The #2 Cancer-Healing Food: Turmeric Turmeric root is perhaps the most studied and talked about food for preventing and fighting cancer. In fact, it is so powerful that MD Anderson Cancer Center formed a Center for Cancer Prevention by Dietary Botanicals specifically to evaluate the efficacy of using ginger, black pepper, and turmeric—a trio of spices routinely used in Indian food—to heal and prevent colorectal cancer.[i] OK, so we hear about turmeric all the time, but why is it so good? To break it down, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and brain-protecting superfood. The spice made from turmeric root that gives curry its bright yellow color, it has its superpowers because it contains three potent compounds: curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.[ii] No matter how you do it, consuming turmeric is a no-brainer! The curcuminoid compounds in turmeric have been shown to decrease tumor size in cases of colon, prostate, and breast cancer. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center published a study with rats who were exposed to cancer-causing substances. They then treated them with turmeric and were protected from colon, stomach, and skin cancers! How amazing is that! I realize this study was done on rats, but we can extrapolate that there is an effect on the human body too. In this study, the replication of tumor cells stopped when turmeric was applied directly to them in the laboratory.[iii] Other laboratory experiments have shown that curcuminoids protect the body in a few more ways: They enhance the activity of a crucial detoxifying enzyme and act as antioxidants by neutralizing free radicals (which cause DNA damage).[iv] Detoxifying the body is one of the beneficial healing strategies that are discussed in Chapter 5. There is hope for healing colon cancer with turmeric. Functional medicine expert Mark Hyman, M.D., is an advocate for eating phytonutrients, recommends turmeric root to reduce gut-based inflammation.[v] Founding member of the American Academy of Lifestyle Medicine and author of How Not to Die, Michael Greger, M.D., is another believer. He states that the low incidence of bowel cancer is attributed to natural antioxidants such as turmeric that majority of Indians consume on a daily basis.[vi] Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic and John Hopkins School of Medicine did a small collaborative study published in 2006 of five people at high risk for colon cancer. The patients each received 480 milligrams of curcumin (found in turmeric) and 20 milligrams of quercetin (found in red onions and grapes) three times a day in an attempt to determine differences in the number and size of polyps in their colons. And the great news is that within just months they were able to observe noticeable changes! All five patients had decreased polyp numbers and size from baseline. In fact, on average they ended up with fewer than half the polyps, and the ones that were left had shrunk in half, after this six-month treatment with curcumin and quercetin.[vii] Turmeric Is Especially Good For . . .
If you are undergoing a course of radiation treatment, it may interest you to know that turmeric may help to reduce skin irritation and damage from radiation, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the Mayo Clinic. [xvii],[xviii] Doctrine of Signatures: Spiritually speaking, turmeric is a flowering plant that indigenous people believe is helpful for grounding, renewal, and blossoming. Because turmeric root looks like intestines and fingers, it is also said to be useful for strengthening the digestive system and improving conditions that affect the hands, especially inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Also, the yellow color of this spice resembles the pancreas and it is therefore said to be useful for treating pancreatic conditions. Suggested “dosage: According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:
Caution: If you are undergoing a course of chemotherapy, please check with your doctor. I have heard conflicting advice regarding turmeric; some reports say it may interfere with chemotherapy drugs and others saying it can make chemo even more effective.[xix] Caution: Turmeric can stain the teeth. To avoid staining, swish and spit out water with activated charcoal toothpaste after eating. The Cancer Free with Food Recipes with Turmeric
Other Ways of Incorporating Turmeric in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen Here are some different ways to incorporate turmeric in your kitchen.
