#6 Cancer-Healing Food: Dark Leafy Greens
Darky leafy greens play a crucial role in overall health because they keep the body in a state in which cancer could never grow! Many compounds in dark leafy vegetables are praiseworthy: isothiocyanates (in this case, sulforaphane and erucin), for example, which help the body detox at the cellular level.[i] Dark leafy greens have antibacterial and antiviral properties, inactivate carcinogens, and help reprogram cancer cells to die off! This prevents tumor formation and metastasis. One research group isolated a compound from spinach, and after testing, concluded it has great potential for development as an effective clinical anticancer chemotherapy.[ii]

Greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and chlorophyll.[iii] Some people have even gone so far as to say that drinking a green juice made with dark leafy greens—especially mixed with coconut water—is the equivalent of a blood transfusion. This is why I drink green juice once per day and have for the past nine years! Dark leafy greens also contain antibacterial and antiviral properties, inactivate carcinogens, help reprogram cancer cells to die off! This prevents tumor formation and metastasis.

Make your new motto: A dark leafy green juice a day can keep cancer far, far away!

Dark leafy greens include:

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Cilantro
• Collard greens
• Kale
• Parsley
• Romaine (not as dark as some greens, but certainly highly nutritious)
• Spinach
• Watercress, which some believe this is a more potent superfood than kale![iv]

 
Dark Leafy Greens Are Good for All Cancer, and Especially Useful For . . .

• Lung cancer
• Leukemia
• Lymphatic cancers
• Brain Cancer

 
Doctrine of Signatures: Dark leafy greens resemble the lungs and nervous system; therefore, they are considered good for the lungs, heart and the air and blood in the body.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, eat up to 8 cups of leafy greens daily.
• To prevent cancer, eat at least one cup of leafy greens daily in a salad, soup, or juice.

 
Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Dark Leafy Greens

• Superfood Kale Salad
• Green Juice
• Green Smoothie
• Raw Green Energy Salad
• Super Green Detox Salad

 
Other Ways of Incorporating Dark Leafy Greens in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen

• Add leafy greens to your smoothie or juice
• Make a salad out of a mixture of them
• Add a handful of leafy greens to your lunch and dinner to increase your nutrient intake

 
Nutrition tip: Dark leafy greens must be purchased organic, as they are highly absorbent to pesticides and herbicides.


Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book:

[i]     O. Azarenko, M.A. Jordan, and L. Wilson. “Erucin, the Major Isothiocyanate in Arugula (Eruca Sativa), Inhibits Proliferation of MCF7 Tumor Cells by Suppressing Microtubule Dynamics,” PLoS One, vol. 9, no. 6 (June 2014), p. e100599, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24950293.

[ii]     H. Akasaka, R. Sasaki, K. Yoshida. “Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, a replicative DNA polymerase inhibitor, from spinach enhances the anti-cell proliferation effect of gemcitabine in human pancreatic cancer cells,” Biochimica et Biophisica Acta, vol. 1830, no. 3 (March 2013), pp. 2517–25, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23174220.

[iii]    D.M. Jiménez-Aguilar and M.A. Grusak. “Evaluation of Minerals, Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mexican, Central American, and African Green Leafy Vegetables,” Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, vol. 70, no. 4 (December 2015), pp. 357–64, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26490448.

[iv]    N.I. Park, J.K. Kim, W.T. Park. “An Efficient Protocol for Genetic Transformation of Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) Using Agrobacterium Rhizogenes,” Molecular Biology Reports, vol. 38, no. 8 (November 2011), pp. 4947–53, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21161399.

Flaxseed (also known as linseed) can be ground into a flour called flax meal and cold-pressed into an oil. Flaxseed is one of the top anticancer foods due to the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) it contains, which is a prime source of omega-3 fatty acids. ALA protects the kidneys from damage.

