"L" is for Legumes

Healthy eating is an important piece of the breast cancer prevention puzzle. Through good nutrition you can keep your weight down, utilize cancer fighting nutrients and turbo-charge your immune system.

Having a plant-based rather than meat-based diet is a first step in giving your body a leg-up to fight cancers. This includes a stable diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and legumes.

 Legumes include beans, lentils, and peas. Just like whole grains, legumes are a great source of fiber and phytochemicals. Another benefit is that they contain higher levels of protein than other plant foods so you can substitute them for the meat in your diet once in awhile. Give your body a break and it will thank you in ways you may not see, but will definitely feel.

The seriously misunderstood bean has been a staple of the human diet for many thousands 

of years, and a major source of high quality, inexpensive protein, combined with other foods. 

There are hundreds of varieties of beans and lentils available, with a corresponding range of 

tastes and nutritional qualities. Beans are adaptable to an immense number of delicious 

vegetarian recipes. 

BUT I GET BAD GAS FROM EATING BEANS...

We can minimize the production of gas from eating beans by breaking down the fiber in them 

before eating. Mashing or grinding will work, as in Refried Beans, or Hummus.  We can also 

minimize gas from beans by soaking and cooking them well, eating them in combination with 

other foods, not eating excessive amounts, and chewing them well.

In Bulgaria they soak their beans overnight and discard the water in the morning. Bring the beans to boil in fresh water for ten minutes, then drain and repeat with fresh water. Repeat once more and cook until done.

Also, always rinse canned beans well before adding to any recipe.

Both tips will cut down the gas immensely.


But really...in comparison to cancer, what's a little butt backfire going to hurt?

"L" is for Lumps

  A WARNING TO ANYONE WITH BOOBS :

Regarding Breast lumps: Early evaluation is ESSENTIAL. It Can Save Your Life or at the very least, your Breast.

The earlier a cancerous lump is dealt with the greater a woman’s chance of surviving the ordeal becomes. The key is to catch it before it spreads or metastasizes to other parts of your body.

The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer — but take comfort in the odds. As many as 4 out of 5 breast lumps that are biopsied are noncancerous (benign). Still, it's important to have any breast lump evaluated by a doctor.

The hard part is breast tissue is naturally lumpy. You need to familiarize yourself with your normal breast tissue NOW to help determine if there's a change in your breasts. Consult your doctor if:

·         You find a breast lump that's new or unusual and feels different from breast tissue in either breast

·         A new breast lump doesn't go away after your next period

·         A breast lump seems to have changed — it gets bigger, for instance

·         You have bloody discharge from your nipple

·         You notice skin changes on your breast, such as redness, crusting, dimpling or puckering

·         Your nipple suddenly turns inward (inversion)

Those are the facts. Now here's my story:

For two years we monitored a hard pea shape in my left breast found during self-examination.After a series of mammograms, ultra sounds and ultimately an MRI,  it turned out to be benign, but due to all the tests, cancer was found in my right breast. And in a lymph node. The good news is it was caught early and both growths were very small. I still have enough breast on the surgery side to fill a bra cup.

No-one knows your body better than you do. Take some time for yourself and get better acquainted with your breasts.

Reputable sites to learn more about self-examination or about breasts in general:

• Breast Cancer Society www.breastcancer.org
• 
  
• Mama knows Breast  www.mamaknowsbreast.com
• 
  
• bOObs: A guide to your girls www.booksonboobs.com
• 
  
• www.touchyourselftrustyourself.ca
• 
  
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization  ww5.komen.org

Support Sites

• Circus of Cancer - A site to help you when your friend has Breast Cancer www.circusofcancer.org

“K” is for Knowledge and Kelp

Ever heard the saying Knowledge is power? Well, when it comes to cancer, knowing more than less is key to prevention. Knowing before you stuff something into your body that it is bad for you is a start. It gets confusing but I’m convinced that our diet is a major element when cancer comes knocking. You need to know how to keep that door firmly closed!

Getting more information on cancer is as easy as going to the Canadian Cancer Society’s website at :  www.cancer.ca  Check out the Canadian Cancer dictionary at:  info.cancer.ca/cce-ecc

You can always Google everything, but you don’t always get the most accurate or up-to-date information. Make sure the site you’re learning from is a reputable one.

My bible during breast cancer was Breast Cancer : All You Need To Know by DR.s Olivotto, Gelmon and Kuusk. I also loved the Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr. Check it out at www.crazysexycancer.com. 


Dr. Robert A. Pendergrast Jr.’s self-help book for women, “Breast Cancer – Reduce Your Risk with Foods You Love,” is another good one. 