You can purchase turmeric in these ways:
Nutrition tip: To enhance absorption, try cooking your turmeric in a bit of extra-virgin olive oil. Also add black pepper at a ratio of ¼ teaspoon black pepper for every teaspoon of turmeric. I love the Chickpea Burgers and Taco recipe—because it calls for you to sauté the turmeric with olive oil and black pepper before adding in the grass-fed beef (or beans for a vegetarian alternative). Resources from Cancer-Free with Food Book [i] Visit: https://www.mdanderson.org/research/departments-labs-institutes/programs-centers/center-for-cancer-prevention-by-dietary-botanicals.html. [ii] Lauren Martin and Corey Schuler. “Turmeric, Curcuminoids, and Curcumin Defined,” Integrative Therapeutics (September 1, 2016), https://www.integrativepro.com/Resources/Integrative-Blog/2016/Turmeric-Curcuminoids-Curcumin-Defined. [iii] “Turmeric,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (accessed June 26, 2018), https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/turmeric. [iv] Ibid. [v] Mark Hyman. “Ingredients Archive: Turmeric,” Dr. Hyman blog (accessed June 30, 2018), http://drhyman.com/blog/ingredient/turmeric. [vi] Michael Gregor. “Turmeric Curcumin and Colon Cancer,” Care2 (posted March 6, 2015), https://www.care2.com/greenliving/turmeric-curcumin-and-colon-cancer.html. [vii] M. Cruz-Correa, D.A. Shoskes, P. Sanchez, et. Al. “Combination Treatment with Curcumin and Quercetin of Adenomas in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis,” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, vol. 4, no. 8 (August 2006), pp. 1035–8, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16757216. [viii] M. Bayet-Robert, F. Kwiatkowski, M. Leheurteur, et al. “Phase I dose escalation trial of docetaxel plus curcumin in patients with advanced and metastatic breast cancer,” Cancer Biology and Therapy, vol. 9, no. 1 (January 2010), pp. 8–14. [ix] R. Epelbaum, M. Schaffer, B. Vizel, et al. “Curcumin and Gemcitabine in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer,” Nutrition and Cancer, vol. 62, no. 8 (2010), pp. 1113–1141, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21058202. Also: N. Dhillon, B.B. Aggarwal, R.A. Newman, et al. “Phase II Trial of Curcumin Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, vol. 14, no. 14 (July, 15 2008), pp. 4491–9, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18628464; and Kanai M, Yoshimura K, Asada M, et al. A phase I/II study of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus curcumin for patients with gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, vol. 68, no. 1 (July 2011), pp. 157–64, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20859741. [x] Z.Y. He, C.B. Shi, H. Wen, et al. “Upregulation of p53 Expression in Patients with Colorectal Cancer by Administration of Curcumin,” Cancer Investigation, vol. 29, no. 3 (March 2011), pp. 208–13, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21314329. Also: A.B. Kunnumakkara, P. Diagaradjane, S. Guha, et al. “Curcumin Sensitizes Human Colorectal Cancer Xenografts in Nude Mice to Gamma-Radiation by Targeting Nuclear Factor-KappaB-Regulated Gene Products,” Clinical Cancer Research, vol. 14, no. 7 (April 1, 2008), pp. 2128–36, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18381954. [xi] S.S. Lin, K.C. Lai, S.C. Hsu, et al. “Curcumin inhibits the migration and invasion of human A549 lung cancer cells through the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF),” Cancer Letters, vol. 285, no. 2 (November 28, 2009), pp.127–33, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19477063. Also: M.G. Alexandrow, L.J. Song, S. Altiok, et al. ”Curcumin: A Novel Stat3 Pathway Inhibitor for Chemoprevention of Lung Cancer,” European Journal of Cancer Prevention, vol. 21, no. 5 (December 7, 2011), pp. 407–12, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22156994; and S.H. Wu, L.W. Hang, J.S. Yang, et al. ”Curcumin Induces Apoptosis in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer NCI-H460 Cells Through ER Stress and Caspase Cascade- and Mitochondria-Dependent Pathways,” Anticancer Research, vol. 30, no. 6 (June 2010), pp. 2125–33, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20651361. [xii] J. Shi, Y. Wang, Z. Jia, et al. “Curcumin Inhibits Bladder Cancer Progression via Regulation of β-Catenin Expression. Tumour Biology, vol. 39, no. 7 (published online July 14, 2017), http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1010428317702548. [xiii] K. Selvendiran, S. Ahmed, A. Dayton, et