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil are easy ways you can get sufficient omega-3 without consuming fish, a vegan option. Having a sufficient amount of omega-3 in the body is good for the brain, which needs them to function. Flaxseed can help prevent the depressive moods that are a common symptom of a cancer diagnosis.[i]

Flaxseed also contain lignans, a type of phytoestrogen that changes estrogen metabolism because it binds to some of the same receptors.[ii] Animal studies have shown that the lignans in flaxseed oil reduce breast cancer growth and spread.[iii] Cancer prevention studies of postmenopausal women showed that flaxseed supplementation improved the ratio of hormones in women’s bodies, making them less hospitable environments for cancer to occur.[iv] One study with mice shows it may work well alone or as an adjunct to Tamoxifen, a drug used to prevent breast cancer recurrence.[v]
 
Flaxseed Is Especially Good For . . .

• Breast cancer[vi]
• Colon cancer[vii]
  
• Skin cancer[viii]
• Colorectal cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Lung cancer
• Prostate cancer[ix]
• Side effects of radiation therapy[x] 

Cancer-Free woth Food Recipes with Flaxseed

• Flax Milk
• Superfood Kale Salad
• Dehydrated Crackers
• Gluten-free Tortillas
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• A Splash of Sunshine Smoothie
• Paradise Smoothie
• Chocolate Nut Berry Smoothie
• High Protein Smoothie
• Liana’s Favorite Smoothie Bowl
• Almond Butter Granola
• Raw Oatmeal
• Fresh Muesli
• Chickpea Burgers
• Bean Burgers
• Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes

 
Other Ways of Incorporating Flaxseed in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen

• Adding more flax to your diet is an incredibly promising action for reducing cancer risk.
• Add flaxseed or flax meal to your cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, and salads. Grind up flaxseeds yourself at home to make a meal or flax flour, or buy flax meal and add to cereals, oatmeal
• You can use flax meal instead of eggs in baking. Just mix 3 teaspoons of flax meal and 4 teaspoons of water, then let the mixture sit for 10 minutes and it will get gummy, like eggs. Use this instead of eggs in pancakes and cakes
• Add to grass-fed beef meatballs and lentil loaf
• Add flax oil to your eggs, smoothies, salads, and soups

Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book

[i]     A. Tanskanen,J.R. Hibbeln, J. Tuomilehto, et al. “Fish Consumption and Depressive Symptoms in the General Population in Finland,” Psychiatric Services, vol. 52, no. 4 (2001), pp. 529–31, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11274502.

[ii]     A. Calado, P.M. Neves, T. Santos, et al. “The Effect of Flaxseed in Breast Cancer: A Literature Review,” Frontiers in Nutrition (February 27, 2018), https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2018.00004/full. Also: J. Lee, K. Cho. “Flaxseed Sprouts Induce Apoptosis and Inhibit Growth in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells,” In Vitro Cellular Development and Biology. Animal, vol. 48, no. 4 (2012), pp. 244–50, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22438134.

[iii]    Ibid.

[iv]    “Flaxseed,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (accessed June 26, 2018), https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/flaxseed. Also: L.U. Thompson, J.M. Chen, T. Li, et al. “Dietary Flaxseed Alters Tumor Biological Markers in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer,” Clinical Cancer Research, vol. 11, no. 10 (2005), pp. 3828–35, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15897583. Also: S.E. McCann, L.U. Thompson, J. Nie, et al. “Dietary Lignan Intakes in Relation to Survival among Women with Breast Cancer: The Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer (WEB) Study,” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, vol. 122, no. 1 (July 2010), pp. 229–35, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20033482.

[v]     J. Chen, K.A. Power, J. Mann, et al. “Flaxseed alone or in combination with tamoxifen inhibits MCF-7 breast tumor growth in ovariectomized athymic mice with high circulating levels of estrogen,” Experimental Biology and Medicine, vol. 232, no. 8 (September 2007), pp. 1071–80, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17720953.         

