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8 Great Family-Friendly Foods that Help Fight Cancer
Sheryl Crow
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Being diagnosed with cancer was a life changing experience for me, as it is for anyone. One of the most significant shifts has been in the way I look at my body and what I put in it. When I was undergoing radiation, I began working with Nutritionist Rachel Bellar in order to eat foods that would help boost my immune system.
After working with her, I learned how to eat "defensively." I had never understood before how vital food was for protecting the body from sickness and disease. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, serious diseases that are linked to what we eat are the culprits in three out of four American deaths each year. And, recent research estimates that 35% of cancer deaths could be prevented through improved nutrition.
We truly are what we eat and what we put in our bodies matters to our long-term health. Rachel taught me this and I am so grateful to have worked with her. Her in-depth knowledge of how certain foods and spices are vital to promoting wellness throughout the body has become an integral part of my lifestyle after surviving cancer.
Even more importantly, having cancer made me re-think and re-define family - resulting in my greatest joy, my son Wyatt. As parents often joke, kids don't come with instruction manuals. Parenting is a constant challenge of self-education. One thing I do know, though, is that Wyatt is benefiting from what I learned from Rachel. And, I feel like I am giving my son one of the greatest gifts a mother can - the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.
Here are some of our favorite foods that pack enormous nutritional value (including anti-cancer benefits), and the ways we make them fun and tasty for both of us. Truly, toddler tested, mother approved.
1. Whole Grains
* What to look for: whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, etc.
* How to make it: quinoa crusted chicken fingers, whole grain pita personal pizza, steel cut oatmeal cookies, vegetable barley soup
2. Beans
* What to look for: garbanzo, navy bean, kidney beans, lentils, etc.
* How to make it: hummus (use whole grain pita or raw veggies for dipping), puree navy beans and add to mashed potatoes, black bean nachos
3. Berries
* What to look for: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries
* How to make it: whole grain berry muffins, yogurt berry parfait
4. Tomatoes
* What to look for: tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice (cooking releases the cancer-fighting lycopene)
* How to make it: pasta and pizza sauce, creamy tomato soup
5. Cruciferous Vegetables
* What to look for: cabbage and members of its family including cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts
* How to make it: steam it and serve warm or cold (in funny shapes for tentative toddlers), also good in stir fry, and soups
6. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
* What to look for: spinach, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, kale, leaf lettuce
* How to make it: use to wrap favorite cheese or chicken, chiffonade and toss into pasta or pizza sauce, toss into green smoothies
7. Grapes and Grape Juice
* What to look for: red or purple grapes (the dark colored skin is the main source of nutrition)
* How to make it: Enjoy as is, frozen grapes are a great summer treat (but can be a choking hazard for small children)
8. Walnuts
* What to look for: whole, natural walnuts without additives or preservatives
* How to make it: add walnuts and bananas to oatmeal, crush and toss into pastas and salads, mince and add to muffins and pancakes
However you decide to fix your food, eat a healthy, diverse diet. And remember, real foods, not supplements, are best for your body. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that at least 2/3 of your plate should be filled with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans. Start your children young and let them reap the rewards of healthy eating habits for a lifetime.
Posted by Astroloji on 06/06 at 10:37 AM
Thank you very much…
Posted by Corey Colwell-Lipson on 07/01 at 12:41 PM
Thanks for this great post, Sheryl!
The many powers of real food are amazing.
I wanted to add that I try not to make any food for my family without mixing in some superfoods. I don’t try to disguise them - they’re just part of the meal.
I’ve been doing this since my kids were toddlers, so they’re quite used to it.
Here are some of our favorite (and easy) combos:
- Oatmeal with flax seeds, walnuts and blueberries
- Pasta (we use quinoa) with hemp seeds
- Scrambled eggs with chopped broccoli and strips of dark, leafy greens (i.e. kale), and/or herbs
- Fruit smoothies with berries and kale
- Organic/natural turkey slices with mashed avocado on dark leafy green “rolls”
- Guacamole “dip” with avocado, hemp seeds or flax seeds, organic plain yogurt and some organic salsa.
Another tip: We count the colors of the rainbow in our meals and try to get in as much variety as possible. If a certain color isn’t in there, my kids get a chance to find a way to include the missing color.
Posted by Ann Fonfa on 07/01 at 01:04 PM
We hope everyone starts following a healthy eating plan AND combining it with some exercise, a relaxation program, a detoxification program, some supplements and herbs.
There is NO downside - it can reduce cancer risk (and recurrence risk), heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and osteoporosis.
Eat organic whenever possible but especially the most sprayed -string beans, peaches, strawberries, apples, green peppers.
Lots more information on our TEN-year old website.
Posted by Tracy on 07/01 at 05:29 PM
“The China Study” shows that animal proteins can trigger cancer. So go vegan!
To learn more about veganism, visit ChooseVeg.com.
Posted by William Martin on 07/02 at 08:01 PM
It’s crazy we know so little about our own bodies and what they need. Nature has provided everything. The best way to get great, healthy and organic food is to get your own garden growing.
www.onemilliongardens.com has free gardening lessons and can hook you up with some great natural heirloom seeds. Check it out and live long happy life.
Posted by Garden Tool user on 09/21 at 12:12 PM
Diet and exercise are so very important and can absolutely help, even when it seems like nothing can. :)
Posted by Marla on 11/15 at 11:52 PM
I read the problem with tomatoes is that the active anti-cancer ingredient, lycopene, is actually in concentrations that are much too low to be active in the body. If you’re into lycopene though, drinking green tea will also provide you with a good dose.
Posted by Chrissy on 06/04 at 09:57 AM
This is pretty much the list that Dr. Oz gives out as well and I’ve really tried to adapt to making sure I add these foods to my day. It’s hard with your kids though…with my first child I was a health freak, all organic, no sugar touched her lips until she was 2. I made my own babyfood, sterilized her toys once a week etc. etc She had ear infections and strep all through her childhood. 2nd child was the one where you have the 2 second rule on dropping on the ground, ate whatever, fast food, more “normal” and she was and still is healthy as can be.. NEVER sick… I have always been a real foods advocate and now both of them as young adults love REAL food, fresh fruits and vegetables and drink juice versus pop so I guess giving them a good foundation and just never having junk IN the house… has influenced their eating habits.