al. “HO-3867, a Curcumin Analog, Sensitizes Cisplatin-Resistant Ovarian Carcinoma, Leading to Therapeutic Synergy Through STAT3 Inhibition,” Cancer Biology and Therapy, vol. 12, no. 9 (November 1, 2011), pp. 837–45, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21885917. [xiv] C.N. Sreekanth, S.V. Bava, E. Sreekumar, et al. “Molecular Evidences for the Chemosensitizing Efficacy of Liposomal Curcumin in Paclitaxel Chemotherapy in Mouse Models of Cervical Cancer,” Oncogene, vol. 30, no. 28 (July 14, 2011), p. 3139–52, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21317920. [xv] Q. Qiao, Y. Jiang, G. Li. “Curcumin Improves the Antitumor Effect of X-ray Irradiation by Blocking the NF-kappaB Pathway: An In-Vitro Study of Lymphoma,” Anticancer Drugs, vol. 23, no. 6 (January 23, 2012), pp. 597–605, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22273827. Also: Uddin S, Hussain AR, Manogaran PS, et al. “Curcumin Suppresses Growth and Induces Apoptosis in Primary Effusion Lymphoma,” Oncogene, vol. 24, no. 47 (October 27, 2005), pp. 7022–30, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16044161. [xvi] K.W. Chang, P.S. Hung, I.Y. Lin, et al. “Curcumin Upregulates Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-5 (IGFBP-5) and C/EBPalpha During Oral Cancer Suppression,” International Journal of Cancer, vol. 127, no. 1 (July 1, 2010), pp. 9–20, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20127863. [xvii] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Turmeric,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of health (accessed June 30, 2018), https://nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric/ataglance.htm. [xviii] Timothy J. Moynihan. “Curcumin: Can It Slow Cancer Growth?” Mayo Clinic (accessed June 30, 2018), https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/expert-answers/curcumin/faq-20057858. [xix] “Turmeric,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
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The #1 Cancer-Healing Food: Broccoli Sprouts
I became absolutely fascinated with broccoli sprouts when I discovered they are incredibly potent killers of cancer cells because of their sulforaphane content, which is unusually high.[i] Sulforaphane is also found in other vegetables, like broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. But broccoli sprouts contain the most of any other vegetable on the planet. Paul Talalay, M.D., a professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at John Hopkins University, who has done research for 25 years on vegetable compounds, is a major advocate of broccoli spouts. He says: “Three-day-old broccoli sprouts consistently contain 20 to 50 times the amount of chemoprotective compounds found in mature broccoli heads and may offer a simple dietary means of chemically reducing cancer risk.”[ii] In one experiment, Talalay and his team did a study with a group of female rats, in which some were fed broccoli sprout extract for five days and some were fed none. The rats were then exposed to a carcinogen. Those that had received broccoli sprout extract (high in sulforaphane) developed fewer tumors. Those that did get tumors developed smaller ones that took longer to grow than the group that had not received the broccoli sprout extract. In 1992, Talalay and his research team also discerned that sulforaphane has the ability to reinforce the body’s natural defenses against oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage.[iii] Over the years, many studies by other researchers have supported Dr. Talalay’ s conclusions.[iv] One in particular, by Jed Fahey, Sc.D., Director of the Cullman Chemoprotection Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, agrees that sulforaphane helps prevent cancer. Fahey proved that broccoli sprouts provide “dramatic protection” against digestive issues, including stomach cancer, ulcers, gastritis, and overgrowths of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium “strongly associated with inflammation related to digestive cancers.[v] During an experiment involving 48 patients with H. pylori infections in which half the volunteers ate 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts per day for two months, and half ate the equivalent amount of alfalfa sprouts, which do not contain sulforaphane, biomarkers of infection dropped for the volunteers eating the broccoli sprouts.[vi] Broccoli Sprouts Are Good for All Cancer, and Especially Useful For . . .
