Health and Wellness, and Preventing Disease

Maintaining health and wellness and preventing disease are major priorities for integrative medicine. Currently, the majority of our health care dollars are spent after a person is in crisis, when it costs the most to intervene and when the possibilities for full recovery are the slimmest. A recent study found that of the 7 million deaths from cancer worldwide in 2001, an estimated 35% were attributable to nine modifiable risks factors, all of which are controllable and most of which are under an individual’s own sovereignty.

Based on this and other scientific evidence, integrative medicine recommends lifestyle modifications—changes in diet and nutrition, physical activity and exercise, adopting stress management methods, and strengthening one’s social networks—to lower an individual’s risk of specific diseases and improve overall health.

The Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, under the leadership of Dean Ornish, MD, offers a comprehensive approach to lifestyle modification for people who are at high risk for or diagnosed with conditions such as coronary artery disease and prostate cancer. The program’s core components are a low-fat, whole foods diet; moderate aerobic exercise; stress management; and group support. This program, which has been approved by Medicare, is used in hospitals and clinics around the country.

Because the food we eat plays such an important role in maintaining health, nutrition has been a key focus for research—not only what to eat but also how to grow and buy the right food and how to prepare it in a healthful way.

“As a rule of thumb, try to include foods in your diet that have less than three grams of fat per serving. Stock foods in your refrigerator that you want to have on your diet. If it’s not right in front of you, you’re less likely to eat it. Cleaning out your refrigerator can be a nice metaphor for cleaning out your body and organizing your life in the way that you want it to be,” advises Dean Ornish, MD.

“Even simple choices can make a powerful difference. For example, two tablespoons of most salad dressings have as much fat as two scoops of premium ice cream. When in a restaurant, ask for the dressing on the side; just dip the tips of your fork in it with each bite, and you’ll get a fraction of the fat that you would otherwise.”

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Forward-thinking hospitals have now begun to promote healthy food. Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest nonprofit health plan, opened its first farmer’s market on the grounds of the Oakland Medical Center in Oakland, California in May 2003. Today, a total of 26 Kaiser-Permanente facilities have established on-campus farmer’s markets, which enable the facilities to offer better food choices to both employees and patients and promote awareness about good nutrition.

These and other integrative approaches to maintaining a healthy lifestyle may prevent serious illness and challenging medical treatments. In his book, 8 Weeks to Optimal Health, Andrew Weil, MD wrote, “Many of the common complaints that people have these days respond much better to simple adjustments in lifestyle than to taking medicine.”

Read more here.

The Connection Between Mind And Body

The idea that our minds and emotions play a critical role in our health—a fundamental premise in integrative medicine—is far from new. Many ancient healing systems emphasize the interconnection between mind and body in healing, including Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, who taught that good health depends on a balance of mind, body, and environment. Modern scientific research supports this age-old tenet of medical wisdom. It began in the 1920s, when Harvard scientist Walter Cannon, MD, identified the fight-or-flight response through which the body secretes hormones called catecholamines, such as epinephrine and nonepinephrine. When they enter the blood stream, these hormones produce changes in the body—i.e. a quickened heart or increased breathing rate—that put the person in a better physical state to escape or confront danger.

In the following decade, Hungarian-born scientist Hans Selye, MD, pioneered the field of stress research by describing how the wear-and-tear of constant stress could affect us biologically.

Since then, scores of scientific breakthroughs have illuminated the mind-body connection in health. Experimental psychologist Neal Miller, PhD, discovered that we can be trained to control certain physical responses, such as blood pressure, that were previously considered to be involuntary. This discovery gave birth to biofeedback, which has now been found to be effective in the treatment of anxiety, attention deficit disorder, headache, hypertension, and urinary incontinence.

Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson, MD, identified the flip side of the stress response, which he called the “relaxation response.” Benson demonstrated that meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques can bring about physiological changes including a lower heart rate, lower breathing rate, and decreased muscle tension along with positive changes in brain waves. Mind-body techniques that elicit this relaxation response have been successful in treating many stress-related disorders.

Research by psychologist Robert Ader, PhD, at the University of Rochester provided a link between the brain, behavior and immune function, and founded the new field of psychoneuroimmunology, which researches ways to increase immune function through the use of the mind.

Based on a Buddhist meditation practice, Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, at the University of Massachusetts, developed Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a mediation technique that has successfully reduced physical and psychological symptoms in many medical conditions, including pain syndromes.

“When we are on automatic pilot, trying to get someplace else all the time without being attentive to where we already are, we can leave a wake of disaster behind us in terms of our own health and well-being, because we’re not listening to the body. We’re not paying attention to its messages; we’re not even in our bodies much of the time,” explains Kabat-Zinn. “Mindfulness—paying attention on purpose in the present moment nonjudgmentally—immediately restores us to our wholeness, to that right inward measure that’s at the root of both meditation and medicine.”

Guided imagery, which utilizes the power of imagination to heal, has been shown to reduce anxiety and pain in people with a wide range of medical conditions, including asthma, back pain, and headache, and to help patients better tolerate medical procedures and treatments. “Imagery utilizes the natural language of the unconscious mind to help a person connect with the deeper resources available to them at cognitive, affective and somatic levels,” explains Martin L. Rossman, MD.

Innovative research by Dean Ornish, MD, and his colleagues found that a program integrating mind-body techniques such as yoga, meditation, stress management, and group support with diet and exercise reversed coronary artery disease. “What we are finding is that comprehensive lifestyle changes may ‘turn on’ the beneficial parts of the genome and ‘turn off’ the more harmful parts,” says Dr. Ornish.

Today, these breakthroughs in our understanding of the mind-body connection have translated into effective therapies that support a patient’s journey through illnesses and trauma. Virtually every major medical center now has a stress management or mind-body clinic, and practices such as meditation, yoga, and group support are woven into the medical treatment of heart disease, cancer, and other serious illnesses.

James Gordon, Director and Founder, Center for Mind-Body Medicine, has conducted mind-body skills trainings for patients and health care practitioners around the world. Gordon has said, “Mind-body medicine requires that we ground information about the science of mind-body approaches in practical, personal experience; that we appreciate the centrality of meditation to these practices; and that we understand—experientially as well as scientifically—that the health of our minds and the health of our bodies are inextricably connected to the transformation of the spirit.”

Go to source and watch a short video here.

Black Pepper

Black pepper can be a vital anti-cancer component in your diet. Piperine is the active component in pepper that is believed to prevent the harm that free radicals can cause your body. Piperine also has the ability to enhance the absorption of other beneficial anti-cancer compounds in other foods.

When black pepper is ingested alongside green tea, the absorption of the anti-cancer compound EGCG present in green tea is highly increased.  Also, the body’s absorption of  curcumin (the compound in turmeric) increases by 2000% when you add black pepper!

Read more about curcumin here.

Healthy Stir-fried Veggies

The important thing about sauteing any foods is to keep the oil below burn point. Foods added to the oil should not 'sizzle' much.  You want to aim for 7 cups of vegetables a day (4c. cooked).  This recipe will yield 2-3 servings, more if you have a salad with your meal.

Hoda's Healthy Stir-fried Veggies

  • 1 inch piece of Ginger, chopped
  • 4 c. organic Broccoli, cut up
  • 4 stalks organic Celery, cut up
  • 1/2 White Onion, sliced thin
  • 6 organic Green Onions, cut in 1 inch pieces with green tops
  • 4 organic Carrots, cut up
  • 1 organic Baby Bok Choy, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp. Sesame oil mixed with 2 tsp. organic Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbs. Tamari or Soy sauce (gluten-free)
  • 2 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. Stevia or 1 tsp. Xylitol
  • 2 tsp. Cornstarch mixed in 1/3 c. Water or Green Tea

Place a large saute pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the oil mixture. Wait another minute then add the ginger, stirring.

When it starts to wilt add all the veggies except the Bok Choy and garlic.  Stir for a 3 -4 minutes, then cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add Bok Choy and stir to mix.  Cover again for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and stir.

Mix wet ingredients and add to pan, mixing with veggies for 2 minutes until they are all coated and sauce has thickened.

~ Enjoy. ♥

Baked Salmon, Veggies and Hummus

I enjoy mixing cuisines and this plate is certainly an example: Wild Caught Salmon broiled over mixed veggies (you only need 3-4 oz. of protein per meal), and Authentic Homemade Hummus.  Add a smattering of organic Persian Cucumbers and a slice of high fiber Flax-seed bread for an amazingly wholesome meal.

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~ Sahtein! (To your health) ♥

Tasty Black Bean Dip

Recent research has shown that black beans provide special support for digestive tract health, and particularly our colon. The indigestible fraction (IF) in black beans has recently been shown to be larger than the IF in either lentils or chickpeas.

