5 Foods That Help Fight & Prevent Cancer
Dietary intake provides a foundation for the human body to be healthy.The foods that are eaten can either support and nourish the body or potentially cause harm.The incidence of developing cancer is extremely high; one person out of three will have some form of cancer in their lifetime.
Fortunately, there are many things that can be done to help prevent cancer.Eating foods that have been proven to have cancer-fighting benefits can potentially save lives.These foods will have even more potent anti-cancer agents if you make sure that they are organic.Organic foods are higher in vitamins and minerals which help to decrease the risk of cancer.Also, diets that include large amounts ofvegetables have been shown to fight off cancer.Thus, it is important that the following specific foods along with many vegetables are included in our daily diets.
One of the most well studied foods is actually a drink that decreases cancer risk; green tea.Green tea has been used for thousands of years and has many cancer fighting properties.It contains antioxidants which help to prevent damage to cells, so it’s protective against cancer.Bladder cancer, breast cancer, and even skin cancer have been shown to be helped by green tea.Some studies show that just three cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of breast cancer in young women. Research shows that the chances of developing a breast cancer tumor drop by around 37 percent in women under 50 who drank tea at least three times daily.Other studies have shown that women of all ages would benefit from drinking eight cups of green tea daily to prevent breast cancer.Green tea also modulates blood sugar levels.High blood sugar levels have been linked with increased cancer risk.Green tea is one the best superfoods to ward of cancer.
2. Eat a Daily Dose of Wild Organic Blueberries
Blueberries are avery tasty way to help ward off cancer. The antioxidants in blueberries called anthocyanins have been shown to prevent cancer andspecifically to reduce colon cancer risk.Several studies have demonstrated that blueberries decrease the risk of metastases which is a cancer spreading from its original site.Blueberries are low on the glycemic index so they usually do not affect sugar levels like other fruits can.Eating a cup of wild blueberries a day can help to prevent cancer.
Many mushrooms contain compounds that can help the body fight cancer.Shitake, maitake, reishi, and even the inexpensive button mushrooms all have immune boosting properties which help prevent cancer.Reishi mushrooms have been shown to inhibit the growth of malignant tumors.Maitake mushrooms may help reduce blood sugar levels, which will reduce cancer risk.Mushrooms can be high in pesticides and thus it is best to eat organic mushrooms.
4. Eat Your Cruciferous Vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, etc. have been shown to help decrease the risk of cancer, especially breast cancer.Cruciferous vegetables have been shown to contain DIM (di-indolyl-methane) and I3C (Indole-3-Carbinol).Indole-3-carbinol is a phytonutrient which is an organic plant part specifically found in cruciferous vegetables.Other phytonutrients that we may be more familiar with include carotenoids which are the red, yellow and orange pigments in vegetables. DIM is also a phytonutrient that is a break down product of Indole 3-Carbinol.These two phytonutrients help to convert bad estrogen over to good estrogen.I3C has been shown to be very effective in fighting breast cancer cells by blocking tumor growth.Research has shown that both I3C and DIM might help cure cancer.
5. Eat Your Garlic, Even Raw Garlic.
Garlic is an important food that helps to fight cancer.Garlic contains a powerful plant phytonutrient called allicin that has been shown to protect the body against cancer.Allicin has even been shown to kill tumor cells in certain studies.Garlic can have a powerful antioxidant effect in the body, which means it helps to protect against damaging free radicals which can cause cancer.Studies have found that high consumption of raw or cooked garlic decreases the risk of colon cancer and stomach cancer by up to 50%.
Green tea, blueberries, cruciferous vegetables, and garlic are very potent anti-cancer foods and everyone would benefit from adding these foods to their diet.There are many other foods that are not listed here that would help as well.In general, ingesting the super foods listed above along with a lot of organic vegetables will help to minimize your risk of developing cancer.
About the author: Jillian Finker, Naturopathic Physician has a private practice in Bellmore, New York. She specializes in women’s health and is trained as an expert in natural medicine. She has appeared on News 12 Long Island Naturally, other television programs, and is a referral source for Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Her work has been featured in various books and major magazines nationwide. Visit her website at: www.DrFinker.com
Check out more articles, recipes and videos on this topic:
Kick the Coffee Habit with Loose Organic Green Tea
Green Tea Cuts Stomach Cancer Risk in Women
Leaf Organic Teas – Episode 44
New Research Confirms Mushrooms’ Status as Power Food
Easy Garlicky Beet Greens Recipe – Episode 45
Winter Roasted Organic Veggies with Elaine Hendrix – Episode 42
Brussels Sprouts With Shitake Mushrooms And Crispy Shallots – Episode 7