David Wolfe’s SuperFoods about diet and medicines of the future changed my world of cooking and eating. It's where I first heard about butter and other animal fats being substituted by coconut oil. Resembling lard, coconut oil starts my stir frys, is the butter in my baking and it makes a super, worry-free grilled cheese sandwich!

 You can also head to the book store and its Health section. You will be floored at what’s available for you to arm yourself against cancer. All the Cancer Societies have libraries you can borrow from as well.

So, get out there and get educated everyone, before you have to bypass the prevention section and go to the What To Do When…section.

KELP

I call it the “lettuce of the sea.” Yes, it’s seaweed but it is packed with more vitamins and minerals than most the things we imbibe, making it another SuperFood. I could list it’s attributes for pages, but so not to bore you, will stick to the biggest one:

Phytochemicals. A recent buzz word in the world of cancer because phytos absorb and eliminate radioactive elements and heavy metal contaminations from our bodies, while kelp also gives us plenty of healthy minerals.

Use it as a seasoning substitute for salt. Put some in your soups and stews . Eat it plain or buy it in a powdered concentrate. I use a “Greens Concentrate” available at some drug stores  and most Health Food Stores. I mix a teaspoon in with a half cup of cold almond milk and throw it back.

Being from New Brunswick, I admit I like the sea smell. It reminds me  of home, which is always calming- and that in itself is a cancer prevention factor!

"J" is For Jicama in The Alphabetical Cancer Prevention Blogs

Jicama.


Jicama has finally arrived at the likes of our local grocery store. It looks like a turnip and like a turnip or potato jicama can be baked, french-fried in the oven and mashed, although the tough outer skin should be removed first.

Health benefits of Jicama

• Jicama is very low calorie root vegetables; contains only 35 calories per 100 g. However, its high quality phyto-nutrition profile comprises of dietary fiber, and anti-oxidants, in addition to small proportions of minerals, and vitamins.
• It is one of the finest source dietary fiber and excellent source of oligofructose inulin, a soluble dietary fiber. The root pulp provides 4.9 mg or 13% of fiber. Inulin is a zero calorie, sweet inert carbohydrate and does not metabolize in the human body, which make the root an ideal sweet snack for diabetics and dieters.
• As in turnips, fresh yam bean tubers are rich in vitamin C; provide about 20.2 mg or 34% of DRA of vitamin C per 100 g. Vitamin-C is a powerful water-soluble anti-oxidant that helps body scavenge harmful free radicals, thereby offers protection from cancers, inflammation and viral cough and cold.
• It also contains small levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and thiamin.
• Further, it provides healthy amounts of some important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.

"J" is For Juicing

While searching for more info on juicing, I found this website :
http://www.cancerrd.com/FAQs/FAQ68.htm


and decided to copy and paste it. It had everything I wanted to know about juicing. Personally, I don't do it and have no intentions on ever doing it. But there are people that swear by the benefits of juicing. I'd rather pick up an apple or red pepper and it it straight up. Less mess to clean up!















What are the pros and cons of juicing to help get rid of my cancer? Everyone seems to be doing it.

Juicing has become popular in recent years probably due to the fact that it makes for an additional way to get more fruits and vegetables in one’s diet. Juicing as prevention and a treatment for cancer has also gained popularity. However, when looking at the pros and cons of juicing, I would recommend caution when evaluating some of the claims you may see about cancer cures, many of which are unsubstantiated (1).

The current trend in juicing is actually inspired by an older diet known as the Gerson Diet. A German physician Max Gerson developed this diet, which is one of the many anti-cancer diets promoted to cancer patients. The Gerson Diet requires patients to eat a mainly raw vegetarian diet and to consume freshly prepared vegetable and fruit juices every hour. This diet consists of several other key elements and is more extreme than most juicing plans, but it is the inspiration for many of those on the market today (2).

Many of the proponents of juicing claim that raw foods are superior to cooked or processed foods because they contain active enzymes (2). In addition, an article on livingfoods.com (3) claims juicing removes indigestible fiber from fruits and vegetables and allows more of the cancer-fighting phytochemicals found in plants to be assimilated into the body.

Opinions on the possible benefits from consuming the enzymes from raw foods are polarized. According to Stephen Barrett, MD (4), “the enzymes in plants help regulate the metabolic function of plants. When ingested, they do not act as enzymes within the human body.” In contrast, Gabriel Cousens, MD (5) believes raw food enzymes do have beneficial health results and summarizes his interpretation of available research. However, no research cited on that web site is specific to cancer treatment benefits.

