Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Why I choose an anti cancer diet.

The statistics are staggering. Cancer has now passed heart disease as the number one disease killer in the western world. It has moved from one in four, past heart disease, to one in 3, (exactly two of my immediate family) will die from cancer as a direct cause of cancer in their lifetime.

Yes, I know we must die of something and today we are able to diagnose what that cause is rather than to say of "died of natural causes," but our western lifestyle has us believing that cancer is the risk of living. Our modern medical perspective has us trained to not ask why but to be dependant upon the professional doctors to fix us and send us home happy (and drugged) without any suspicion of cause whatsoever.

My 27 year old son was one of those statistics last year and even though is considered in remission after 6 months of gruelling chemotherapy, none of us need to assume freedom from risk. Cancer is usually multifaceted in cause and we all need to assume an anti risk lifestyle, not out of fear, but out of responsibility.

Causes of serious disease are everywhere, in food additives, pesticides, air pollution, cleaning agents, paint and furniture fumes, natural gas emissions (gas stoves and furnaces) even the radio and wireless computer and cell phones that we seem to have absolutely no control over in our electronic world are becoming major threats. Furthermore, the very medical practices that are supposed to "keep us healthy," such as vaccinations and other medical drugs and treatments can severely increase our cancer risk.

In reading this article, one line that struck me as interesting,"Surveys we've done indicate many people don't think they have control over their cancer risk, but studies clearly indicate they do."
Being the independent minded (rebel) that I am and quite opinionated as you might have noticed by now, I choose responsibility over dependency and subsequent medical treatments. Either way, my lifestyle becomes my choice... even to the extent that I take my life into my own hands through an anti cancer prevention lifestyle.

I will be posting articles and recipes from time to time that are specifically labelled anti cancer. I have been collecting and am constantly learning recipes that are becoming part of my daily routine and help to later my own lifestyle habits of health.

Below is one such very simple delicious and very inexpensive recipe using the great health foods berries and sprouts in my favorite format - a smoothie. You can buy sprouts in the produce section of your grocery store or you can easily and inexpensively sprout them yourself. I will post how to sprout broccoli in the next month or so.

Anti Cancer Green Smoothie

1 pint broccoli sprouts

1 pint ripe organic blackberries

1 cup water

Blend all ingredients well. - Enjoy


Nutritional facts:

In 1992, scientists found that broccoli sprouts are rich in a compound that provides significant protection against breast cancer and colon cancer. The compound is called sulforaphane glucosinalate.

Black raspberries (blackberries) have been shown to reduce the risk of oral, esophageal and colon cancer in animal models, according to the researchers.

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily