Tag: vegetables

Cancer Sucks, Let’s Prevent It!!

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment

no cancerThis article about cancer is not opinion or editorial, its facts. There are many studies from highly respected Universities and Health Organizations that this information is available from. I have listed many of the studies in this document so you can fact check for yourself if you wish.

Let me say to everyone of you that is dealing with cancer today, I pray for a healing outcome for you. Truly, I want you to be well and have vibrant health. To those of you that have lost friends and family to this terrible disease I am very sorry for your loss.

Every month is a focus for a particular type of cancer. The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Liver Cancer Awareness Month.

I deal with a lot of people with cancer in my business as a health coach. For every person it is a unique situation. But regardless of the type or situation it still brings the same paralyzing fear of the unknown. Cancer affects the very young to the elderly, the rich, the poor and every religious and ethnic group in the world.

It’s difficult to put a fence around understanding cancer because there are so many different types and variants within the different types of cancer.

Our lifestyle plays a role as well. However, even those living a lifestyle that reduces the risk of cancer are not totally free from the risk of developing cancer.  We all know people that eat cancer-promoting foods, smoke, are sedentary, drink alcohol like crazy and live stressful lives that live to be 90 years old.  They are not the norm when it comes to cancer and heart disease..

So what do we know? Cancer can be caused by the consistent exposure to certain chemicals over time. Like those in cigarettes, industrial chemicals, petrochemicals, pollutants in the air we breathe and toxic compounds in the foods we eat and drink. There are ten’s of thousands of these chemicals in our world today.

These chemicals can damage the DNA in the cell so that at some point they mutate to a cancerous state. These are called carcinogenic compounds.

Cancer can be caused through genetic expression. Some people have genes in cells that are more predisposed to become cancerous.

Some genes wake up and through genetic expression cause the cell to become sick, then replicate to a sicker cell and then eventually become a form of cancer. Carcinogenic compounds in what we breath, touch, eat and drink can also cause the predisposed gene to wake up and become cancerous.  The chemicals in these foods promote the expression of genes that cause cancer.

We know stress and obesity both play a role in promoting cancer. Add these with the other factors listed above and you may set up the perfect storm for developing cancer of some form in your lifetime.

Like wise, we know there are compounds in certain foods that can suppress the expression of those genes that may cause cancer.  We know through studies that certain healthy lifestyle principles such as eating a mostly plant based diet, exercising, reducing weight to normal levels, avoiding chemical laden foods, reducing stress and stopping smoking greatly reduce the risk of getting cancers.

Interestingly, those same healthy lifestyle principles also reduce the risk of almost every other disease and illness that are the biggest takers of life in America.

How Can We Help Prevent Cancer?

Studies tell us that an abundant consumption of plant-based foods has a chemo protective effect in our body.  There are chemicals and compounds present in plant foods that block precancerous cells from developing into malignant cells.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231485/

“The field of investigation of the role of nutrition in the cancer process is very broad. It is becoming clearer as research continues that nutrition plays a major role in cancer. It has been estimated by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by appropriate diets, physical activity, and maintenance of appropriate body weight. It is likely to be higher than this for some individual cancers.”

Source : https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-3-19

There are also plant compounds that reduce chronic inflammation, which is thought to be a major cause of some cancers.

There is much evidence that the American diet (also known as the Western diet) is rich in cancer promoting chemicals through food ingredients such as excessive sugars, artificial sweeteners, artificial coloring agents, preservatives, stabilizers, flavor enhancers, trans fats, and other additives that promote cancer and other illnesses and diseases. Additionally, the American diet is rich in Omega 6 fatty acids that are pro-inflammatory and deficient in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory.

The American diet is rich in read meat, processed meats, fast foods, salt and chemicals.  To reduce the risk of cancer the intake of these foods should be greatly reduced.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20695357

Lifestyle Changes/ Foods to Eat and Drink to Reduce Your Risk

·      Exercise at least 30 minutes daily (yoga, walking, tai chi, swimming cycling)

·      Limit and remove stress by adding laughter and love to your life.