[vi]   “Flaxseed,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

[vii]   B. Liang, S. Wang, Y.J. Ye, et al. “Impact of Postoperative Omega-3 Fatty Acid-supplemented Parenteral Nutrition on Clinical Outcomes and Immunomodulations in Colorectal Cancer Patients,” World Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 14, no. 15 (2008), pp. 2434–9, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18416476. Also: C.H. MacLean, et al. “Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Cancer Risk,” JAMA, vol. 295, no. 4 (2006), pp. 403–15,  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16434631; and M.K. Sung, M. Lautens, L.U. Thompson. “Mammalian Lignans Inhibit the Growth of Estrogen-independent Human Colon Tumor Cells,” Anticancer Research, vol. 18, no. 3A (May–June 1998), pp. 1405–8, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9673348.

[viii]   L.E. Rhodes, H. Shahbakhti, R.M. Azurdia, et al. “Effect of Eicosapentaenoic Acid, an Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid, on UVR-related Cancer Risk in Humans. An Assessment of Early Genotoxic Markers,” Carcinogenesis, vol. 24, no. 5 (May 2003), pp. 919–25, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12771037. Also: L. Yan, J.A. Yee, D. Li, et al. “Dietary flaxseed supplementation and experimental metastasis of melanoma cells in mice,” Cancer Letters, vol. 124, no. 2 (February 1998), pp.181–6, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9500208.

[ix]    W. Demark-Wahnefried, T.J. Polascik, S.L. George, et al. “Flaxseed Supplementation (not Dietary Fat Restriction) Reduces Prostate Cancer Proliferation Rates in Men Presurgery,” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, vol. 17, no. 12 (December 2008), pp. 3577–87, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19064574.

[x]     “Flaxseed,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

I love when studies are done to show that vegetables have anti-cancer properties! Broccoli is, of course, one of the most studied among the vegetable family. Studies show that broccoli contains “compounds that may protect the body from stomach cancer, as well as cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.”[i] And when we break down broccoli, we can see why!

This mighty, green, treelike veg is in the cruciferous vegetable family, along with cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale—all excellent or good sources of. Broccoli is packed with immune-boosting vitamins nutrients and phytochemicals: vitamin C, sulforaphane, manganese, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. “Carotenoids inhibit cancer growth, improve immunity, support vision and promote skin health.” [ii]

Broccoli is also rich in glucosinolates, a compound found in all cruciferous vegetables. Glucosinolates form isothiocyanates and indoles, which are known to prevent tumor growth and decrease the production of cancer cells, which stop cancer from being able to survive in the body.[iii]

And broccoli has tons of fiber, one of the top seven nutrients that fight cancer according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.[iv] In a five-year study of patients in Spanish hospitals, researchers recruited people with lung cancer. Controls were individuals attending hospital for trivial surgery. They collected information on lifestyle, placing special emphasis on tobacco use and dietary habits. They observed a reduced risk of cancer by those who consumed broccoli and pumpkin and said that the frequent consumption of green leafy vegetables and other vegetables might be associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer.[v]
 
Broccoli Is Especially Good For . . . [vi]

• Lung cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Breast cancer
• Oral cancer
• Pharynx cancer
• Larynx cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Prostate cancer

 
Doctrine of Signatures: The broccoli head, when cut in half, resembles the inside chamber of the lungs; therefore, it is believed that broccoli is especially useful for lung health. Also, when we examine broccoli up close, the tips on a head of broccoli look like hundreds of tiny cancer cells.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, eat 1–2 cups broccoli per day.
• To prevent cancer, eat ½ cup at least every third day.

 
A fact sheet from the National Cancer Institute reports that three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts) a week may reduce prostate cancer risk by nearly 50 percent.[vii] Empowering info!
 
The Cancer-Free with Food recipes with Broccoli

• Broccoli Popcorn
• Good Ol’ Classic Veggie Stir Fry
• Pasta Primavera
• High Protein Jar Salad
• Dr. Ann Wigmore’s Energy Soup
• Vegetable soup
• Beef Stir Fry

 
Other Ways of Incorporating Broccoli in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen
There are so many ways to eat broccoli! You can eat broccoli raw, steam it, or roast it with some olive oil, garlic, and sea salt. My favorite way to eat broccoli is by roasting it and adding some nutritional yeast so it tastes a bit like cheesy popcorn. It makes a great side dish or even an entire meal. You could:

• Puree steamed broccoli with avocado, garlic, and hemp or tigernut milk for a refreshing cold soup.
• Dip raw broccoli into guacamole or hummus for a snack.
• Add broccoli to soups or vegetable and bone broths.
• Add it to smoothies.
• Even juice it!