If you are doing chemo, radiation, and surgery, you may have a higher risk of developing an infection, so I would strongly advise incorporating Broccoli sprouts in your diet at this time. Doctrine of Signatures: Broccoli sprouts resemble sperm; therefore, it is believed that they are especially useful for prostate health and reproductive health. Suggested “dosage”:
The Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Broccoli Sprouts
Nutrition tip: As a garnish, sprinkle broccoli sprouts on: Black Bean Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas, Bean Burgers, Pasta Primavera, Good Ol’ Classic Veggie Stir Fry, Protein Salad, Taco Salad, and Lentil Soup. Other Ways of Incorporating Broccoli Sprouts in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen Since reading the research studies, I have made broccoli sprouts a weekly staple in my shopping list, I will pick up a small container once a week and I now add them to my juices, smoothies, soups, and salads, and as a garnish for example on top of gluten-free pasta. I also look forward to sprouting my own someday, something which, apparently, is quite easy to do and saves money. 1. Eat them raw by the handful 2. Juice broccoli sprouts 3. Add broccoli sprouts to your salads, soups, and smoothies 4. Grow broccoli sprouts in your home Nutrition tip: “Broccoli sprouts are best when eaten raw in order to absorb the full nutrient and cancer-fighting properties including glucosinolates, which can prevent cancer.”[ix] —Dr. Mehmet Oz RESOURCES FROM CANCER-FREE WITH FOOD BOOK: [i] Veronique Desaulniers. “The Landmark Johns Hopkins Sulforaphane Cancer Study Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About,” Truth about Cancer blog (accessed June 30, 2018), https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/johns-hopkins-sulforaphane-cancer-study. [ii] Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. “Cancer Protection Compound Abundant in Broccoli Sprouts, Johns Hopkins Scientists Find,” ScienceDaily (accessed June 26, 2018), www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/09/970919062654.htm. Also: Melissa Hendricks. “More Reasons to Eat Those Vegetables,” John Hopkins Medicine, Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences (accessed June 30, 2018), https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institute_basic_biomedical_sciences/news_events/articles_and_stories/cancer_disease/2010_08_eat_veggies.html. [iii]. “Potential for Added Medical Benefits Uncovered for Widely Used Breast Cancer Drug,” Johns Hopkins Medicine News release. (November 7, 2013), https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/potential_for_added_medical_benefits_uncovered_for_widely_used_breast_cancer_drug. [iv] “Broccoli Sprouts,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (accessed June 26, 2018), https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/broccoli-sprouts. [v] Teresa L. Johnson. “Broccoli extract may lower blood sugar among some with diabetes, study finds” American Cancer Research Institute blog (posted June 26, 2017), http://blog.aicr.org/2017/06/26/broccoli-extract-may-lower-blood-sugar-among-some-with-diabetes-study-finds/?_ga=2.87538392.1138489825.1525817004-1726391947.1525817004. [vi] News release. “Gutsy germs Succumb to Baby Broccoli,” Johns Hopkins Medicine (posted April 6, 2009), https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/gutsy_germs_succumb_to_baby_broccoli. [vii] Miranda Hitti. “Broccoli Sprouts vs. Bladder Cancer?” WebMD (posted February 28, 2008), https://www.webmd.com/cancer/bladder-cancer/news/20080228/broccoli-sprouts-vs-bladder-cancer. [viii] Hendricks. [ix] Mehmet Oz. “Nine Cancer-Fighting Foods,” Doctor Oz Show blog (posted December 16, 2016), https://www.doctoroz.com/gallery/9-cancer-fighting-foods. In recent years, scientists have come to realize that cancer is caused by behavior that exposes us to carcinogenic substances, like cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and other habits, including what we eat and how much. The doctors and nutritional experts with whom I have spoken, and the articles and research studies I have spent almost a decade reading all point to the same information: As much as 75 percent of cancer can be linked to our choices. Furthermore, the good news is that we also have proof that specific foods are useful for preventing and healing cancer. Woohoo! We’ve got this! Habits can be broken. Choices can be changed. Studies suggest that a select number of foods make our bodies inhospitable to cancer. These foods, which are the foundation of the Cancer Free with Food, help kill cancer cells before they take up residence in us and stop existing tumors from growing any further. On my diet plan, the majority of your diet will be whole, plant-based foods. Your meals will be rich in vegetables, with some fruits added for a treat, and plenty of nuts and seeds. These ingredients are what we know today as superfoods, foods rich in compounds that are considered especially beneficial for our health and well-being. Incorporating meat and dairy in your diet is up to you, and of course, if you do consume these ingredients, they must be organic and of the highest quality. Cancer cells are distorted versions of healthy cells. Knowing this, we can focus on feeding the body the nutrients that support healthy cellular function. The fastest way to promote healing is to put a high number of nutritious compounds into the body so it has what it needs to kill aggressive cancer cells. Superfoods are much more powerful than cancer. Cancer cannot survive in their presence. Too many people are nutrient deficient. Researchers studying dietary factors associated with cancer have learned that there are significant associations between cancer risk and the low intakes of specific nutrients.[i] And it’s not just residents of impoverished areas and inhabitants of famine-stricken nations, but regions in countries of the developed world where people make poor choices and eat a lot of heavily processed foods. In the West, we overeat but are under nourished. When we are nutrient deficient, we are at risk for cancer. It is up to you to put these foods into your body to make it impossible for cancer to find a home. Higher intakes of nutrients like vitamin C, carotenoids, retinol, and α-tocopherol (a vitamin found in olive and sunflower oils, whole grains, nuts, and leafy green vegetables), as well as fiber, lower our overall risk. Many studies show that those who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have the most protection against colorectal, prostate, aerodigestive tract (mouth, esophagus, pharynx, and larynx), and breast cancer. And it improves cancer mortality rates.[ii] In countries like Greece and Italy, people regularly consume foods like vegetables, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fruit, fish, and fiber. The Cancer-Free With Food recipes contain all of these ingredients. What makes some foods cancer causing and others cancer healing? Foods that may be consumed whole in their natural state, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, provide the body with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are healthy, unless we add chemicals to them. Something that should be healthy to eat, like a carrot, for example, if it is grown on a farm where the farmers spray it with pesticides and herbicides, becomes carcinogenic. We want to avoid all toxic chemicals in our food. We also want to avoid inflammatory and acid-forming foods, like sugar and alcohol. These are capable of causing cancer too.In this chapter, we will look at the foods you want to incorporate into your diet to prevent or treat cancer. As you consume more of these foods, you will likely notice that cravings you previously experienced for sugar, fat, and fried foods will abate. Fueling your body on real, wholesome ingredients is fulfilling, so it satisfies those urges. For example, if you eat enough good, healthy fats like the ones from avocadoes and flax seeds, your cravings for fried foods should diminish. When you alkalize your body with broccoli sprouts and dark green, leafy vegetables, you will be less likely to binge on highly acidic foods, especially once you get some momentum going. And when you are eating a sufficient amount of fresh fruits, especially blueberries, it can satisfy your sweet tooth. This way of eating is similar to our prehistoric ancestors’ diet at a time when cancer did not exist. Cancer Free with Food is about filling up your body on the good stuff from the foods in the list about to come. In case you were wondering, acidity and alkalinity are polar opposites on the pH scale, which measures the concentration of hydrogen ions present in a given substance. The cells in the human body can only survive in the slightly alkaline range of 7.35–7.45 pH. The highest acidity in the body is in the stomach, where our digestive juices help break down food. But as anyone who has ever had heartburn knows, acid burns if it escapes the stomach. ’Never forget that food can be powerful medicine. The food you choose to eat can either assist you in healing your body or in destroying it. So, every day from now on, I want you to ask yourself: “Am I eating enough cancer-fighting foods?” The following foods are incredibly high in antioxidants, so they reduce inflammation. They are also more alkaline than other foods. And they have been proven in studies to kill cancer cells and stop tumor growth. If you are going through cancer treatment right now, these will assist your healing because they contain potent, cancer- killing compounds. If you want to prevent cancer, they will help you stay healthy. 1. Broccoli sprouts 2. Turmeric 3. Blueberries 4. Broccoli 5. Flaxseed (aka linseed) 6. Dark leafy greens (bok choy, cilantro, kale, spinach, parsley, and watercress) 7. Garlic 8. Mushrooms 9. Cacao 10. Tigernuts 11. Ginger 12. Grapes 13. Tomatoes 14. Lemon 15. Quinoa 16. Walnuts 17. Wheatgrass 18. Beets 19. Green tea 20. Cauliflower 21. Berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries) 22. Celery 23. Olive oil 24. Artichokes 25. Onion 26. Cabbage 27. Brussels sprouts 28. Carrots 29. Berries, including raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and cherries 30. Kakadu plum Resources [i] C.A. Gonzalez and E. Riboli. “Diet and Cancer Prevention: Contributions from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study,” European Journal of Cancer, vol. 46, no. 14 (September 2010), pp. 2555–62, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20843485. [ii] L. Schwingshackl and G. Hoffmann. “Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies,” International Journal of Cancer, vol. 135, no. 8 (October 15, 2014), p. 1884–97, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24599882. Also: E. Toledo, J. Salas-Salvadó, C. Donat-Vargas, et al. “Mediterranean Diet and Invasive Breast Cancer Risk among Women at High Cardiovascular Risk in the PREDIMED Trial: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” JAMA Intern Medicine, vol. 175, no. 11 (November 2015), pp. 1752–60, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2434738. The subject of whether a vegan (vegetarian) diet or an omnivorous (meat-eater’s) diet is the best for healing cancer is controversial. There are many who advocate for both positions. The diet that works for me personally is 80 percent plant-based and 20 percent meat, a category in which I include grass-fed beef, game meat, organic free-range chicken, and wild-caught fish. Also, I avoid dairy and gluten. I strongly advise you to use your inner guidance system to determine what works best for you in boosting your immune system and strengthening your body.