·      Limit alcohol intake

·      Limit saturated fat intake

·      Limit processed food intake

·      Avoid dairy (there is a link between some cancers and dairy consumption) http://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/cancer/does-milk-cause-cancer/

·      Limit the intake of refined grains (they increase insulin which has a tie to increased cancer risk) http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2016/6/The-Insulin-Cancer-Connection/Page-01

Food preparation

There is a role in food preparation that can cause advanced glycation end products (AGE’s) in our foods. These can also be tied to cancer.  That’s another subject for another blog, which you can find at this link. https://wallysdailybites.com/2011/05/24/what-are-you-eating-better-find-out/

The following foods, herbs and spices have anti-cancer properties and should be a part of your regular dietary routine.

Sources: http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/

 Anti-cancer vegetable foods

·      Leafy Greens like kale, spinach, collards, mustard greens, romaine, watercress

·      Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and collard greens

·      Artichoke

·      Asparagus

·      Carrots  (most powerful when cooked)

·      Peppers of all kinds

·      Radishes

·      Winter squashes

·      Tomatoes (most powerful when cooked)

·      Onions

·      Shallots

·      Garlic

·      Mushrooms (particularly shitake, button and Portobello)

Fruits

·      Berries of all types (particularly blackberries and black raspberries)

·      Cherries

·      Apples

·      Red and purple grapes

·      Grapefruit

·      Pineapple

·      Lemons

·      Limes

·      Dates

·      Pomegranate

Legumes

·      Beans, lentils and peas

Nuts and Seeds

·      Ground flax seed (great source of omega 3’s)

·      Chia seeds (great source of omega 3’s)

·      Walnuts  (good source of omega 3’s)

·      Brazil nuts (limit to 1 ounce daily only) extremely rich in selenium

Antioxidant Rich Drinks

·      Dark chocolate (85% dark or higher) raw cacao powder

·      Green tea

·      Coffee

·      Matcha tea

Spices (all spices are cancer protective, I am listing the most popular)

·      Basil

·      Cumin

·      Turmeric (Curcumin is the anti cancer compound in turmeric)

·      Ginger

·      Cinnamon

·      Nutmeg

·      Clove

·      Coriander

·      Thyme

·      Rosemary

·      Cardamom

·      Black pepper

 

·     Probiotics or fermented foods should be consumed on a regular basis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25575572
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20187714

 

If you want more information on alternative cancer information please feel free to contact me.

 

Eating a cancer preventive diet can greatly reduce your risk of getting cancer.  Many studies point to an increase of plant based foods as being cancer protective.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/2/286
http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/vegetarian-foods-powerful-for-health

 

Leave the processed and refined foods alone, laugh and love often and eat abundantly from Mother Nature!

 

Healthy wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

 

The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/

http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/2/286

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/vegetarian-foods-powerful-for-health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25575572

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20187714

http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/

http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2016/6/The-Insulin-Cancer-Connection/Page-01

http://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/cancer/does-milk-cause-cancer/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20695357

https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-3-19

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231485/

What Can a Healthy Lifestyle and Diet Do for You?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.1 Comment

Veggies in a blender

Has your health been going down instead of up? Do you want to change it? Hopefully you want better health with a higher quality of life.  I see people everyday that want better health but just are not willing to make the change.  Having better health is not difficult it. It requires you to make a few changes.

As we go through life we hit health challenges of all sorts. For some it is specific disease and illness like heart disease and cancer. For others is it obesity and obesity related health issues such a diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even arthritis. Or for some it may be hormonal, thyroid and anxiety related issues.

With this being said, a few common threads

1) we are all prone to genetic health tendencies both good and bad

2) we have all been exposed to thousands of pounds of excito-toxins (external toxins in our environment)

3) as we have grown up most us have eaten body polluters not as much body cleansers (hopefully all of us have now switched to body cleansers)

4) most Americans are nutrient bankrupt leaving the body with no materials to heal, repair or even function adequately.