Phytochemicals are the subject of much research due to potential anti-cancer properties they possess. McEligot and colleagues (6) show evidence that including 16 ounces. of vegetable juice in a daily diet can increase the concentration of cancer-fighting phytochemicals in the body. Their research looked at blood concentrations of the phytochemicals alpha-carotene and lutein in female breast cancer patients, demonstrating higher levels in the women who consumed the vegetable juice compared to those who consumed only the raw and cooked vegetables.
Pierce et al (7) are conducting a large study in non-metastatic breast cancer patients in which dietary changes are being evaluated for their possible role in reducing risk of cancer recurrence. The Women Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study does include 16 ounces of vegetable juice each day. However, it is important to note that the consumption of vegetable juice is simply one component of a very healthy diet designed to optimize the intake of many foods that may be beneficial in treating cancer.

I would raise one caution with regard to juicing. Juices made predominantly from fruits, and some vegetables such as carrots, are higher in sugars than juices made mostly from vegetables. When blood sugar rises, insulin levels rise along with other insulin-like growth factors. Considerable research is currently evaluating the role that insulin and insulin-like growth factors play in causing, promoting, and affecting the outcome of a cancer diagnosis.

One research group has found an association between higher consumption of sweet foods and increased breast cancer risk (8). Fruit juices made by discarding the peeling and pulp have a more rapid absorption of the sugar, which will increase the body's insulin response. I suggest limiting the potential added risk associated with a consistent high sugar intake by either of these recommendations:


1. Avoid regular consumption of clear fruit juices or,
2. Use a type of juicer that leaves the pulp and peel in the juice as increased fiber content slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

On this website you can find several soy shake recipes that contain three servings of fruits and vegetables and use many whole foods, thus retaining the entire fiber, nutrients, and phytochemicals.

Science continues to support the relationship between eating more fruits and vegetables and a reduced risk for cancer in addition to reducing the risk for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases (1, 9, 10, 11). Though unsubstantiated as an effective isolated treatment for cancer, juicing may act as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatment by providing an easier way for some patients to consume vegetables and fruits, which are a valuable component of a balanced diet.

Juicing does provide an additional way to increase the number of fruit and vegetable servings one gets in a day. If you leave the pulp in the juice you still get the fiber as well. It can add variety to your diet and may make some vegetables and fruits that you don’t particularly like more palatable. Some of the common side effects that occur during cancer treatment, such as a sore or dry mouth, altered sense of taste and smell, lack of appetite, and nausea can all make it difficult to eat some solid foods, while foods that have been juiced may be tolerated easier.

Just remember that juicing is only one aspect of an optimal approach for both preventing and treating cancer. I strongly urge every cancer patient to proactively seek the professional expertise of the Registered Dietitian at their cancer center, clinic, or oncologist's office for a individualized nutritional assessment plus diet and lifestyle plan in order to optimize your comprehensive cancer care.




I'll second that motion!

"I" is for Immune System

When your body encounters a threat, such as a virus or injury, its your immune system that comes to your rescue.It attacks, damaging and killing all varieties of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that happen to be in range—including some of the body's own cells.

Key cells involved in this reaction include the white blood cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, which produce powerful destructive chemicals known as free radicals.

Free radicals

In the presence of cancer or the invasion of a dangerous microorganism, your body quickly produces these highly reactive and unstable warrior molecules to take quick action against the enemy germ or physical insult. You can blame free radicals and other elements in the generalized defensive response for the swelling, redness, heat, and pain collectively known as inflammation. Because they are non-specific, free radicals cause the same damage to harmful bacteria as they do to healthy cells, if those healthy cells happen to be in their way.

After the free radicals finish their work, they're turned off, and are converted into non-reactive, harmless molecules. Antioxidant vitamins are essential to this conversion process, which is why you hear a lot about free radicals and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, D, and E.

Breast cancer cells start out as normal body cells,until something happens to start them growing out of control. The immune system plays a major role in limiting the development of these abnormalities, often before cancer has a chance to grow. This gets rid of many cancerous cells before they can do any harm. Damaged, pre-cancerous cells may be a constant presence, but an ever-alert immune system takes them out and protects us from many assaults of cancer that never get beyond the very earliest stage.

When the immune system fails

Occasionally, even though cells are changing from normal to abnormal, they may still appear to be normal. Their outer appearance (proteins and other molecules on their surface) may look unchanged, even though profound changes may be happening on the inside. In this way, these abnormal cells manage to escape attack by the immune system and grow and multiply without triggering an immune response. This is how it's possible for a tumor to form, even when your immune system is working normally. The tumor eventually becomes so altered and threatening that it can no longer hide its malignant character. The immune system is no longer fooled into recognizing these cells as normal, and launches its attack.

