Can Food Really Help You Beat Cancer?
You are probably wondering, “how can that be? How is food supposed to help us beat cancer?” Thankfully, in recent years, science has discovered a new field of interest called “Nutrigenomics”. It is the study of the effects of nutrients on an individuals genetic makeup. We used to believe that if our parents got cancer, it was in our genes, and we too had a high risk of developing cancer. Now we know, that 90%-95% of our chronic disease risk is through our nutrition and lifestyle choices. Therefore, only about 5% of what our ancestors died from will be passed down to us.
Foods that are processed (containing lots of additives, fillers, and chemicals to keep them fresher longer), are filled with chemicals that our immune system sees as invaders. This causes a lot of inflammation internally, and as we continually eat these processed foods, we aren’t allowing our gut to heal and the inflammation to calm down. Fruits and vegetables that are non-organic, contain pesticides and herbicides that do the same thing. Milk and Dairy from factory farms, where animals are packed in tight, living on their own feces, and then given antibiotics to treat their infections, causes inflammation in our GI tract as well. Antibiotics kill all of your bacteria, good and bad, leaving your gut microbiome defenseless when it comes to immunity. On top of that, factory farmers pump their animals with growth hormones that interfere with our own natural hormones as we eat their bi-products.
These are just a few ways that we encounter chronic inflammation. In the last 50 years, as microwave dinners and convenience foods became popular, there have been increases in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, ADHD, and heart disease. It’s time we shift back to health and away from chronic diseases!
The good news is, there are foods that help combat inflammation and bring your body back to state of health. These foods have bio-actives in them that help in several ways. They can be anti-angiogenic, which means they stop the growth of capillaries that feed the wrong cells, like tumor cells! They literally help to stop tumors from growing and spreading in the body. These are plant-based foods such green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds, and seafood.
Foods can boost your immunity or calm your immunity when you have auto-immune conditions. Some foods can protect your DNA by turning on helpful genes and turning off the harmful ones that cause cancer. Food has the ability to boost the amount of circulating stem cells in your body and regenerate your organs when needed, and even directly kill cancerous stem cells.
I have created a mini e-book that includes a full list of foods and their effects on chronic illnesses. You can get your FREE e-book here if you would like to learn more! In the meantime, start adding in more organic plant based foods into your diet and crowd out some of the processed foods. Take note of how this makes you feel; are you less bloated? Do you have more mental clarity? My e-book includes a food journal that you can use to keep track of your symptoms as you begin to make changes in your diet. Let me know how it goes!
-Aubree