When you add these 4 points together you create a recipe for really bad health!

So how do we fix these issues?  A diet very rich in veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and very limited select grains.

What science has proven. A diet rich in a variety of colorful foods provides the body with:Family on bicycle

  • DNA repairing potential,
  • a higher number of cancer killing cells,
  • slower aging
  • a higher functioning immune system,
  • a reduction in chronic inflammation,
  • support for normal blood sugar levels ,
  • support for healthier blood fat levels,
  • a substantial reduction if heart disease
  • a reduction in stomach, intestinal and colon cancer
  • flexible and healthier blood vessels
  • healthier brain function
  • better bone health
  • enhanced liver function (better detoxify ability)
  • better eye sight potential
  • weight loss
  • more energy
  • Reduction in stroke

To maximize your health include every color of the food rainbow every day in your meals and your smoothies!! For example; I make a large smoothie with coconut water, carrots, avocado, chard, broccoli, red bell pepper, cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cayenne, rice bran, blue berries, dark cherries, and a splash of Braggs apple cedar vinegar and sweetened with raw honey and stevia. This is a powerful rejuvenating smoothie!!  You can divide this in half for two blasts if needed, half of the ingredients in one blast and the other half in the next blast.

Its even more powerful with Vive Energy Spice mixed in!!

If you want better health eat real foods, move more, relax more often and drink plenty of pure water, it can’t be simpler.

Healthy Wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Related articles

 

Enzymes, the Catalyst of Life

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.1 Comment
This is where enzymes live! RAW FOODS

Enzymes are a type of protein and act as catalysts that promote chemical actions at the cellular level. There are two major actions in the body in which things are made and another in which things are broken down. These too systems are called the catabolic (tears down) and the anabolic system (builds). Enzymes are a major part of these two systems.

Digestion requires enzymes that tear down foods to their smallest molecular state for absorption and utilization in our bodies.  In our metabolic system enzymes prompt actions that convert things from one form to another. This is extremely important and we could not live without enzymes. Our bodies make several quarts of enzymatic fluid everyday.

Most enzymes do other things than digest foods. In fact, the body is designed to provide only a small amount of enzymes for food digestion. Our body has limited enzyme resources and is only going to produce so many.  If the enzyme resources are constantly being used to digest foods, others systems and organs can’t do their job as well and suffer the consequences. Our heart, lungs, kidneys, thyroid, liver, muscles and other organs also need enzymes to do their jobs.

So where should our food digesting enzymes come from? The answer is living plant foods. Raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds have live enzymes that will do the majority of digestion of the foods once they have been sufficiently chewed to release the enzymes. When we eat these living foods in raw form (not cooked) we get enzymes that support our body. The enzymes raw foods provide keep your pancreas from being overworked and can add years to your life

Enzymes also carry nutrients and can’t function without certain nutrients.  Some enzymes carry specific vitamins and minerals and without the presence of the vitamins and minerals the enzyme can’t do its job. It’s sort of like going to the prom without a date. You are there and are available but with no partner to dance with. Enzymes need vitamins and minerals to dance! This is just one reason getting lots of vitamins and minerals in your body is so important.

If your enzymes can’t do their task due to a lack of nutrients that means you can’t build hormones, make and repair tissues, make adequate energy, blood cells or immune compounds.

Once the temperature of a raw food goes beyond 117 degrees enzymes die and in addition some vitamins are damaged.  Eating raw veggies and fruits insures you get maximum nutrient content. Living foods contain enzymes.

In a nut shell, eating raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds will give your body the enzymes it needs allowing the body to produce enzymes for other very important life support functions. The body is only going to make so many enzymes and when it reaches that point, well death is at the door.

Please make raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds a part of your daily diet routine. Your pancreas will love you for it.