 
Fun fact: The four-petal flowers from cruciferous veggies resemble a cross or crucifer, hence the name. Surely broccoli is a gift from God? Hehe! The other cruciferous vegetables are known as the “headless crucifers”; for example, kale and collard greens.


Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book

[i]     AICR’s Foods That Fight Cancer. “Broccoli and Cruciferous Vegetables,” American Institute for Cancer Research (accessed June 30, 2018), www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/broccoli-cruciferous.html.

[ii]     Kellie Bramlet. “Phytochemicals and Cancer: What You Should Know,” MD Anderson Cancer Center (January 2017), https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/january-2017/phytochemicals-and-cancer-what-you-should-know.html.

[iii]    Ibid.

[iv]    AICR eNews. “7 Key Nutrients: Find Them in Your Cancer-Fighting Foods,” American Institute for Cancer Research (March 2, 2017), http://www.aicr.org/enews/2017/03-march/enews-7-key-nutrients-found-in-foods.html

[v]     A.M. Tarrazo-Antelo, A. Ruano-Ravina, J. Abal Arca,et al. “Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Lung Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study in Galicia, Spain,” Nutrition and Cancer, vol. 66, no. 6 (August 2014), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25085257.

[vi]    AICR’s Foods That Fight Cancer. “Broccoli and Cruciferous Vegetables.”

[vii]   “Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer Prevention,” National Cancer Institute (accessed June 230, 2018), https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet.

#3 Cancer-Healing Food: Blueberries
Blueberries are a powerful anti-cancer superfruit mostly because of their antioxidant qualities. Plus, they are sweet but don’t spike blood sugar or create an acid-forming, sugary breeding ground in which cancer cells can grow. When tested among 20 fruits, guess which one ranked first for antioxidant capacity? Blueberries! The reason? Mainly their many phytochemicals.[i]

• Anthocyanins, catechins, quercetin, kaempferol, and other flavonoids (these are antibacterial)
  
•  Ellagitannins and ellagic acid
•  Pterostilbene and resveratrol

 
Also:

• Vitamins C and K
• Manganese
• Fiber.

 
Blueberries are definitely my berry of choice. They taste delicious and satisfy my sweet tooth without being sickly sweet. If you’re not as big a fan as me, closely following in antioxidant capacity are cranberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, golden berries, and goji berries. Try one type, try all. Berries can help you introduce plenty of variety to your meals.

Studies show that blueberries protect the brain, prevent damage to our DNA, and inhibit cancer cell development.[ii] Basically, you can imagine that the blueberries you eat are little (beneficial) bombs that go off in your body and increase the pace of natural programmed cancer cell death (apoptosis).

The American Cancer Society writes: “Anthocyanidins, as well as other molecules present in blueberry, would slow the progression of cancer by blocking the development of blood vessels feeding the malignant cells. This antiangiogenic process deprives cancer cells of their supply of oxygen and nutrient molecules needed to reproduce, which makes it a powerful anticancer food.”[iii]

Blueberries have been proven to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor size—how cool is this! Where’s my bowl?
 
Blueberries Are Especially Good For . . .

• Breast cancer [iv]
• Colon cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Lung cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Skin cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Leukemia
• Cervical cancer[v]

 
Doctrine of Signatures: The blueberry looks like the iris of an eye; therefore, it is believed that blueberries are especially good for eye health and to help circulate energy to the brain and eyes. These berries also look like the sphere shape of certain reproductive organs—breasts, ovaries, and testicles—so may be beneficial for conditions associated with those organs too.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, 1½ cups cancer per day—in one or two servings.

