We humans seem to be obsessed with food. Cooking shows on every channel, with fast-food commercials in-between and on almost every street corner it would seem. We plan our lives around it, discuss it, share our meals on social media. We also consume a lot of it, and in the process we have managed to up-size many health risks dramatically over the past decades.
The type of food we consume as as well as the amount of food we consume has a huge impact on our health. Much of the worlds malnutrition can be attributed to the consumption of unhealthy “empty calorie”, highly processed foods that are generally low or void of many vitally important minerals, vitamins and other essential nutrients. It may seem strange to hear but many of our overweight and obese friends in the world are actually malnourished and overfed on a calorie dense, nutrient poor diet.
Although foods have the power to hurt they also possess the power to heal. Understanding how to balance the scales and create a symbiotic relationship with food is key. Proactive prevention places emphasis on healthy fresh, and whole foods stuffed full of nutrition.
What we eat can sometimes have very clear consequences. For example if you happen to be an avid coffee drinker, can you remember a time when you tried to quite. Remember the headaches? Ever felt stomach issues the next day after drinking beer and eating pepperoni pizza? Well the good news is that this food dynamic actually works both ways. You are able to prevent issues by avoiding certain foods but you are also able to enhance your health by making better food choices.
Many foods contain nutrients that help to keep our body’s robust, healthy and able to work at top capacity. While it is certainly true and valid that everyone has different dietary needs and that what is healthy and works well for one person may not work as well for someone else, there are some commonalities to consider. Here are some examples of cancer-fighting foods and spices.
- The herb rosemary contains carnisol as well as other active compounds that can help both prevent and treat cancer
- Kale is high in the vitamins C and A, as well as fibre. These are all nutrients perfect to help prevent cancer
- Lignans from whole grains positively influence hormone activity
- Phenolic compounds found in the peel of apples help prevent unhealthy cells from spreading as well as dividing
- Several compounds found in garlic inhibit the activity of cancer cells as well as help with detoxification
- Tomato contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which supports a strong immune system
- Citrus fruits contain immunity enhancing flavonoids
- Turmeric derived curcumin is a well researched powerful anti-inflammatory shown to prevent and treat some cancers
- Certain sterols found in Soy reduce the development of some cancer cells
- Broccoli contains sulforophane as well as other compounds that help stimulate immunity and detoxification.
- Vegetables of the cruciferous family, contain indole-3-carbinol, which as been shown to have anti-cancer properites
You may notice that many of the above foods share the common trait of all being very colourful. Why does colour matter? The colour and the vibrancy of that colour tell us how packed full of phyto (plant) nutrients the food has. At you next meal look at the colours on the plate. If you mainly see white/beige food that’s your cue to add a good splash of colour by way of fruits and vegetables. By adding more colour you are also adding a good dose of anticancer nutrients.
There is no doubt that diet play a critical prevention and support role when it comes to cancer. Adhering to a robust cancer prevention diet will require some detective work. Spend some time looking at the labels on your food. Get to know where your food came from and if it has been highly processed or had a bunch of nasties added. Be aware of sugar and all the ways they hide it from the consumer by renaming it as glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, dextrose, corn syrup, evaporated cane sugar. Added sugars create inflammation in the body. This inflammation temporarily cripples our immune system, and over time can lead to insulin resistance and Type II diabetes. This cascade of events if left to go on can be cancer promoting.
Do your best to increase your awareness of what/when/why you eat. Knowing the importance of your health will give you all the motivation that you need.
CONSUME MORE OF THESE
Tea – Green Tea/White Tea
Organic foods
Whole grains
Nuts, seeds, omega-3 oils like fish and flaxseed
Purified water
Rich and colourful fruits and vegetables
CONSUME LESS OF THESE
All added sugars
Additives, preservatives, artificial colous and flavours
Alcohol and softdrinks
Refined carbohydrates like white bread, flour, rice
Trans and saturated fats, red meats, and fried foods
Smoked, preserved and processed meats
