You Are What You Eat Your body is made out of everything you put in your mouth. Everything you put in your mouth, these are the building blocks of your physical body. If you’ve been eating junk food and fast food for years, yeah, your body is kind of built out of junk. And it’s clogged up. And it’s overloaded. And it’s polluted.
63% of America’s calories come from refined and processed foods (e.g. packaged meats, soft drinks, packaged snacks like potato chips, packaged desserts like cupcakes, Twinkies, Little Debbies, etc.)
25% of America’s calories come from animal-based foods
12% of America’s calories come from plant-based foods Unfortunately, half of the plant-based calories (6%) come from French fries. That means only 6% of America’s calories are coming from health-promoting fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
When you start putting in the really good stuff, high quality raw materials, food from the earth – mainly fruits and vegetables – you dramatically change your internal terrain.
Consumption of meat, especially processed (packaged) meats like pepperoni, salami, lunchmeat, also beef, pork, and lamb, have been associated with increased risk of cancer.
In order to change the way you eat food, you have to first change the way you think about food and cancer. Evidence for the impact of dietary factors on cancer is extensive, but there is inefficient collection, synthesis, and transfer of knowledge between researchers, doctors, and consumers.
Research shows, certain foods have properties that can starve the microscopic cancers that develop in our bodies all the time. These properties are based on the breakthrough approach of suppressing blood vessels that feed cancers, a process known as angiogenesis.
Scientific research shows that salad greens and lettuce are important sources of dietary polyphenols—bioactive compounds with proven anti-cancer activity. Fresh lettuce is rich in a variety of cancer-fighting compounds
Studies suggest, a regular consumption of vegetables from the cruciferous family, which include cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage, may reduce the risk of several types of cancer. Cruciferous vegetables contain beneficial compounds called glucosinolates that are broken down into cancer-fighting byproducts when digested.
Laboratory studies have shown that GLSs inhibit tumor cell proliferation and inflammation, an important pre-cancerous condition, prevent cell damage from toxins, and suppress the growth of tumor blood vessels (angiogenesis). A large number of epidemiological studies have also shown reduced rates of a number of cancers among people whose diets include high quantities of cruciferous vegetables, although results have varied between studies.
Cruciferous vegetables, which include broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, bok choy, and turnips, among others, are rich sources of glucosinolates, sulfur containing compounds that give these vegetables their pungent aromas and spicy (or bitter to some people) taste. When consumed and digested, glucosinolates (GLSs) are transformed into a variety of bioactive compounds with cancer fighting properties. Cooking methods can dramatically influence the amounts of glucosinolates available for the body to absorb. Boiling dramatically decreases amounts of these compounds, while stir-frying retains most of them. Chopping and shredding also diminishes glucosinolates, so vegetables should be prepared quickly once chopped or shredded. Kale, a member of the “cruciferous vegetables”, is a rich source of glucosinolates that serve as the plant’s natural defense system. Cutting and crushing the vegetable releases these glucosinolates which impart a tasty bitterness and also helps activate their cancer fighting properties; therefore, chewing kale is part of practicing good health. But this activity degrades with exposure to air and room temperature so kale is best consumed promptly after preparing.
Like life itself, one’s diet is all about making choices. Since we all eat every day, why not choose foods that can reduce your risk of disease? Listed below are some food facts, supported by scientific research, to help you get the most cancer fighting benefits from your diet.