While some of the total carbohydrate content in black beans is lost along with the discarding of the soaking water, the amount of resistant starch remained unchanged. (Resistant starch is a type of carb that will typically make its way all the way down to the large intestine without being digested. Once it arrives in the large intestine, it can help support the growth of desirable bacteria in that area of the digestive tract.)

The seed coat of the black bean (the outermost part that we recognize as the bean's surface) is an outstanding source of three anthocyanin flavonoids: delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin, as well as the super anti0xidant Quercetin.

Read more here.

Black Beans, cooked

Black Beans, cooked

Serve Dip toasted whole wheat pita bread triangles (toast them yourself in a toaster oven), or high fiber crackers. Also good with carrots and celery.

Tasty Black Bean Dip

  • 2 c. cooked drained organic Black beans

  • 4 tsp. organic Tomato paste

  • 3 Tbs. Water or Green tea

  • 2 cloves organic Garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp. organic Lime juice

  • 1/2 tsp. ground Cumin

  • 1/2 - 1 tsp. Sea Salt (or to taste)

  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper (to taste)

  • 2 organic Green Onions, chopped

  • 2 Tbs. organic mild Green chilies, chopped

  • Olive oil (optional)

Process all ingredients except green onions and chiles in a blender or food processor until smooth. nd Place in a serving bowl and garnish with the green onions and chiles (or stir them in).

I like to drizzle a little olive oil on top. 

Makes 2 cups

~ Buen provecho! ♥

A Delicious Fruit Salsa

I was looking for a tasty but out of the ordinary appetizer to serve at a function and stumbled on this recipe.  It was a big hit and fit with my diet beautifully so I want to share it with you. If you are not partial to spicy foods, omit the jalapeno.

This makes about 4 cups, and since it doesn't store very well, you may halve the recipe.

Spicy Strawberry Kiwi Peach Salsa

  • 2-1/2 ripe organic Peach - peeled, pitted, and diced
  • 2-1/2 organic Kiwi, peeled and diced
  • 10 fresh organic Strawberries, diced
  • 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 Tbs. and 1-1/2 tsp. Lime juice
  • 2-3 organic Green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 c. and 1 Tbs. chopped fresh organic Cilantro
  • 2-1/2 pinches Sea Salt

Combine the peach, kiwi, strawberries, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, green onion, cilantro, and salt in a bowl; gently stir to combine.

Very tasty on whole grain crackers or as a salsa with a mild fish, or roasted chicken.

~ Enjoy! ♥

Oaty Spiced Bran Muffins

These are tasty bran muffins.  The oats and applesauce lend fiber to make these a healthy alternative to breakfast cereals.

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Spiced Oat Bran Muffins

  • 2 c. Oat Bran (4 c. Rolled oats)

  • 1 tsp. Sea salt

  • 2 tsp. Baking powder

  • ½ tsp. Cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp. Ground Cloves

  • ¼ tsp. Ginger powder

  • 1 tsp. pure Stevia

  • 2 c. Coconut or Almond milk

  • ½ c. unsweetened organic Applesauce

  • ¼ c. Pasture-Raised Ghee or Coconut oil

  • 1 high pastured Egg or 2 Egg whites

  • ½ c. Sunflower seeds (opt.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease or line muffin tins.

If using rolled oats, grind them in blender to give them crumbly consistency of oat bran.  You can also substitute 1/3 c. dried figs for the applesauce.

Mix the oats with salt, baking powder, spices, stevia and sunflower seeds in a large mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Pour milk and all the wet ingredients into blender and blend until mixed well, and figs (if using) are incorporated.

Carefully pour liquid into dry ingredients and stir quickly using a minimum of strokes to avoid making muffins tough.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 - 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 mins or until done.

~ Good with hot tea. ♥

Garlic

Garlic, like its cousins the onion and the shallot, is a member of the Allium family that is infamously distinctive for its strong odor. Surprisingly, the origin of garlic’s characteristic smell is also the explanation behind its anticancer abilities. The high content of the odorous sulfur-containing compounds diallyl sulfide (DAS) and diallyl disulfide (DADS) play the principal role in cancer prevention: they have the ability to prevent carcinogenic damage to healthy cells by reducing reactivity of carcinogens with healthy cells and by accelerating the elimination of the harmful carcinogens from the body.  It is also believed that DAS may directly attack tumor cells and destroy them by triggering tumor cell death.

Garlic has been found to be most advantageous in the prevention of esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers. It also may play a role in prostate, breast, and lung cancer.

