organic produce products whenever possible and ensure products are hormone free.
 
~ Eat more mushrooms. I would recommend Shiitake, Maitake and Oyster mushrooms.
 
~ Reduce your consumption of animal foods and replace them with plant-based proteins.
 
~ Remove Sugar from your diet.

 

Deficiency of Vitamin D and Cancer Risk

Studies show similarities between women with a deficiency in vitamin D and breast cancer. This study explained that those who had already been diagnosed with Cancer and had low levels of vitamin D had an increased risk for the cancer to spread and progress. Studies also show adequate levels of vitamin D may even protect women from developing breast cancer to begin with.

Recently, a group of cancer experts collected over 200 studies available for research on vitamin D and cancer. They looked at cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and ovaries. 67% of the data showed that Vitamin D is protective against colon cancer, 69% of the data showed Vitamin D is protective against breast cancer, 50% showed it helps prevent prostate cancer and 75% of the research shows vitamin D is protective against ovarian cancer.

Vitamin D is important for the formation, growth and repair of bones as well as immune function and cell growth. According to the National Institute of Health, These are the daily amounts of vitamin D for different ages:

 

Birth to 12 months ~ 400 IU

Children 1-13 ~ 600 IU

Teens 14-18 ~ 600 IU

Adults 19-70 years ~ 600 IU

Adults 71 years and older ~ 800 IU

Pregnant and breastfeeding women ~ 600 IU

 

Even though we can get Vitamin D from milk, fortified cereals, fish and eggs, we get the majority of our vitamin D, from the sun. The sun's rays activate vitamin D synthesis in the body and it only takes ten minutes of outside time to reach satisfactory levels. 

It is important to get your vitamin D Levels tested before deciding if a vitamin D supplement is right for you.

 

 

Grilled Onion Hummus

Enjoy this easy-to-make hummus.  The grilled onions add extra flavor and make this a dangerously good dip for cut veggies, whole wheat pita or atop a fresh salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced thickly
¼ teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup sunflower seeds
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

1. Coat onion slices lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.

2. Spread on grill and cook 7-10 minutes; flip and cook approximately 5 more minutes until softening and beginning to caramelize.

3. Combine chickpeas, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon water in food processor or blender; puree until smooth.

4. Add grilled onions and continue to process until smooth.

5. Add extra water if necessary to thin.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: (1/3 cup): 190 calories, 11 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium, 17 g total carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 4 g

 

*Recipe provided by by Cleveland Clinic

Heal from the inside out

We all need to adopt a preventative lifestyle and promote Health. As a holistic practitioner, I am researching for better ways to heal the body that are safe, inexpensive, and help today’s health issues. In the past few years, I have incorporated the infrared sauna as a healing and detoxification modality for myself and recommend it highly to my clients. 
 
Not only does the Infrared sauna relieve stress, several studies have looked at using infrared saunas in the treatment of chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and found some evidence of benefit. The Infrared sauna also neutralizes viruses and toxins, reverses the effects of aging, increases blood flow, and burns calories as well!
 
Saunas that have Clear woods, such as Aspens are one of the safer woods. These trees are grown at elevations where the trees do not produce an insecticide. Aspen is 99% non-toxic and non-allergenic. With the high costs of medical care and rise of prescription drugs, I want you to experience the natural healing properties of an Infrared Sauna.