Did you know? According to the American Cancer Society, “About 1,660,290 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2013, and in 2013 about 580,350 Americans are projected to die of cancer, almost 1,600 people a day.”
In most parts of the world, cancer is the second most common cause of death, just behind heart disease. Take charge of our body and include cancer-fighting foods in your diet.
We know which foods to avoid, how about taking a close look at selecting the right foods?
The obvious thing is to think about what we could “remove” from our diet. What if instead, we could “add” foods to our diet that could boost our body’s defense system? What should we eat to defeat cancer? Makes sense?
Cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, to name a few, share a common denominator: faulty angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis is the term for the process our body uses to grow its blood vessels.
Cancer-fighting foods contain natural substances that work by cutting off the blood supply feeding cancer cells. Without a blood supply, cancers cannot grow. With the right foods, we can starve cancer and keep the process from happening.
Here are Foods that have cancer-fighting and starving properties:
Organic arugula is a champion. It is an anti-cancer cruciferous green and contains two cancer fighters called kaempferol and quercetin. Researchers have shown that diets containing arugula can reduce the risk of lung cancer.
Organic radicchio is a powerhouse. A serving has 10 percent of your daily value of folate, which is essential for healthy cell building and contains the compound intybin, which helps with digestion and is known as a liver detox aid. Radicchio, contain a substance called inulin, which naturally helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
Organic tomatoes are a must. They contain lycopene, the other common name is rhodopurpurin.
Lycopene is an antioxidant compound that gives tomatoes and certain other fruits and vegetables their color. Lycopene helps cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach.
Organic squash should be in your shopping basket. They contain two cancer fighters, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Diets high in squash have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer of the lymph system called Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Organic bananas are a favorite as they also contain cancer fighters. They are called catechins and delphinidin, and studies have shown diets rich in bananas can reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Organic oranges, tangerines, and clementines have hesperidin and naringenin. They are found in the juice. Researchers have shown they can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer. But don’t forget the zest, as it contains antioxidants too.
Fish: Wild Alaskan Salmon is the ultimate choice, but Calamari is a close tie. They contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are not only good for your heart but they also are antiangiogenic and can starve cancer cells. Salmon is also rich in Vitamin D, known to fight breast cancer.
Organic garlic and the Allium Family are powerful. Garlic belongs to the Allium family/class of bulb-shaped plants, which also includes onions, chives, leeks, shallots, and scallions. They are all potent cancer-fighters. Yet, garlic is unique because of its high organic sulfur content, arginine, oligosaccharides, flavonoids, and selenium; all of which are beneficial to health. Regular intake of garlic can reduce cancer of the stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas, and breast.
Organic green tea is the drink of choice. It contains polyphenol compounds, particularly catechins, which are antioxidants and whose biological activities are relevant to cancer prevention.
Raw, unpressed and organic olive oil is liquid gold. It contains cancer-fighting polyphenols, which give the oil its unique taste. The stronger the flavor of the oil, the higher the level of its polyphenols. It also has high levels of oleic acid, an anti-cancer fatty acid.
The green rule remains: support your local farmers and eat fresh. Do not fry, use natural salt, avoid refined sugar and animal fat.
Write a list of what you eat for one week and you will see firsthand what you are doing right and what needs to change.
Be honest with yourself and you will be surprised by how fast you can adopt new healthy habits.
1. “Cancer Facts & Figures 2013.” Cancer.org. American Cancer Society, n.d. Web. 29 July 2013.