(This amount is based on findings from a Rutgers University animal study of pterostilbene extract, an antioxidant that comes from blueberry. The animals that ate blueberry extract reduced precancerous lesions in their colons by 57 percent more than animals that didn’t.)[vi]

• To prevent cancer, ½ cup per day, or every few days.

 
Cancer-Free with Food recipes with Blueberries

• The Big 3: Anti-inflammatory Blueberry Broccoli Sprouts Turmeric Juice
• Berry Green Juice
• Classic Green Smoothie
• Classic OJ Mixed-Berry Smoothie
• Acai Berry Smoothie
• Ultimate Superfood Smoothie
• Chocolate Nut Berry Smoothie
• Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
• Liana’s Favorite Smoothie Bowl
• Fully Loaded Breakfast Cereal
• Blueberry Fruit Leather
• Blueberry Chia Seed Pudding

 
Other Ways to Incorporate Blueberries in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen
Because blueberries are such as wonderful source of vitamin C, MD Anderson Cancer Center put them on its list of the top five foods to reduce cancer risk.[vii] Add blueberries wherever you can! Get creative with this. I add blueberries to juices, smoothies, cereal, and desserts. I’m fond of adding them to the Chocolate Block and the Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pancakes recipes.

• You may eat blueberries fresh, frozen, dried or powdered—all forms are good
• Eat blueberries as a stand-alone snack
• Freeze fresh blueberries for a frozen treat

I also offer a Cancer-Free Video Course and book bundle which you can purchase here!

Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book

[i]     “Anticancer Properties of Blueberries,” Cancer Effects (accessed June 30, 2018), http://www.cancereffects.com/Anticancer-Properties-of-Blueberries.html.

[ii]     S.A. Johnson and B.H. Arjmandi. “Evidence for Anti-cancer Properties of Blueberries: A Mini-Review,” Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 13, no. 8 (October 2013), pp. 1142–8, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23387969.

[iii]    Delarno’s blog. “Blueberries Kill Cancer Cells and Reduce Tumor Size,” Cancer Survivors Network (posted October 12, 2015), https://csn.cancer.org/node/297330.

[iv]    A. Faria, D. Pestana, D. Teixeiria, et al. “Blueberry anthocyanins and pyruvic acid adducts: anticancer properties in breast cancer cell lines,” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 24, no. 12 (December 2010), pp. 1862-9, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20564502.

[v]     Kristoffer T. Davidson, Ziwen Zhu, Qian Bai, et al. “Blueberry as a Potential Radiosensitizer for Treating Cervical Cancer,” Pathology and Oncology Research (published online 2017), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12253-017-0319-y. Also: Honor Whiteman. “How Blueberries Help to Kill Cancer Cells,” Medical News Today (January 3, 2018)

[vi]    Sylvia Booth Hubbard. “Blueberries: A Natural Weapon to Treat Alzheimer’s, Heart Disease, and Cancer,” Newsmax (posted Mach 29, 2016), https://www.newsmax.com/health/headline/blueberries-natural-weapon-treat/2016/03/29/id/721354.

[vii]   “Five Foods That Help Lower Your Cancer Risk,” M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (August 2016), https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/August2016/foods-lower-cancerrisk.html.

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 . . .

• Breast cancer[viii]
  
• Prostate cancer
  
• Stomach cancer
  
• Skin cancer
  
• Pancreatic cancer[ix]
  
• Colon cancer[x]
  
• Lung cancer[xi]
  
• Bladder cancer[xii]
  
• Ovarian cancer[xiii]
  
• Cervical cancer[xiv]
  
• Lymphoma[xv]
  
• Oral cancer[xvi]

 
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:

