HEALING FOODS

Many scientists have claimed that after pollution, processed food is the second significant cause of cancer.

Simple changes in the way you deal with the five main nutrients - Fruits and Vegetables, Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat and Water - are the key to improved health. It's easy to develop a sensible eating plan to fit your lifestyle.

• FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

  Mom was right. It's a good idea to eat more fruits and vegetables.

  Plant foods contain valuable vitamins and minerals needed for the normal functioning of cells, fiber for colon health and phytochemicals which help the body eliminate carcinogens. The National Cancer Institute says if you eat just five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you can decrease your chance of getting cancer by 50% - compared to a person who only eats two servings. Hey, that's easy!

  If you eat a cup of broccoli, a carrot, an apple, a salad with lettuce, tomatoes and onions, you have eaten your quota with one to spare!

  • Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Collards and Cabbage are loaded with cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
  • Tomatoes, Watermelon and Apricots contain lycopene a powerful anti-oxidant which a study in the International Journal of Cancer shows can reduce your risk of some cancers.
  • Carrots, Pumpkin, Squash and Corn contain the anti-oxidant beta-carotene. Anti-oxidants are cell protectors that thwart cancer.

• PROTEIN

  Why not base some of your meals around plant proteins - Beans, Nuts, Lentils, Whole Grains or Soy? In Nutrition Science News, 9/98, Jack Challem writes, "Eaten for more than 5000 years in Asia, soy appears to reduce the risk of breast cancer and other reproductive cancers - and doesn't have the unwanted side effects or risks of drugs."

  • Soy products like Tofu and Tempeh are easy to digest and are delicious when added to a stir- fry or steamed and seasoned with soy sauce.
  • If you eat chicken, look for the free-range varieties which are raised without hormones.
  • Consider reducing the quantity of red meat you eat as it has a high content of saturated fat and cholesterol and often contains antibiotics and hormones.

• CARBOHYDRATES

  Many people rely on refined carbohydrates such as pasta, white bread and polished rice.

  Since these lack fiber-rich bran and many vitamins, why not substitute some whole grain products? Brown rice, whole grain breads and whole wheat pasta are nutritious and tasty.

  In their book about breast cancer, Steve Austin and Cathy Hitchcock write, "A Dutch study divided women into four equal groups on the basis of grain intake.

  The group eating the most grains had less than half the breast cancer risk of those eating the least."

• FAT

  By saying goodbye to any of these - fried food, unskinned chicken and fatty processed foods - you can significantly reduce the amount of unhealthy fat in your diet.

  • By switching to the monosaturated oil, olive oil, you will enjoy good flavor and improved health.

  A study by A. Wolk et al. showed that a diet rich in monounsaturated fat reduces a woman's risk of breast cancer by 45%, but that polyunsaturated fat can increase the risk by 69%.

• FIBER

  There are far-reaching health benefits to eating a diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains which contain plentiful fiber. Fiber helps waste to move quickly through your intestines. A fast transit time prevents toxins from being re-absorbed into the bloodstream.

  • A high fiber diet can aid you to lose weight by providing a sense of fullness.

• WATER

  It is becoming increasingly difficult to find clean municipal or well water. If you are unsure about the purity of the water you drink, buy good, bottled water or consider purchasing a water distiller.

  I recently bought a Sears Kenmore on sale for about $80. It can make up to 4 gallons of pure, distilled water every day.

  A friend gave one of these machines to his parents when they went south for the winter. What a great gift!. His parents discovered that their water supply contained petroleum when they found a rainbow ring inside the distiller. The little distiller saved them from consuming this poison.

• BUY ORGANIC

  Buying organic food will reduce your exposure to harmful pesticides. Organic food is also more nutritious than foods grown with pesticides.

  A study reported in the Journal of Applied Nutrition, 1993, 45:35-39, found that organic fruits and vegetables contain 63% to 178% more essential minerals than non-organic produce. If you can't buy organic food, be sure to wash your produce carefully to remove pesticides.

• GREEN TEA

  Don't miss out on the benefits of green tea! It is an exceptional cancer fighter. Mice with cancer which were given the human equivalent of three cups of green tea a day had a 50% reduction in their tumors. Wow!

  Dr. H. Fujiki of the National Cancer Center Research Institute in Tokyo calls green tea "the cheapest and most practical method for cancer prevention available to the general public."

By changing my diet, I lost 20 pounds and gained renewed energy. It, is easy to adjust your eating habits. Just take one step at a time. By improving your diet, you and your family will be rewarded by good health.

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