The attack may succeed, or it may come too late: the tumor may be beyond the power of the immune system by itself. The immune system may need help—bold measures such as:

·         immune growth factors—medicines that stimulate the production of new immune cells;

·         antibody medications—special antibodies made in a laboratory, designed to target a specific antigen on a cancer cell;

·         vaccines—agents that stimulate your immune system to fight back, giving it a wake-up call to action; and

·         non-immune-system intervention, such as:

o    surgical removal of the harmful growth;

o    chemotherapy; and

o    radiation.

Intriguing new studies suggest that exercise, stress reduction, diet and fundamental but non-traditional interventions may strengthen the immune system. For example, improved immune cell function has been documented after people with melanoma, a malignant skin cancer, attended regular support group meetings. Other studies find that women in breast cancer support groups live longer than those who don't join such groups. Researchers speculate that one reason is the stress-reducing, immune-supporting effects that these groups provide.

Nutrition

Your body can be crippled by poor nutrition. This is true for healing a wound, building immune cell blood counts, and even managing stress.

The power of nutrition to strengthen the immune function is not yet fully understood. But two leaders in the field: Dr. Keith Block (University of Illinois and the Block Medical Center, Evanston, Illinois), and Dr. Mitch Gaynor (Strang-Cornell Cancer Prevention Center, New York City), focus on nutrition as a means of reducing cancer risk and cancer death and increasing quality of life. Their work emphasizes vegetarian diets and fat restriction, coupled with stress reduction and other complementary medicine therapies. They believe these factors combine to strengthen the immune system.

Proponents of these innovative, non-traditional therapies say that excess weight and eating too much cholesterol and other fats are risk factors for cancer. They say that fat appears to reduce white cell production, affecting T-cell and macrophage activity. Further, they say, obesity and a poor diet compromise the lymphatic system, making the body more vulnerable to infection and disease. Eating large amounts of protein, such as that found in animal products, they believe, contributes to these undesirable effects. Thus, their nutritional programs strictly limit proteins that come from animal foods and unhealthy fats. 

Read the transcript of a Breastcancer.org Conference on food choices for cancer recovery.

Supplements vs. food

All experts agree that vitamins and other important nutrients are best eaten in whole foods rather than swallowed as processed supplements. Whole foods may contain many other valuable components that we currently know little about. Fresh fruits and vegetables, SURE grains, mushrooms, herbs, teas, omega-3 fatty acids (found in freshwater fish like salmon and mackerel), complex carbohydrates, yogurt, and seaweed are believed to increase the activity of T cells and their escort cells, and to increase the production of antibodies and fighting cells.

Exercise

Researchers have long observed the positive effects of moderate amounts of exercise on the immune system. Now they're beginning to look at the effects moderate exercise can have on the immune systems of cancer patients in the midst of treatment. In one small study, researchers found that moderate exercise (three or more times a week) increased the immune cell counts of women undergoing breast cancer treatment back to normal levels, and also improved the women's mood and ability to handle their feelings comfortably.

Stress reduction

It's well known that chronically high levels of stress hormones (like adrenaline) suppress the immune system and reduce the body's ability to defend or repair itself. That's why many cancer centers and hospitals have begun offering stress reduction therapy along with traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Meditation, visualization, yoga, and other relaxation techniques may help bolster your immune system and assist in fighting the effects of the cancer. Talk to your doctor or nurse about using these techniques in conjunction with your regular treatment.

There doesn't seem to be a food that begins with the letter "I" other than ice cream and dairy has been covered, so that's it for this week!

"H" is For Hereditary Factors and Hemp Seeds

"Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian women. Many women believe that heredity is the most important factor in developing breast cancer; however, genetic factors account for only five to ten percent of diagnoses. Conversely, nearly half of all breast cancer diagnoses are due to preventable, non-genetic factors. The Breast Cancer Prevention & Risk Assessment Clinic that opened in Vancouver, October 2010 provides women with concrete tools to help them improve their risk profile, particularly by focusing on weight management, increased physical activity, good nutrition and limited alcohol consumption."


I got the above from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation website @ www.cbcf.org.