• Cut root: 1½–3 grams per day
  
• Dried, powdered root: 1–3 grams per day
  
• Standardized powder (curcumin): 400–600 mg, 3 times per day
  
• Fluid extract (1:1) 30–90 drops a day
  
• Tincture (1:2): 15–30 drops, 4 times per day

 
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

• Immune-Boosting Turmeric Black Pepper Tea
  
• Turmeric Cumin Quinoa
  
• Beef Tacos
  
• Golden Milk
  
• Anti-inflammatory Juice
  
• Vitamin C Blaster Juice
  
• Sick Kick Smoothie
  
• Pain-relieving Tea
  
• Anti-Cancer Omelet
  
• Lentil Soup
  
• Black Bean Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Chickpeas
  
• Chickpea Burgers
  
• Turmeric Rice
  
• Chicken Nuggets
  
• Sweet Potato Fruit Leather

 
Other Ways of Incorporating Turmeric in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen
Here are some different ways to incorporate turmeric in your kitchen.

• Add turmeric powder to water, juice, smoothies, eggs, salads, soups, or veggie stir-fry. You can incorporate this daily, especially if you do have cancer
• Make a big batch of soothing curry with chickpeas and quinoa
• You can make a turmeric paste by adding a teaspoon of turmeric, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 teaspoons of water; however, it may not be tasty
•  Boil turmeric root and make a tea
• Add a smidgen of turmeric powder to green tea or ginger tea

 
You can purchase turmeric in these ways:

• Buy raw, whole turmeric root (it looks similar to ginger, just much smaller) from a supermarket or health food store
• Buy turmeric powder
• Buy curry powder, which always contains turmeric as one of the ingredients
• Buy turmeric supplements (like my Anxiety-Free supplements)
• Buy curcumin supplements

 
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.

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 . . .

• Stomach cancer
• Colon cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Bladder cancer[vii]
• Breast cancer[viii]
• Liver cancer
• Brain cancer

 
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”:

• To heal cancer: 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts per day
• To prevent cancer: 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts every third day

 
The Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Broccoli Sprouts

• Anti-cancer Omelet
• Dr. Ann Wigmore’s Energy Soup
• Super Powerful Green Juice
• The Big 3: Anti-Inflammatory Blueberry Broccoli Sprouts Turmeric Juice
• Heal from Within Greens Juice
• Classic Green Smoothie
• Ultimate Superfood Smoothie
• Zucchini Pasta Broccoli Sprouts Pesto
• Five-Ingredient Green Salad
• Super Detox Green Salad
• Broccoli Sprout Guacamole

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

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.

There are only two main reasons why we get cancer.

1. Toxicity from our food and the environment. When have been exposed to too many toxins, this creates an unhealthily acidic environment in the body that weakens the immune system and causes our organs to stop working up to their full potential. Acidity creates a breeding ground for cancer.

2. Stress. Stress can be mental, emotional, or physical. When we are put under pressure for a short period, we can recover from it reasonably quickly. But when the pressure is unrelenting, our resources eventually become depleted and we are less resilient to the effects of stress.

Toxic exposure is a form of physical stress. Lack of sleep is another. Overworking for an extended period is yet another. These things make the body vulnerable to illness.
Mental stress includes negative thoughts, those that circulate in your own head as a result of your belief system or those that come from ongoing exposure to criticism. Sadness and anxiety make us more vulnerable to illness.

Emotional stress includes wounds from traumas in your past that haven’t healed yet, which could trigger you now. If you had a car crash, lost your job, are mourning the loss of a loved one, or are in the middle of a divorce or breakup, this could be an emotional stress factor too.

The impact of chronic stress can be reduced by eating nutritious foods, implementing new thought processes, praying, getting adequate sleep, and spending time with people you care about talking and having fun.

Knowing that toxicity and stress make us more susceptible to cancer, you can see the importance of making changes in your life to cancel them out. In this book, you will learn how to do so using the incredible power of nutrition.

My aim is to empower you with knowledge of ingredients and recipes.

To increase your chances of overcoming cancer at any stage, here are the ten principles for your body, mind, and spirit that have proven to be most effective. Basically, if you embrace these key strategies for establishing a healthful lifestyle, you will have a way higher chance of healing cancer—simply banishing it from your life so that it never comes back again.