Healthy Wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Related articles

Nutrition Shootout! A Healthy Fast Food Sandwich Vs A Homemade Mushroom Cheese Burger

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.1 Comment

Just for a little fun and to make a point about the nutritional value of preparing your own food, I wanted to compare one of  Wendy’s’  healthiest  fast food sandwiches, Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich to a homemade Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger (no meat). For those of you that prefer meat, don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe, it is very filling and has great flavor.

Both competitors have a single slice of cheese, mayo is on the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Smart Balance Lite Butter spread on the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger.  I used spinach on the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger while the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich uses lettuce. Their menu doesn’t specify the type, so I used iceberg and romaine in my calculations for Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

As far as fast food goes, Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a good choice if you order it with just the bun, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato,  mayo, mustard and a slice of cheese.  I wish they offered it with a whole grain bun.  I hope the President of Wendy’s reads this suggestion. You can shave extra calories and fat off of both sandwiches if you leave off the cheese. As with any fast food choice, avoid the sauces and dressings, they add extra calories, sugar, cholesterol, sodium, saturated fat and in some cases trans fat to your meal.   They also contain preservatives that can damage your health if over consumed.  I have a few clients that eat fast food two and three times per day.  I would not recommend eating at any fast food establishment that often, if at all. You can access all of Wendy’s nutritional data and food ingredients at this website.

At the weigh in, the homemade Portobello mushroom cheeseburger weighs in at 352 grams and 365 calories while the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich weighs in at 260 grams and 440 calories. It looks like the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger  is a little heavy,  yet has fewer calories, less fat, less cholesterol, taste great and gives you more nutrition per calorie!  When you  prepare  foods at home you can use more nutritious ingredients, avoid health damaging preservatives and cooking at home is less expensive.

In this comparison, I used Wendy’s published nutritional data in every nutritional category they provided. I compiled the additional nutritional data for both foods using ESHA Nutritional Data Software, a leader in nutrition data collection.

In the graph below the RED is the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger, and the Blue is Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich. For the complete nutritional data for each food, click here.  If there are other comparisons you would like to see, just let me know. My next blog is on fast food salads, you are going to be shocked!!

Wendy's Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich-vs-Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger
Wendy's Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich-vs-Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger

Vegetables, Fresh or Frozen?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment

Fresh vs. Frozen

As we get into spring and summer, we know a bounty of scrumptious and nutritious fresh vegetables and fruits will soon be available to tantalize our taste buds. Many times I get asked “which is better, fresh or frozen”? That’s not a simple question.

Many variables affect the nutritional values in a vegetable or fruit. For example, how mature was the plant when harvested, what type of environmental stress was it grown under, how rich was the soil, what chemicals was it exposed to, how much water did it receive? All of these are factors that influence the nutritional value of a plant. Another set of factors that you must consider, how long has it been from harvest to your plate, was it refrigerated or not? The longer a fresh vegetable or fruits goes before consumption the more nutrients are lost. In fact, the USDA says that vegetables and fruits can lose up to half of their nutritional value in only two days of room temperature storage. These facts are very important, however, in most cases impossible for you to know.

So how do you decide between fresh and frozen? With these facts to consider, lets take a logical look at this question. If we know that the longer a vegetable or fruit sits, the more nutritional value is lost; we should focus on local fresh veggies and fruits. Local means they have been in storage the shortest amount of time from harvest, in most cases. Look for grocers that advertise produce from local growers. Organic veggies and fruits may have a slightly higher nutritional content. The studies are not conclusive but do indicate that trend. One thing for sure is you limit your exposure to harmful chemicals when buying organic.

If the produce you are seeking is out of season or not from local growers, buy frozen. Many stores now identify produce that is from local farms. Frozen veggies and fruits are cleaned, prepared and quickly frozen after harvest locking in the nutritional values that nature provided. However avoid those in a sauce or syrup. Read the ingredient label and make sure it contains just the vegetables or fruit and maybe a little salt.

Both are great choices! Choose fresh if it’s locally grown and frozen if local is not available.

Wally’s Daily Dose

http://www.webnd.com