Cancer Prevention, Part 1 (of 6)

The importance of getting 5 – 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day is shown throughout the section on “Cancer” in Selene Yeager’s and Preventions’s The Doctor’s Book of Healing Foods (2008).  Not only that, but you need to get a variety of colors (of fruits and vegetables) every day.  As the slightly removed female relatives in my family (a cousin and 2 great-aunts) had breast cancer, including as early as at the age of 48—my current age!—part of what I eat is with the aim of cancer prevention, among other chronic diseases.  This is the first part (of 6) on cancer prevention, as its covered by the aforementioned 96-page book.  “Study after study shows that a healthful diet—eating less fat and getting more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—can vastly reduce the risk of cancer.” (Yeager & Prevention, 2008,  p. 12)

Getting in antioxidants (that fight free radicals, caused by pollution and chemicals in our environment, that lead to disease) happen when you get a “rainbow” of fruits and vegetables, such as:  beta-carotene in pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots, as well as spinach and kale; lycopene in tomatoes and watermelon; lutein in collard greens and other leafy greens; and vitamin C in all sorts of produce, from oranges to red peppers. (Yeager & Prevention, 2008).  “[D]on’t forget plant foods that AREN’T colorful fruits and vegetables such as, nuts, whole wheat bread, beans, and vegetable oils, for their antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium.” (Yeager & Prevention, 2008,  p. 13)

Another healing type of food for cancer is black or green tea.  This means if you go to McDonald’s or Popeye’s you can get iced [black] tea; and, if you go to Starbucks {a coffee shop franchise, or most independent coffee shops too—SD} you can get either iced or hot black or green tea—and you’ll be helping to prevent yourself from getting cancer! 

Whatever the cancer stage, tea can help.  Cancer researcher Hasan Mukhtar, PhD, of the department of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin, has seen tea stop cancer at each stage of its life cycle, arresting both its growth and spread.  And where cancerous tumors have already formed, he has seen tea shrink them. (Yeager & Prevention, 2008,  p. 13-14)

STAY TUNED!  Cancer Prevention, Part 2 will cover how vegetarian diets, berries and fiber help your immune system or colon.

Reference:

Yeager, S. & Prevention.  (2008).  The doctor's book of healing foods.  Rodale Inc.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a licensed healthcare provider.  If you have a health concern, consult with a nurse practitioner, M.D., naturopathic doctor (ND), pharmacist, or other healthcare practitioner.}