When the author Anita Moorjani (who survived a near-death experience during her illness) got cancer, everyone told her to eat raw vegan, so she did. But then she felt worse, and her cancer worsened quickly. Incorporating cooked vegetables and a small amount of animal protein in her meals brought Anita total healing. Christiane Northrup, M.D., whose advice has been followed by women around the world, recommends eating a lean protein (poultry, egg, beans, as you prefer) at every meal when healing cancer. Sometimes physicians will specifically recommend that individuals undergoing treatment for cancer add some red meat to their diets. This usually happens if they have identified a deficiency of iron or a need for a surge of protein. My take is that it is such a personal choice whether you want to go vegan or eat mostly plant-based foods with a few animal products. I can think of numerous other sources of quick protein than red meat. Some people are truly able to thrive from a completely plant-based diet. There are plenty of vegan healing diet advocates who swear their 100-percent approach helped them heal: Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer and other books, who now has been living happily and productively with vascular cancer for over 15 years for one. Chris Wark, author of Chris Beat Cancer, survived stage three colon cancer at age 26 and declined to take physician-recommended chemotherapy after surgery is another. He eats fish but advocates for a vegan diet when healing cancer. Other well-respected individuals say the same. Here’s the key question to answer: Does eating meat, poultry, or fish make you feel stronger and more energized or does it seem to drain your energy? Either way, you’ll mainly be feasting on plant-based foods and changing the environment in which your cells are grown. The Cancer Free with Food diet is like a healing garden. Welcome to the cancer-healing garden. It’s a great place for a picnic. This garden is abundant with nutrient-rich, brightly colored and vibrant produce—fruits, vegetables, herbs, seeds, and nuts. It has spiritual and energetic properties too. Remember, food is never just about nutrients. There is more to food than the fats, protein, and vitamins it contains. When you make food at home, be sure to add love to the recipe. Can you pick the ingredients you’ll cook with yourself? Can you practice feeling gratitude while you’re stirring the pot? Can you farm the ingredients in your backyard? There’s tremendous healing energy in raising and picking your own produce. From the emerging science of epigenetics, we know that we can influence the way our genes express themselves through the foods we choose to eat. Mark Hyman, M.D. “After just three months on an intensive lifestyle program including a whole-foods, plant-based diet, over 500 genes that regulate cancer were beneficially affected, either turning off the cancer-causing genes or turning on the cancer-protective genes. No medication can do that.”[i] Through lifestyle modification alone, we can literally rewrite our genetic code. Just because your parents, grandparents, or siblings had cancer doesn’t mean you have to! Healing foods will help you change your genetic code for the better. The Doctrine of Signatures Indigenous people from ancient cultures have medical traditions that use food as medicine which predate our diagnostic machinery and medications. How did they know which food was best for which kind of cancer? No doubt through trial and error. But also by observation of nature. Thiers was an intuitive approach to medicine—one that I, as a chef, believe has merits. You see, they knew they were not separate from nature and they trusted that nature was “coded” to help them. Almost every indigenous culture that uses nutrition to heal has a variation on the system of belief—including Europeans before the industrial era. It’s time to turn your kitchen into your pharmacy. Let’s go! Resources [i] Mark Hyman. “Five Strategies to Prevent and Heal Cancer,” Dr. Hyman blog (accessed July 9, 2018), http://drhyman.com/blog/2015/08/07/5-strategies-to-prevent-and-treat-cancer. |
by liana werner-grayHi. I am a Health researcher bringing you honest information about cancer healing treatments and foods that kill (and cause) cancer! I love diving into the scientific studies that show this research. Archives
December 2021
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