Many people with cancer opt to have surgery and chemotherapy or radiation, conventional treatments that address the physical aspect of overcoming cancer, without similarly treating the other parts of themselves—their minds, emotions, and souls. Those who choose to opt out of chemo or radiation may be substituting an alternative therapy in its place to address the symptoms of cancer. Meeting our nutritional needs and avoiding toxicity is just as important.

Furthermore, my perspective is that we are not fully healed unless all of us is healed, inside and out. Disease is created energetically before it manifests in the body, so we need to address mind and spirit along with body. The goal is to ensure that cancer doesn’t come back once it has been physically eradicated.

Instead of letting an episode of cancer destroy you, you can allow it to serve as positive motivation to change. Think of cancer (or simply confronting the prospect of cancer) as an opportunity to clean up your diet and lifestyle and form a closer relationship with God, which is the ultimate power we could ever need in our lives!
Let’s begin with a look at the seven key physical principles.
 
Principles for Healing Your Body
1.     Nourishment with fresh, organic, real nutrients. Nourish your body with nutrient-rich, noncarcinogenic foods and beverages. Follow the Cancer Diet model and recipes in this book. Changing your diet WILL change your life.

From growing up in Australia with an indigenous, nature-wise culture around me, I learned that freshly picked food is the most healthful. When we can go out to our backyard and pick a fruit, vegetable, leaf, or herb straight from the bush, tree, or vine it grows on, as it comes to the table it’s still alive with the vital energy we need to thrive and extremely nutrient-rich.

Most of us don’t have gardens of our own anymore—over 50 percent of the world population now live in cities. The next best way to eat fresh produce after picking it ourselves is to go to our local farms or farmers’ markets for as seasonal and as local foods as possible. When food is shipped to a supermarket, whether it travels around the world or across the nation, it loses some of its nutritional value and energy. Do a test for yourself, if you can and see what you can feel. Compare the taste of a local, freshly picked apple with that of a transported apple picked a few weeks ago. It’s fascinating to observe the difference in taste and energy between a local vegetable and a vegetable shipped in from another state.

Its also important to buy organic produce. Farmers grow a lot of foods these days with pesticides, so loads of chemicals are being absorbed by fruits and vegetables through their roots as well as through their leaves and peels when they are being sprayed. These chemicals deplete them of their nutrients and makes them toxic. Wash your produce thoroughly in clean water to get rid of any possible chemical residue on it!

The truth is that most of us aren’t able to purchase foods with perfectly intact nutrients; plus, a lot of us have digestive systems that are not absorbing all the nutrition they could be. This certainly was the case for me in my teens and early twenties. After years of eating processed foods and taking laxatives instead of eating fiber, I had compacted waste stuck to the walls of my gut that was inhibiting me from absorbing nutrients from the fruits and vegetables I ate.

When I committed myself to healing, I researched ways to put high amounts of nutrition in my body as quickly as possible. I knew that to boost my immune system—to support it so that it could play its role in healing my body—I would have to essentially feast on nutrients. Having deprived my body of proper nutrition for many years, I felt malnourished. Well-fed but starved. My body didn’t have the nutrient resources it needed to function properly and keep me well.

Hidden malnourishment is one of the reasons people overeat. Nutrient deficiency is an epidemic right now. Because of hunger that is not being assuaged, people respond by eating more processed foods. They fill up on calories and crave sugar and fat. Their hunger and dietary choices are in a vicious cycle that can only be interrupted by consumption of nutrient-dense food.

By eating as locally and seasonally as possible, I was able to ensure that my food had a high nutritional value. But I wanted to do more to promote healing. From research, I learned that an extremely fast way to get the vitamins and phytochemicals we need is to drink fresh juices. For me, the alternative would have been to have a qualified health-care practitioner give me an antioxidant-rich vitamin drip from an IV, but I don’t like needles and the cost was prohibitive. Intuitively, I knew that through daily juicing my cells would be nourished and detoxified.
​
Every time I had a juice, I imagined it as liquid medicine going into my blood stream and pumping energy straight into my cells. I visualized cancer cells and my cravings for junk food being forced out of my body. I knew that the nutrients I was taking in were helping me create new cells and build a new body.