If breast cancer does run in your family, you might want to read this:

There are three 'faulty' genes that have been identified which are particularly associated with breast cancer. These are the BRCA1 gene, the BRCA2 gene and the TP53 gene. If you carry one or more of these genes you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer (and certain other cancers such as ovarian cancer). Also, the cancer tends to develop at an earlier age than usual. These faulty genes are just the main ones so far identified which are related to breast cancer. There are probably others which cause a smaller increased risk which have not yet been identified.

About 1 in 20 women are likely to carry a faulty gene that gives them a higher risk than the general population of developing breast cancer. This may vary from a moderate increase in risk to a high risk. You inherit half of your genes from your mother and half of your genes from your father. So, if you carry a faulty gene there is a 50:50 chance that you will pass it on to each child that you have. Because of these faulty genes, breast cancer does occur more often than usual in some families. This is sometimes called 'familial breast cancer' or 'hereditary breast cancer'.

Note: not all women with these faulty genes will develop breast cancer. It is just that the risk is increased.

Assessing Your Risk:

As breast cancer is common, many of us will have a relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is not usually due to any of the 'faulty genes' mentioned above, but is more often 'by chance'. Most women with a family history of breast cancer do not have a greatly increased risk of developing breast cancer compared with the normal risk of the general population. However, some women are at greater risk than usual.

In general, your risk becomes greater:

·         The more blood relatives you have who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

·         The closer the blood relationship to you of the person with breast cancer.

·         The younger your relatives were when they were first diagnosed with breast cancer, especially if they were under the age of 40.

·         If a relative had breast cancer which affected both breasts.

·         If a male relative developed breast cancer.

·         If both breast and ovarian cancer run in the family.

·         If certain other uncommon cancers have developed in family members. For example: ovarian cancer, a sarcoma under the age of 45, a glioma, or childhood adrenal cancer.

·         If you come from certain ethnic backgrounds. For example, the Ashkenazi Jewish community have a higher incidence of genes which increase the risk.

If Your Risk is Confirmed as Moderately High:

You are likely to be offered mammography screening to commence at the age of 40 (rather than the usual age of 50). Also, mammography is likely to be every year rather than the usual three-yearly.

If Your Risk is High:

You are likely to be offered genetic testing and counselling. This is usually done in a specialist genetics clinic. This may involve tests to see if you carry one or more of the faulty genes mentioned above. A blood test may also be taken from your family member who has breast cancer. Depending on the outcome of the tests and assessment of the risk, some women are offered regular mammography screening from an early age.

If you are aged 30-49 years and have BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, or are over 20 years and have TP53 gene then you may be offered yearly MRI and mammograms. An MRI scan may be a more sensitive test than mammograms for younger women. When mammography is recommended in women younger than 50 years of age, digital mammography may be used in preference to conventional mammography. Digital mammography takes an electronic picture of your breast and stores it directly in a computer. Digital mammography uses less radiation than film mammography.

For a very small number of women, whose risk is very high, surgery to remove the breasts and/or ovaries before cancer develops may be an option. This is not an option which is taken lightly and is only done after full risk assessment and counselling.


Personally, I didn't look that far into my family and figure I have no-one else to blame but myself for my breast cancer. The number one thing I keep reading and finding over and over is about alcohol consumption for women. There's no way around it. No way to sugar coat it. Women need to cut way back on those glasses of wine. One a day or LESS.


 Of course you're free to do  what I did: continue the Russian Roulette and hope you're  one of the lucky ones that doesn't "win" the cancer lottery.


I have to tell you though, you won't feel much like a winner when it happens to you!






                                HEMPSEEDS 


A powerful alternative to meat and meat products is hempseed. Hempseeds are considered a Super Food and nothing short of miraculous when it comes to being a source of protein and essential fatty acids.


Shelled hempseed is 35% protein, 47% good fat and 12 % carbohydrate. It's a complete meal in a tiny palm kernel that you can substitute a small tablespoon for your mid day snack or the protein for your meal


Yes, marijuana and hemp are both classified as Cannabis sativa, the difference being hemp is bred to maximize fiber, seed and oil while marijuana is bred to raise its psychoactive substance known as THC. For that reason, marijuana is illegal to grow while hemp is not. You could smoke twenty rolled hemp-leaf cigarettes in a row and not get high.


Hemp is used for clothing, body care products, paper, plastics, building materials and fuel. But researchers still find that its greatest quality is being one of the most nutritious food sources on our planet. Only algae such as spirulina or phytoplankton exceed hemp in protein.


While not readily available in regular supermarkets as of yet, you will find it at any good health food store.


Buy a big bag and save money. Sprinkle it on salads, in baking but best ever- pop a handful into your mouth whenever you get hungry.


Filling, satisfying and super healthy for you.