Living with Cancer - Cancer Fighting Foods

                              CANCER  FIGHTING  FOODS

Foods either highly alkaline and / or have high amounts of antioxidants

Below is a small sample of what are considered “cancer fighting foods”.  If you google ‘cancer fighting foods’  hundreds of pages will come up with a lot more information.   The best ‘cancer fighting foods’ are those that are highly alkaline and / or have high amounts of antioxidants.  An alkaline body prevents cancer cells from growing.   Antioxidants kill “free-radicals” which destroy healthy cells.

While no one food can act as a magic weapon against cancer different foods working together  in the body can help fight against or prevent cancer.

VITAMIN C:

Vitamin C is a VERY powerful antioxidant.  It captures free-radicals and neutiaizes them.  Take an all-natural Vitamin C daily or drink orange juice throughout the day.

FRUITS and BERRIES:

All types of berries and grapes (especially those that are red or blue in color) can help prevent cancer because they contain substances
called phytochemicals that destroy cancer cells.  Grapes contain Reservatrol, a type of natural chemical that blocks the growth of cancer cells.  The berries that have the most antioxidants are fresh blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.  Other fruits
that are high in antioxidants and are alkaline are raisins, apples and pears (especially the skins), over ripe bananas (the ones with all the brown spots, NOT those pretty yellow ones), pineapple, avocado,         grapefruit, lemon, limes, dates, figs, melons, kiwi, mango and papaya.   Try to eat as many fresh fruits as possible throughout the day.  Even though most fruits are acidic in their natural state, once they get into your intestinal track they become alkaline.

FRESH VEGETABLES:  

Green leafy vegetables such as fresh spinach and kale have a substance called chlorophyllin which can help prevent cancer.  Fresh spinach is also
high in antioxidants.  Foods that are highly alkaline and help fight cancer are:  carrots, broccoli, celery, bell pepper, lettuce, red onions, mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, cauliflower, red cabbage, radishes, eggplant and baked sweet potato NOT a white potato.  White
potatoes turn into sugar.  Cancer thrives on sugar.  Try to eat as many fresh vegetables as possible throughout the day.  If you must cook them, always steam vegetables leaving them a little bit undercooked. Steaming will remove some nutrients but boiling them removes most of their nutrients.  Never boil them.  

NUTS:             

Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans and pistachios have high amounts of antioxidants.  Two of  those antioxidants – quercetin and campferol –
may suppress cancer cell growth.  I have found that almonds appear to be the best nut to eat. 

DRY BEANS:                 

All legumes (pinto beans, black beans, red beans, kidney beans, lentils, great northern beans, chick peas, black eyed peas,peas etc) contain high amounts of antioxidants. (1)   Some are acidic though so eat in moderation.  Dry beans may have a high carb count but a low ‘net carb or digestible carb’ count.  They digest very slowly and are low on the
glycemic index.  

BROWN RICE:

Brown rice is a whole grain and hasn’t been processed.  Whole grains are healthier than refined grains (white rice) and contain vitamins, iron and fiber.  Eating brown rice will help control triglycerides.  {White rice raises your triglyceride levels because it rapidly increases your blood-sugar
levels}.

SPICES AND SEASONINGS:

Sea salt (NOT regular salt), cinnamon, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, curry, ginger, all herbs, miso, oregano, mustard and Tamari are all highly alkaline. 

FLAXSEED  and  MILLET:    

Use flour or bread made of these in place of any type of flour or bread.  Flaxseed has magnesium, manganese, thiamin, protein, copper and selenium.  Millet has protein, the amino Acid lysine, B vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and folate.   It also has the minerals             magnesium, zinc, copper and iron.

GREEN TEA:          

Caffeine-free, organic green tea contains potent antioxidants.

COOKING OIL:            

After doing a lot of research I think the healthiest oil to fry with is extra virgin olive oil.  Canola oil comes in a close second but is better suited for deep frying (and also pan frying) [I don’t deep fry anything but I do use both oils].  If you deep fry foods, please use the oil only one time.  Using it repeatedly, or adding new oil to old oil will cause the oil to become
carcinogenic.  A carcinogen is a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue.

QUINOA:       

In my opinion I think the most important ‘cancer fighting food’ isn’t even a food……….it’s considered a grain or seed called quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).  My husband eats organic quinoa every day.  Quinoa has an abundance of vitamins and minerals.  It is sodium-free gluten-free,         wheat-free, sugar-free and saturated fat-free.   It is high in fiber, high in anti-oxidants, has no cholesterol and even helps lower cholesterol levels.  Quinoa is a little high in carbohydrates but they are NOT
empty carbs, they are complex carbs; the kind of carbs that keep your body functioning.

There is a warning with quinoa though.  You CAN NOT eat it if you had of have kidney stones containing oxalate.  Oxalic acid will form a bond with minerals such as sodium, potasium, magnesium and calcium.   If present in high enough levels, can solidify in the kidneys or urinary tract to form calcium crystals.