2009-06-30

Cancer and your Daily Diet


What can we do to avoid cancer? The obvious seems to be right answer...but eating healthy, keeping active and staying away from our vices seems to not always be enough. Why?

Research shows that the hidden toxicities in our daily intake and what we might not note as hazardous may be causing our bodies to crack and create cancer. In other words, without meaning to, we might be poisoning our most precious thing!

*Let me start by saying that anything "diet" has something that is not natural in it. Read the labels, anything that you can´t understand did not come from nature!

*Chicken or any meat for that matter, is full of hormones and has lived a life in gruesome conditions...the less you eat meat the better off you are.

*0% soups are like the diet sodas, if you check the labels, crazy things are in there...you are far better nourished if you snack on some nuts or make your own vegetable soup. Low fat desserts are better replaced by some dark chocolate or a fruit with honey!!!

This doesn´t mean that we should go crazy and obsessive trying to avoid every single thing that might harm us, but you should try to see what healthier options are out there and be conscious of what goes in your body. Consciousness is the key!

For example try the following:

1. Studies have shown that 30-40% of cancers are directly linked to dietary choices!!! So, try to go vegetarian, organic and local some days out of the week. Not only are you helping the environment (#1 issue is meat consumption) but you are also helping your body by giving your digestion a break, not ingesting pesticides or frozen foods, lowering cholesterol/blood pressure & reducing cancer risk. Also, by eating veggies you get leaner, that´s a fact!

2. Personal care products are a must for prevention! Petroleum based body care products, air fresheners and fabric softeners all contain cancinogenous properties and skin irritants. When you are out buying things for your home and personal use try to buy organic brands like Natura and Naturalista in Argentina or find any green brand and where to purchase them here http://green.thefind.com/

3. Find other sources for Calcium other than milk and dairy! Our suggested daily intake of calcium a day is around 700 milligrams. We are lead to believe that milk helps prevent osteoporosis and keeps us strong, when in reality it´s quite the contrary. You can get this amount of calcium from two handfuls of almonds, or abundant dark green leafy vegetables, or dried figs, the list goes on and on...Using milk as the pillar of our calcium consumption is a big mistake. "A recent review on dairy products and bone health (Lanou et al., Pediatrics 2005) shows that there is slim to none evidence to support the consumption of dairy products in order to promote bone health. This review examined the effects of dairy products and calcium on bone strength in children and young adults and found that physical exercise is the most critical factor for maintaining healthy bones, followed by improving the diet and lifestyle; this means eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and for young adults cutting down on caffeine and avoiding alcohol and smoking." (http://www.milkmyths.org.uk)

4. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber. I can´t highlight this enough!!! The National Cancer Institute says that the recommended intake should be around 20-30 grs. per day.

Examples of good choices are:
  • Whole grains such as barley and oats, oat bran, and nuts
  • Apples, bananas, blackberries, citrus fruits, pears, and prunes
  • Lima , kidney, pinto, and navy beans, chick peas, black-eyed peas, and especially lentils
  • Brussel sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and broccoli
To help you increase the fiber in the diet, the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation suggests that you substitute:
  • brown rice for white
  • whole wheat bread or rye for white
  • black beans for ground meat
  • bran muffin for croissant or pastry
  • popcorn for potato chips
  • unpeeled apple for applesauce
  • baked potato with skin for mashed potato
  • bean dip or salsa for sour cream dip
5. Fruits - Every which way possible. Substitute those cereal bars full of sugar for any fruit you have handy. If you have a juicer then mix fruit and vegetables and enjoy!

6. Try a glass of good red wine and some dark chocolate!

I hope this helps!
Love.

There´s always a first

My name is Emma and today is the first day of my blog.
I wanted to start this so that I could write and inform my friends, family and network all of the things that I´ve learned over the past years and that are currently changing my life in terms of nutrition, health, spirituality and over all outlook on life.
I hope you enjoy it and put some of my advice to practice!
Love.