A Queen's-led team has discovered the reason why garlic is so good for us. Chemistry professor Derek Pratt led the study. Their findings are published in the January 2009 issue of the international chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

The research team questioned the ability of allicin to trap damaging radicals so effectively, and considered the possibility that a decomposition product of allicin may instead be responsible. Through experiments with synthetically-produced allicin, they found that an acid produced when the compound decomposes rapidly reacts with radicals.

"Basically the allicin compound has to decompose in order to generate a potent antioxidant," explains Dr. Pratt, who is Canada Research Chair in Free Radical Chemistry. "The reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. No one has ever seen compounds, natural or synthetic, react this quickly as antioxidants."

The researcher is confident that a link exists between the reactivity of the sulfenic acid and the medicinal benefits of garlic. "...until now there has been no convincing explanation as to why garlic is beneficial," says Dr. Pratt. "I think we have taken the first step in uncovering a fundamental chemical mechanism which may explain garlic's medicinal benefits."

  •  Garlic is most effective if crushed, chopped or eaten raw in salad dressings and salsa
  • A clove a day keeps the doctor away, and 2 or 3 will prevent a cold (see my cold remedy under Diet and Nutrition /Herbs and Spices)
  •  If a recipe calls for garlic, wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking to add the garlic
  •  Be careful not to eat too much as garlic can irritate your digestive system... I don't think you'll have any problem eating  3-4 cloves a day
  •  Don’t microwave garlic - it this kills the active ingredients!

I will be adding plenty of recipes that call for my friend the 'stinky rose'.

~ Chewing raw parsley will help get rid of garlic breath! ♥

Psychological Stress and Cancer: Questions and Answers

The complex relationship between physical and psychological health is not well understood. Scientists know that psychological stress can affect the immune system, the body’s defense against infection and disease (including cancer); however, it is not yet known whether stress increases a person’s susceptibility to disease.

  1. What is psychological stress?

Psychological stress refers to the emotional and physiological reactions experienced when an individual confronts a situation in which the demands go beyond their coping resources. Examples of stressful situations are marital problems, death of a loved one, abuse, health problems, and financial crises.

  1. How does stress affect the body?

    The body responds to stress by releasing stress hormones, such as epinephrine (also called adrenaline) and cortisol (also called hydrocortisone). The body produces these stress hormones to help a person react to a situation with more speed and strength. Stress hormones increase blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. Small amounts of stress are believed to be beneficial, but chronic (persisting or progressing over a long period of time) high levels of stress are thought to be harmful.

    Stress that is chronic can increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, depression, and various other illnesses. Stress also can lead to unhealthy behaviors, such as overeating, smoking, or abusing drugs or alcohol, that may affect cancer risk.

  2. Can stress increase a person’s risk of developing cancer?

Studies done over the past 30 years that examined the relationship between psychological factors, including stress, and cancer risk have produced conflicting results. Although the results of some studies have indicated a link between various psychological factors and an increased risk of developing cancer, a direct cause-and-effect relationship has not been proven.Some studies have indicated an indirect relationship between stress and certain types of virus-related tumors. Evidence from both animal and human studies suggests that chronic stress weakens a person’s immune system, which in turn may affect the incidence of virus-associated cancers, such as Kaposi sarcoma and some lymphomas.

More recent research with animal models (animals with a disease that is similar to or the same as a disease in humans) suggests that the body’s neuroendocrine response (release of hormones into the blood in response to stimulation of the nervous system) can directly alter important processes in cells that help protect against the formation of cancer, such as DNA repair and the regulation of cell growth.

For the full article click here.

Avemar (AveUltra)

I am going to include  a lot of information on AveMar, since it will not surface in any traditional medical discussion about cancer treatment. None of the Western medicine docs I spoke with knew what it was, and yet it has been around for some time, with tremendous results. I started taking it almost 2 years ago and continue to do so despite the cost.  A one month supply is $130 - $199 depending on where you buy it.

AvéULTRA (the version made in the US) is the dietary supplement with Avemar®, a uniquely beneficial natural compound that has been the subject of more than 28 peer-reviewed publications describing in vitro, in vivo and human clinical trials. Avemar supports the foundations of good health by enhancing the body's ability to modulate immune response and to regulate cell metabolism.

Avemar's development was initiated by Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi, recipient of the Nobel Prize for the discovery of vitamin C. He theorized that supplemental quantities of the naturally occurring compound, Methoxy-Substituted Benzoquinones (DMBQ), would help regulate the processes of cellular metabolism and support mechanisms of immune system regulation.

