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Featured Nutritionist
June M. Lay M.S.
Feeding Our Body!
How many times during this week did we consider how our food choices affect the health, function and appearance of our body? For instance, how many times did we consider our body as a machine that we are fueling? How many times did we connect our food choices to preventing disease, supplying us with energy, enhancing our mood, health and appearance? Of course eating healthy doesn't always lead to or guarantee us these things. But does eating healthy have any negative effects? I don't think so unless we consider feeling better a negative! September was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so while different cancers are associated with different lifestyle components including food, let's talk about feeding our body to fight disease including all cancers.
"Do certain foods prevent disease such as cancer?" Can we fight it by Feeding Our Body with food on a regular basis with what I call the "Raw Materials?" Here is what the "American Institute of Cancer Research" has to say,
"Cancer is not a single disease, but the generic name for more than 100 diseases, all having in common the uncontrolled reproduction of abnormal cells. Although scientists are only now beginning to understand the causes and growth of cancer, there exists a large and growing body of evidence showing that the foods we choose each day play a major part in cancer prevention."
They also have this to say,
"The international report on cancer prevention from the American Institute for Cancer Research, Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective, found that 30% to 40% of all cancers are directly linked to the foods we eat."
We can help ourselves to prevent cancer and other diseases when we make lifestyle choices that include choosing certain foods on a regular basis. This is something within our control. While there are other variables we cannot control such as genetic predispositions and many environmental factors, we can make the food choices that scientific research -based evidence does support (And we definitely won't be harmed by eating our fruits and veggies, will we?). And we can still have the "bad foods", just not as often! While some foods are associated with a higher risk for certain cancers (saturated fats associated with higher risk of colon and breast for example) and some foods are associated with a lower risk, these foods are all associated with reduced risk of disease.
Okay then, here are some of the most popular, most available foods to feed our body with, and their disease- fighting phytochemicals. And according to the latest research report, they give us these anti-cancer effects by, a) fighting cancer cell proliferation; b) scavenging carcinogens (and other environmental toxins); c) repairing damaged DNA; d) inhibiting cancer cell formation; and e) aiding cell death before mutation. Sounds important to me!
The foods and their phyto's
- Tomatoes, Watermelon, Red Grapefruit. These contain Lycopene
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts. These contain organosulphur compounds (Indoles, Sulforaphane, and others.)
- Soybeans, Flaxseed, Unrefined High Fiber Cereals and Grains, Legumes. These contain Phytic Acid, Isoflavones and others. I am recommending whole foods here, especially soy foods that evidence suggests may offer breast cancer protection. I cannot recommend soy supplements, since soy is a phytoestrogen, and may be harmful in some of us at higher dosages. Let's try fresh ground flaxseed, and add to a high fiber cereal. Flaxseeds not only confer antioxidant benefits, but may block our own estrogen action in breast tissue, similar to the prescription drug tamoxifen.
- Green Tea, Wine, Dark Chocolate. These contain Flavonoids (Green tea in particular has high antioxidant activity per caloric density. I love buying fresh green tea and using a French press to steep).
- Cherries, Cranberries, Peppermint. These contain a group of phyto's known as the Monoterpenes.
- Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Cantaloupe, Apricots, Spinach, Tomatoes. These contain the group of phyto's known as the Carotenoids including the well known beta-carotene.
- Garlic, Onions. These contain Allyl sulfides.
- Grapes (highest in skin and seeds), Wine. These contain Ellagic acid and Resveratrol
- Blueberries, Prunes, Grapes, Oats. These contain Caffeic acid.
As we can see, most of our foods contain more than one phyto, and scientists are discovering new one's everyday along with their action against disease! Generally speaking, fruits and vegetables are low calorie, high nutrient dense choices that contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, trace amounts of fat along with these bioactive chemicals. According to a summary of research data,132 studies out of 170 showed a high positive correlation between fruit and vegetable intake and a significant protective effect for all cancer sites (sites such as breast, lung, colon, bladder, stomach, pancreas; and there is some indication in research that dark green leafy vegetables confer a reduced risk in ovarian cancer).
Let's also remember that regular moderate exercise, reduced intake of meat (particularly charred grilled meats) and saturated fats and limiting alcohol consumption, are also known to reduce disease risk.
So, the next time we're ready for a meal or snack, let's consider how our choice will affect our body. Let's choose a few more of Mother Nature's arsenal of weapons. I hope now, we'll think a little bit more about why doing so, is so important for preventing cancer along with other diseases.
Here's to "Feeding our Body"!
Visit the Crum Creek Store for healthful snacks!