Anti-Cancer Foods: Fight Cancer With a Fork

When my husband was going through his cancer treatments, he wasn’t told to consume anti-cancer foods as part of his treatment plan. He was told to eat whatever he wanted.  That really didn’t make a whole lot of sense to us because we wanted to know how to support his immune system with the highest nutritional foods.

As a nurse, this “eat whatever you want” mentality made me really scratch my head.

How could we wage an anti-cancer war if he was filling his body with foods that might lessen his strength and resilience at a time when he needed it most?

As we researched anti-cancer diets we discovered that the higher the quality of food you eat, the quicker you can help your immune system to recover.

Your Anti-Cancer Campaign Begins in Your Gut

Did you know that 40% of your immune system is in your gut?

I never knew that and always assumed that my immune system was governed mainly by the white blood cells.  I thought that I could eat whatever I wanted and that the intestines were there to just eliminate, not feed my body.

When it comes to arming yourself for an anti-cancer arsenal, cancer nutrition is ground zero.

I now understand “you are what you eat” and that’s what I teach my clients in my Cancer Resilience Program.

When going through your cancer treatments, it is difficult to know what to eat. In fact you may not feel like eating anything.  Your doctor may be telling you to eat what you want as long as you eat, but that may not be the best advice.

Yes, you need to eat, but your choices must be packed full of healthy anti-cancer nutrition to support your immune system.

There are so many different anti-cancer diets out there that are supposed to help with cancer, but which do you choose?

That’s one of the biggest questions I hear from women I meet with. Each of us is unique. One anti-cancer meal plan may work well for one body, but won’t work for another.

If you would like to discuss your particular situation, contact me HERE.

The simple answer is eat clean and green.   Clean meaning organic, unprocessed foods.  BeatCancer.org recommends the following anti-cancer daily dietary regiment guidelines.

• Vegetables 50%
• Fruits 10%
• Grains 20%
• Seeds and Nuts 5%
• Legumes 10%
• Animal Protein 5%

What vegetables are the most nutritious and have cancer fighting effects?

Here is a list of just a few vegetables with very high ant-cancer properties.

• Brussel Sprouts
• CabbageGarlic
• Green Onion
• Kale
• Leeks
• Spinach…Popeye knew what he was talking about!

Cooked vegetables should be steamed lightly, gently sautéed, or baked.  Include large amounts of green leafy vegetables and choices from cruciferous (cabbage) family daily.

Besides eating an increased number of fruits and vegetables, juicing is an excellent way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, especially if you have difficulty swallowing or have mouth sores.

A study published in the journal Food Chemistry found that when a number of fresh vegetables are juiced, multiple anti-cancer mechanisms arise.

When choosing fruits, eat raw or dry (rehydrated or unsulphured if possible).

Eat fruit that is preferably in season.

Fruit should be eaten alone as a meal by itself or between meals.

 A general principle to follow is a low fat, low animal protein, high fiber, and high complex carbohydrate diet.

 We can assess and map out what your customized “anti-cancer fighting with your fork plan” looks like together.

Contact me at connectwithbonnie@gmail.com or 724-263-1565.

Blessings,

Bonnie