Starve Cancer Cells We All Carry

It turns out that almost 50% of women as young as 40 carry microscopic cancer cells in their breasts and 100% of all people in their 70's do so in their thyroid. In as little as two weeks, a microscopic tumor can grow to 16,000 times its original size, according to the Angiogenesis Foundation, which has produced groundbreaking research about how to stop cancer from growing.

Angiogenesis is a new term for me, but it would seem we are going to be hearing much about it going forward. It is the process by which the body forms new blood vessels, beneficial when they fight clogged arteries and heal wounds and injuries, but harmful because these blood vessels also feed malignant tumors and cause them to grow in size.

The good news is that the medicine we need to fight angiogenesis is in our refrigerator. I don’t normally think of food as medicinal (I enjoy it too much!), but five foods can actually change the internal environment of our body and prevent the growth of cancer cells.

The five foods are:

1. Bok Choy—a type of Chinese cabbage that contains brassinin, a powerful cancer-fighter. Brassinin is also found in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. To achieve its full benefit, Bok Choy should be eaten 3 times a week, in 1/2 cup servings.

2. Tomatoes—contain the molecule lycopene, a cancer fighting property, but what is important to know is that you must cook the tomatoes for their full benefit. The heat changes their chemical structure and makes the benefits more readily available to your body. You should eat 2-3 (1/2 cup) servings of cooked tomatoes a week, so we have a good excuse for a little pasta now, and they are even better for you when the tomatoes are cooked in olive oil.

3. Flounder—a fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. You should eat three 6-ounce servings a week.

4. Strawberries—are rich in antioxidants. You should eat 1 cup a day.

5. Artichokes—¼ cup of hearts per day contains 3 different cancer-fighting molecules.

Recipes

Bok Choy Apple Slaw

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups very thinly sliced bok choy (1-pound head, trimmed)
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, julienned or shredded
• 1 large carrot, julienned or shredded
• 1/2 cup slivered red onion

Directions

1. Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar (or honey), celery salt and salt in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Add bok choy, apple, carrot and onion; toss to coat.

Flounder with Simple Tomato Stir-fry

Directions

1. Chop green onions, yellow peppers and fresh tomatoes.
2. Sauté garlic in olive oil and add vegetables.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir-fry vegetables until they turn bright in color (approximately 5 minutes).
5. Pan fry flounder in olive oil and smother with vegetables before serving.


Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

• 4 ounces of vanilla, low-fat yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 ripe banana
• ½ cup frozen, unsweetened whole strawberries

Directions

Peel banana and cut into chunks. Place banana chunks, frozen strawberries, yogurt and milk into blender. Blend on high speed about 1 minute or until mixture is smooth.


Artichoke and Parmesan Salad

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1-14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced, -Or- 1 cup fresh artichoke hearts, sliced
•1 cup celery, sliced
•1/3 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
•1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. In a bowl whisk together lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, red pepper flakes, oil, salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir in artichoke hearts, celery, Parmesan and parsley.
3. Chill covered for one hour before serving.

Healthy Eating!