A. Reading/Research on cancer-fighting foods
There is so much information out there. It's a lot to try to digest. Some of the information is reasonable and well thought out/scientifically based and other information is complete hokum that has no merit whatsoever. As I pass through websites, it's becoming easier to tell which is which. Some red flags go up right away when you are reading nonsense. People will claim a food has certain benefit, only to use very loose terminology and no scientific references - not very reassuring. One of my favorites is "it is widely known". Oh yeah? Well it must be true then if it's widely known.
B. Eating cancer fighting foods
I've been keeping up my day to day intake of the new additions to my diet. So far, I have been trying to incorporate as much of the list provided by Dr. Servan-Schreiber but since it seems pretty insane to expect to be able to go from my normal diet to anti-cancer diet in a few days, I cut myself some slack. In addition to all the cancer fighting foods I've outlined here so far, I incorporate whole foods in as well. So it's a pretty good diet to begin with that will contunue to get more and more cancer-unfriendly as I learn more and make additions.
Some things I've changed, like my green tea, I bumped that up a bit to more than just one cup a day. I've been reading about it's use for curbing tumor growth and 3 cups a day seems to be the going amount suggested. So now, I make a small pot about mid-day, which lasts about 2-3 cups and is a perfect amount.
My newest addition to my daily diet? Pomegranate Juice. As recommended, I am drinking a small glass each day in the morning. It's pretty good actually - the flavor isn't life changing, but it's not like someone is asking me to drink sauerkraut brine or anything, so I am not bending much to make this conversion. I usually have a glass of orange juice each morning anyhow, so from now on it's pomegranate instead. Why pomegranate?
This juice, which tastes like raspberries, has been used in Persian medicine for thousands of years. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are well confirmed; studies show it can substantially reduce the development of even the most aggressive prostate cancers (among others). In addition, drinking it daily slows the spread of an established prostate cancer by more than 50 percent.
Another new addition is cabbage. I made some yesterday evening. If I weren't neutropenic right now, I'd have just chopped it up and made a salad out of it, however I am observing my low-microbial diet until Wednesday, which means no fresh fruits/vegetables. So, I had to get crafty and dream up a recipe. Everyone who writes about using cabbage makes a big asterisk after it and says: do not boil cabbage or cook excessively since it destroys the beneficial compounds. So, I cut some up, threw some olive oil in a pan (cast iron only - no more using teflon coated ones for me) and threw a bit of turmeric in there as well for seasoning and added nutritional benefit, and stir fried it. For a little bit of flavor, I found a black bean/garlic sauce which was totally natural/no preservatives/no MSG/corn syrup and added a few spoonfuls of that. It was actually really good. Simple? Yes; but good nonetheless. So why cabbage and turmeric?
Cabbages (and other cruciferous greens such as brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) all contain sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinols (I3Cs), two potent anticancer molecules. These molecules help the body detoxify certain carcinogenic substances and can help prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors. They also promote the suicide of cancer cells and block tumor growth.
Turmeric, found in curry powder, is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory available today. It encourages cancer cell death, inhibits tumor growth, and even enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Some research shows that turmeric is most effective in humans when it's mixed with black pepper and dissolved in oil (olive or canola, preferably). In store-bought curry mixes, turmeric represents only 20 percent of the total, so it's better to obtain ground turmeric directly from a spice shop.
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