Avemar is made from wheat germ fermented by baker’s yeast through a patented process (US patent# 6,355,474), standardized for DMBQ. Studies conducted in the US, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Austria and Russia with Avemar prove Dr. Szent-Györgyi theories correct, with such dramatic results, its hard to believe its all-natural.

What makes Avemar stand out among other known therapies is the fact that its effectiveness isn’t limited to any one specific type of cancer. So far it has exhibited positive effects against all forms of cancer cell lines tested.

Cancer Cells Are Gluttons for Glucose

Whether they proceed to replicate, grow, and eventually spread throughout the body is determined by enzymatic activity and their accessibility to various nutrients—which is where nutritional habits, environmental factors, and hormones have a direct influence.  Each of these has the potential to interfere, block, or promote enzyme activity and metabolic pathways that tumor cells depend on for their survival.

Every form of cancer cell utilizes glucose at rates 10 to 50 times higher than that of normal healthy cells (a well-known phenomenon referred to as “the Warburg effect”).

Unlike normal, healthy cells that utilize glucose primarily for energy, tumor cells use glucose to proliferate.  To achieve this function, cancer cells need large amounts of glucose that they can convert into building materials for new cells. As the tumor grows, more and more glucose is consumed.

One of the main problems with conventional cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation is that they are non-specific, so they destroy normal, healthy cells along with disease-ridden ones.

Research indicates that Avemar works through several different mechanisms. One of its most unique benefits, however, is its ability to inhibit glucose metabolism in cancer cells.

  • Increases immune system’s ability to identify harmful cells for destruction
  • Regulates glucose metabolism at the cellular level, starving enemy cells that require excessive glucose
  • Regulates and modulate the immune system’s white blood cells for peak performance -- T cells, B cells, macrophages and NK cells
  • Maintains healthy cellular and humoral (Th1/Th2) immune balance
  • Supports cell metabolic regulation
  • Promotes immune system modulation
  • Maintains healthy cellular & humoral (Th1/Th2) immune balance
  • Promotes optimal NK cell targeting ability and the coordinated response of white blood cells: macrophages, B-cells, T-cells and NK cells
  • Enhances the ability of T-cells to respond to antigen presentation
  • Enhances the ability of B-cells to respond to activation and produce appropriate antibodies

AvéULTRA is a more concentrated and better tasting version than Avemar, eliminating maltodextrin stabilizer, and replacing fructose sweetener with natural, "0" calorie Stevia.

Product Notice: Avemar use does not replace or substitute for other clinically prescribed therapies.

Read more here.

Quercetin

Quercetin belongs to a group of plant pigments called flavonoids that give many fruits, flowers, and vegetables their color. Fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits, apples, onions, parsley, sage, tea, and red wine, are the primary dietary sources of quercetin. Olive oil, grapes, dark cherries, and dark berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and bilberries, are also high in flavonoids, including quercetin.

Scientists have long considered quercetin, and other flavonoids, important in cancer prevention. People who eat more fruits and vegetables tend to have lower risk of some types of cancer. And animal and test tube studies suggest that flavonoids do indeed have anti cancer properties.
Quercetin and other flavonoids have been shown in these studies to inhibit the growth of cancer cells from breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, endometrial, and lung tumors.  One study even suggests that quercetin is more effective than reservatrol in terms of inhibiting tumor growth. Another found that frequent intake of quercetin rich foods was associated with lower lung cancer risk.
Recent studies suggest that quercetin may slow the growth of cancer cells and help foster apoptosis, a form of natural cell death that doesn't happen in most cancer cells. Some studies in animals show that quercetin may help protect against certain types of cancer, particularly colon cancer.

In addition to this, preliminary studies have also suggested that quercetin may be effective in protecting against prostatitis (inflamed prostate) and heart disease.

Of course Quercetin is available in higher amounts in supplements than would be found in food. It can be found in capsule or tablet form ranging in doses from 50 milligrams (mg) to 500 mg. There is no recommended standard dose for quercetin so talk to your medical practitioner about dosage.
Read more here.

Tomatoes and Their Stunning Health Benefits

Lycopene is found in cooked tomatoes and is responsible for its anticancer properties and rich red color. Anything made with cooked tomatoes is rich in lycopene.
Unlike other veggies, tomatoes get better with heat!
Cooking allows for better absorption of lycopene in the body.
Fats increase availability of lycopene to the body, so cooking tomatoes with olive oil enhances the amount of lycopene that can be absorbed. Italians have it right!
 
There may be a link between low incidence of prostate cancer and tomato consumption. Its anticancer effect may be attributed to its action as an antioxidant, or it may act directly on certain enzymes interfering with androgen signals, and disturbing the growth of tumors. Lycopene tends to accumulate in the prostate area so it is recommended for helping protect against prostate cancer.

According to a Study funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in 2005:

"Epidemiological evidence associating the decreased risk of prostate cancer with frequent consumption of tomato products inspired us to conduct a small intervention trial among patients diagnosed with prostate adenocarcinoma.
Tomato sauce pasta was consumed daily for 3 weeks before their scheduled prostatectomy, and biomarkers of tomato intake, prostate cancer progression and oxidative DNA damage were followed in blood and the available prostate tissue.
The whole food intervention was so well accepted by the subjects that the blood lycopene (the primary carotenoid in tomatoes responsible for their red color) doubled and the prostate lycopene concentration tripled during this short period.
Oxidative DNA damage in leukocytes and prostate tissues was significantly diminished, the latter mainly in the tumor cell nuclei, possibly due to the antioxidant properties of lycopene.
Quite surprising was the decrease in blood prostate-specific antigen, which was explained by the increase in apoptotic death of prostate cells, especially in carcinoma regions.
 Prostate cancer cell cultures (LNCaP) were also sensitive to lycopene in growth medium, which caused an increased apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle.
A possible explanation of these promising results may reside in lycopene effects on the genes governing the androgen stimulation of prostate growth, cytokines and on the enzymes producing reactive oxygen species, all of which were recently discovered by nutrigenomic techniques.
Other phytochemicals in tomato may act in synergy with lycopene to potentiate protective effects and to help in the maintenance of prostate health."
Naturally, tomato paste has the highest lycopene content of all tomato-based products.  Tomato paste (or sundried tomatoes) can be added to stews, egg dishes, sauces, and soups.
Our family loves a good quality organic tomato paste spread on whole grain toast with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt!
Click here for an Antioxidant Rich Pasta Recipe.
Buon Apetito! ♥

Reduce Your Stress!

My personal feeling from observing friends and family that developed cancer, as well as myself, is that stress may be a trigger. One of the main pieces of advice given to cancer patients by most doctors is: reduce the stress in your life. I opened a Cafe 3 years ago, after getting laid off from a job of 15 years, and the stress of renovating the space, getting city permits and being there all the time did me in.  Within a few months I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

We may not be able to control stress, but we can manage it. Here are some stress-management tips that may help you feel:

  • Accept that there are things in our lives we cannot control.
  • Religiously guard your positive attitude; don't give in to the brain's defaulting to the negative. Repeat positive affirmations cheerfully and believe them!  ''I will make it through this'', "Nothing is worth feeling stressed about".
  • Halt stress in its tracks; if you feel overwhelmed, take a walk or a leisurely drive , or watch a funny movie or video.
  • Give yourself time to get things done. Manage the timing of events so you don't have to feel rushed.
  • Do things that bring you pleasure, reading, writing, walking or gardening are all good.
  • Spend 15-20 minutes each day sitting quietly. Learn and practice relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
  • Exercise for 30 minutes every day. You can bike, walk, hike, or work out. Your body handles stress better when it is fit.
  • Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs. And don't smoke.
  • Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
  • Get enough rest and sleep. Your body repairs itself at night.
  • Reach out to supportive friends, and family. Invite them for a cup of tea.

Resource: Click here for article on Relaxation Techniques.

~ You will be fine! ♥

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage (Organic)

  These are all members of the cruciferous vegetable family which are notable for their high amounts of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are a class of compounds that work by releasing two anticancer compounds, isothiocyanates and indoles. These are the active compounds that prevent the activation of carcinogenic substances and are of critical importance in fighting the spread of disease. Broccoli contains an anticancer phytochemical that increases the body’s ability to get rid of toxic substances linked to the development of cancer. It is also capable of inducing cancer cell death.  It is also believed to reduce the occurrence, number, and size of certain tumors. The Indole 3-carbinol (I3C) in broccoli, plays a role in reducing cancer growth in  cancers which are estrogen dependent, like uterine, breast and cervical cancers.

It is always important to buy fresh organic vegetables. To preserve the integrity of their anticancer properties, veggies should be either lightly steamed or stir-fried over medium heat in a little oil mixed with water.