2.     Incorporate the top 15 cancer-healing foods into your daily diet. These ingredients are filled with many antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that inhibit tumor growth and help make the body inhospitable to cancer. See Chapter 2, for more details about:
​
·      Blueberries
·      Broccoli
·      Broccoli sprouts
·      Cacao
·      Dark leafy greens (bok choy, cilantro, kale, parsley, spinach, and watercress)
·      Flaxseed (aka linseed)
·      Garlic
·      Ginger
·      Grapes
·      Lemon
·      Mushrooms
·      Quinoa
·      Tigernuts
·      Tomatoes
·      Turmeric
 
You may also wish to take dietary supplements of certain healing nutrients (see Chapter 3 in Cancer-Free with Food).
 
3.     Hydrate with plenty of purified water. Clean drinking water is so important! Tap water is filled with toxic pollutants, including chlorine and even pharmaceutical drugs. Your body needs to stay well hydrated to function at its best.

4.     Detox. Help your body to cleanse itself of excess toxicity, which suppresses the immune system. Detoxing methods, which might include hot baths, saunas, dry brushing the skin, colonics, or taking nutritional supplements to support your liver and other organs of elimination, will allow your immune system to do its job better. (See Chapter 7 in Cancer-Free with Food.)

5.     Reduce toxic exposure to carcinogens. Carcinogens are substances capable of causing cancer to grow in living tissue. This includes chemicals in processed foods, like preservatives, additives, and artificial flavorings. When you follow the Cancer-Free with Food model, sticking to an organic, whole-food, plant-rich diet, you won’t be consuming any of these. You could also be exposed to carcinogens in your environment, including from your workplace, your household, or pollution in the air. Medication treatments that suppress the immune system are carcinogenic. Because carcinogens affect our DNA they should be avoided as much as possible! (See Chapter 4 in Cancer-Free with Food.)

6.     Reduce your exposure to electromagnetic chaos. Chaotic electromagnetic fields (EMFs) radiate energy that stresses your cells, weakens the immune system, and interferes with the proper function of the brain and nervous system. To avoid them you need to spend less time on your cellphone, being immersed in WI-FI signals, sitting near a TV, at the computer, and under florescent lights. (See Chapter 4 in Cancer-Free with Food.)

7.     Spend as much time in nature as possible. Green nature and fresh air will help to balance the effects of pollution you are exposed to. Walk barefoot to ground yourself and be sure look at look at trees and bushes (greens instead of screens).
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8.   Sleep, rest, and relax. Adequate sleep is crucial for healing. Make sure to get at least eight to ten hours a night if you are healing cancer. And if you are stressed out a majority of the time, how do you expect the body to cope with that? It puts a high a demand on your energy. Rest and relaxation needs to be scheduled in your calendar, so you have some time allocated for it every day. When healing cancer, do not skip it.
 
Principles for Healing Your Mind
9.   Upgrade your thoughts. Positive thoughts will support your healing process and keep your immune system strong. Negative thoughts will weaken your immune system. (See Chapter 10 in Cancer-Free with Food.)
 
Principles for Healing Your Spirit
10.  Pray. Incorporating prayer into your life will improve your spiritual relationship with yourself and with your higher power. As emotional wounds and soul wounds heal, you will experience more ease and grace. God and self-love are powerful. (See Chapter 10 in Cancer-Free with Food.)
 
Principles for Cancer Prevention
The same principles apply to cancer prevention as to cancer healing. If you take care of your diet by incorporating more anti-cancer foods and avoiding carcinogens and toxins, you are taking care of your body in the best way possible. You are supporting your immune system.
Monitor your thoughts, too, to ensure you are thinking life-supporting, positive thoughts. This will help you be strong emotionally and support you in building a healthful lifestyle.
And do not forget your spiritual side. Your friendships, your family, and your faith can sustain you and help you remain healthy too.