“Top Cancer-Fighting Foods”

Fighting Cancer by the Plateful: No single food can prevent cancer, but the right combination of foods may help make a difference. At mealtimes, strike a balance of at least two-thirds plant-based foods and no more than one-third animal protein. This "New American Plate" is an important cancer fighting tool, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Check out better and worse choices for your plate.

 

Fighting Cancer with Color: Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients -- and the more color, the more nutrients they contain. These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red, and orange vegetables.

 

The Cancer-Fighting Breakfast: Naturally occurring folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum, and breast.  You can find it in abundance on the breakfast table. Fortified breakfast cereals and whole wheat products are good sources of folate. So are orange juice, melons, and strawberries.

 

More Folate-Rich Foods: Other good sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. You can also find it in beans, sunflower seeds, and leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce. The best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables, and enriched grain products. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should take a supplement to make sure they get enough folic acid to help prevent certain birth defects.

 

Pass Up the Deli Counter: An occasional Reuben sandwich or hot dog at the ballpark isn't going to hurt you. But cutting back on processed meats like bologna, ham, and hot dogs will help lower your risk of colorectal and stomach cancers. Also, eating meats that have been preserved by smoking or with salt raises your exposure to chemicals that can potentially cause cancer.

 

Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes: Whether it's the lycopene -- the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color -- or something else isn't clear. But some studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce, or paste increase the cancer-fighting potential.

 

Tea's Anticancer Potential: Even though the evidence is still spotty, tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter. In laboratory studies, green tea has slowed or prevented the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells. It also had a similar effect in lung tissue and skin. And in some longer-term studies, tea was associated with lower risks for bladder, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. But more research in humans is needed before tea can be recommended as a cancer fighter.

 

Grapes and Cancer: Grapes and grape juice, especially purple and red grapes, contain resveratrol. Resveratrol has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer process in cells. There is not enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine (or taking supplements) can prevent or treat cancer.

 

Limit Alcohol to Lower Cancer Risk: Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, and breast are all linked with drinking alcohol. Alcohol may also raise the risk for cancer of the colon and rectum. The American Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks per day for men and one for women. Women at higher risk for breast cancer may want to talk with a doctor about what amount of alcohol, if any, is safe based on their personal risk factors.

 

Water and Other Fluids Can Protect: Water not only quenches your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder. Also, drinking more fluids causes you to urinate more frequently. That lessens the amount of time those agents stay in contact with the bladder lining.

 

The Mighty Bean: Beans are so good for you, it's no surprise they may help fight cancer, too. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body's cells against damage that can lead to cancer. In the lab these substances slowed tumor growth and prevented tumors from releasing substances that damage nearby cells.

 

The Cabbage Family vs. Cancer: Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale. These members of the cabbage family make an excellent stir fry and can really liven up a salad. But most importantly, components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung, and cervix. Lab research has been promising, but human studies have had mixed results.

 

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, lettuce, kale, chicory, spinach, and chard have an abundance of fiber, folate, and carotenoids. These nutrients may help protect against cancer of the mouth, larynx, pancreas, lung, skin, and stomach.

 

Protection from an Exotic Spice: Curcumin is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric and a potential cancer fighter. Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation, and invasion of cancerous cells for a wide array of cancers. Research in humans is ongoing.

 

Cooking Methods Matter: How you cook meat can make a difference in how big a cancer risk it poses. Frying, grilling, and broiling meats at very high temperatures causes chemicals to form that may increase cancer risk. Other cooking methods such as stewing, braising, or steaming appear to produce fewer of those chemicals. And when you do stew the meat, remember to add plenty of healthy, protective vegetables.

 

A Berry Medley with a Punch: Strawberries and raspberries have a phytochemical called ellagic acid. This powerful antioxidant may actually fight cancer in several ways at once, including deactivating certain cancer-causing substances and slowing the growth of cancer cells. There is not, though, enough proof yet to say it can fight cancer in humans.

 

Blueberries for Health: The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health, starting with cancer. Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells. But more research is needed. Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries.

 

Pass on the Sugar: Sugar may not cause cancer directly. But it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer. And it increases calorie counts, which contributes to overweight and obesity. Excess weight is also a cancer risk. Fruit offers a sweet alternative in a vitamin-rich package.

 

Don't Rely on Supplements: Vitamins may help protect against cancer. But that's when you get them naturally from food. Both the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research emphasize that getting cancer-fighting nutrients from foods like nuts, fruits, and green leafy vegetables is vastly superior to getting them from supplements. Eating a healthy diet is best.

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on February 7, 2018

Sources:

American Cancer Society
American Institute for Cancer Research
Medical News Today
Michaud, D. The New England Journal of Medicine, May 6, 1999.
The Ohio State University Extension Service

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“7 Foods Men Should Eat Weekly”

Eating healthy is like going to work -- you have to do it every day whether you like it or not!

 

When you consume nutrient-rich foods, your body repays you with a healthier heart, increased energy, and the ability to fight off numerous illnesses.  

We have put together a list of nutritional foods that are not only very tasty, but also some of the world's healthiest. These are some of the best foods men can pick up at the local grocer:

Bananas - A naturally sweet fruit that can be harvested year around. One of our best sources of potassium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), bananas may help prevent high blood pressure and may protect against type 2 diabetes. They can also help improve your body's ability to absorb calcium, promoting bone health. When choosing bananas at your grocer, pick ones that are firm, but not too hard. They should be bright in color and free from bruises or scarring. Despite their rugged appearance, bananas are delicate and will often bruise and scar quickly. Some other foods high in potassium like bananas include broccoli, soybeans potatoes, avocados, apricots, pomegranates, and turnips.

Collard Greens - High in vitamins K, A, and C, collard greens are one of the most popular and most healthy Southern vegetable traditions. This leafy green offers several nutrients as part of the %DV serving you should get. These include manganese, folate, calcium, fiber, potassium, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc. Collards are an excellent source of vitamin A and zinc, two nutrients that can significantly improve our immune system function. Collard greens are also high in folate and a very good source of vitamin B6, both of which are needed to maintain low levels of homocysteine - a chemical compound that could present a cardiovascular risk in high levels. When buying collards, look for firm, un-wilted leaves that have a deep green color. Yellow or brown leaves show signs of nutrient loss.

Wheat and Bran - Unless you live on a wheat farm in Kansas, your best source for this valuable grain is breads, pasta, crackers, and cereals. In its most natural unrefined state, wheat contains important nutrients. To receive the full benefit from wheat, it is important to choose wheat products made from whole wheat flour rather than those that are refined. Be sure to select 100% whole wheat products. These foods retain the bran and the germ, a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese. Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as whole wheat or bran cereals and breads -- substantially lowers the risk for Type 2 Diabetes and may help reduce the risk of other health issues like gallstones. Studies also show that eating whole grains such as whole wheat, has been linked to protection against atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Cabbage - Cabbage is a worldwide staple vegetable available year around. Cabbage is high in vitamins K, C, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), fiber, folate, and manganese. Research has shown that cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage lowers the risk of prostate and colorectal cancer. Choose cabbage heads that are firm with shiny, crisp, and colorful leaves. While outer leaves are green and inner leaves are whiter, they should all be free of cracks, bruises and blemishes. According to the George Mateljan Foundation World's Healthiest Foods resource, cabbage's anti-carcinogenic glucosinolates are formed by the activity of myrosinase enzymes, which are released when cabbage is sliced or chopped. These enzymes are deplenished when cabbage is overcooked.

Salmon - We all know that fish is much better for you than steaks and pot roast. Dozens of fish and seafood dishes like salmon provide invaluable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon contains two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) -- both of which are excellent for promoting a healthy heart by preventing erratic heart rhythms and making blood less likely to clot inside arteries. Eating salmon, as little as twice a month, may protect against ischemic stroke (a stroke caused by lack of blood supply to the brain), colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. Eating salmon that is either broiled or baked may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia. While frying salmon tastes great, it can mean less protection against atrial fibrillation and often increases the production of harmful fats.

Apples - "An apple a day..." This old statement still holds true and this versatile fruit is packed full of fiber and vitamin C. Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber which are critical in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risks for stroke and heart attack. Eating apples with their nutritional peels left on, can stabilize bowel movements and help relieve constipation. The all important peel contains concentrations of special antioxidant compounds that may assist in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases. The fructose (natural sugars) in apples can help keep blood sugar levels stable and also behaves like a natural sweetener -- perfect for baking or snacks.

Lima Beans - Rich in soluble fiber, protein, and iron -- lima beans can be a great complimentary vegetable for baked chicken and rice dishes. The high fiber content in these legumes prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them an especially good choice for people with diabetes. Lima beans' rich supply of magnesium and folate contribute to good cardiovascular health, and their high protein value can act as a replacement for red meat dishes in your diet. Sometimes called "butter beans", a cup of lima beans contain about 23% of the total daily value of iron men should get.

Reference: MyBrother.Com Staff

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)