As soon as I started my extensive Cancer research, it was clear the first thing I had to do is change the way I eat and perceive food.
I
thought I may have an eating disorder, I can't eat veggies! I look at
vegans and I'm actually jealous I can't eat veggies with the same
passion they have. Now, another admission, I'm a foodie, always have
been. We have raised the kids appreciating different cuisines, flavours,
and textures. When we travel we always try the local fare, we research
which restaurants are the best and which dishes to try. Eating is an
adventure we like sharing together. Those who know me know how food is a part of my life, I make bread from scratch. I cook
and bake a lot too, at one point I even planned on marketing my cakes
and cookies. I was going to call it Sweet Caroline, I own a ton of
cookbooks. We love and appreciate a well cooked meal, or what we thought
was good and proper food! Enter the cancer diet
, or should I say the
ideal cancer diet, what should be the right cancer diet is highly
debatable but from research I deduced that it ideally must be vegan and
preferably 80% raw, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, and organic. Easy, I
said to myself, just down it! I was completely wrong, it is harder than
I thought and eating is now one of the major areas of my healing
protocol that I'm struggling with. For one, when you are doing chemo,
your tastebuds are off, depending on your tongue's mood, everything you
put in your mouth can either taste bitter, bland, or too salty, even
when it's completely fine with everyone else. I force food down but I
don't enjoy it anymore (working on it) and I feel stuffed when
I've had nothing. I'm hoping to get my ability to taste back when the
chemo wears out now that I've quit. Finding a good vegan restaurant is
hard too, even the vegan meal at The Savoy Grill didn't impress, sorry
Gordon, just my taste buds, probably.
, or should I say the
ideal cancer diet, what should be the right cancer diet is highly
debatable but from research I deduced that it ideally must be vegan and
preferably 80% raw, no meat, no sugar, no dairy, and organic. Easy, I
said to myself, just down it! I was completely wrong, it is harder than
I thought and eating is now one of the major areas of my healing
protocol that I'm struggling with. For one, when you are doing chemo,
your tastebuds are off, depending on your tongue's mood, everything you
put in your mouth can either taste bitter, bland, or too salty, even
when it's completely fine with everyone else. I force food down but I
don't enjoy it anymore (working on it) and I feel stuffed when
I've had nothing. I'm hoping to get my ability to taste back when the
chemo wears out now that I've quit. Finding a good vegan restaurant is
hard too, even the vegan meal at The Savoy Grill didn't impress, sorry
Gordon, just my taste buds, probably.
Eating
is one thing I have to relearn and then re introduce into our lives. My
goal is to enjoy it with the same gusto I had with my food in the past. This is my next challenge, expect recipes soon. I look at
food differently now, I see it as medicine, I see it as a gift that
we've overlooked and over processed. " let food be thy medicine and
medicine be thy food" A famous quote from the father of modern medicine,
Hippocrates. Why then do doctors know nothing about nutrition and it's
significance to health. I was told they only get an equivalent of about 2
weeks of studies on nutrition, if any at all. The dietician at the
hospital's only solution is glucose laden Ensure. You should see the
food they serve, over cooked veggies, refined bread and pastas,
processed everything, it is disgusting. I lost a lot of weight early on
when I started chemo, from 60 kilos down to 34, I was skin and bones
and ordered to build up. I consulted the dietician at the hospital and
was advised to load up on cream, and butter, and bread to load up. I
didn't do it, couldn't. Even on our old diet, we stayed off processed stuff, and
we ate organic whenever available. My goal is to be 100% vegan because I
know that is the food we're meant to eat, and what the body deserves. My 15 year old son puts my
diet to shame. He went from McDonald's to Whole Foods overnight, and his
discipline, focus and perseverance provides my inspiration, I'm so
proud of him.
soon. I look at
food differently now, I see it as medicine, I see it as a gift that
we've overlooked and over processed. " let food be thy medicine and
medicine be thy food" A famous quote from the father of modern medicine,
Hippocrates. Why then do doctors know nothing about nutrition and it's
significance to health. I was told they only get an equivalent of about 2
weeks of studies on nutrition, if any at all. The dietician at the
hospital's only solution is glucose laden Ensure. You should see the
food they serve, over cooked veggies, refined bread and pastas,
processed everything, it is disgusting. I lost a lot of weight early on
when I started chemo, from 60 kilos down to 34, I was skin and bones
and ordered to build up. I consulted the dietician at the hospital and
was advised to load up on cream, and butter, and bread to load up. I
didn't do it, couldn't. Even on our old diet, we stayed off processed stuff, and
we ate organic whenever available. My goal is to be 100% vegan because I
know that is the food we're meant to eat, and what the body deserves. My 15 year old son puts my
diet to shame. He went from McDonald's to Whole Foods overnight, and his
discipline, focus and perseverance provides my inspiration, I'm so
proud of him.
Then
there's the moral issue. Another strong reason why I want to go vegan is
the appalling conditions by which our food, specifically meat is raised
and produced for consumption. Read "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran
Foer. I was so upset after reading this book, it kept me off meat for a
while, not
completely like I hoped it would though (work in progress). PETA has
information on their website too.
Foer. I was so upset after reading this book, it kept me off meat for a
while, not
completely like I hoped it would though (work in progress). PETA has
information on their website too.
Dairy
Though
I don't drink milk, I used to put it in my coffee and when almond milk
is not available, with my cereals. I loved cheese!
A lot of effort and
money were spent on making milk a diet staple in many cultures
especially the west, but guess what, it's bad for you and you don't need
it. Isn't it weird that we're the only species on the planet that
drinks the milk of another species?
The
milk protein casein which makes up 87% of cow's milk protein, promoted
all stages of the cancer process. This according
to Dr.T Colin Campbell from The China Study. Milk contains 38 hormones
and growth promoters, one in particular IGF-1. Studies have shown that
increased levels of IGF-1 lead to increased growth of existing cancer
cells. Milk is processed differently now too than when our mothers had
it. It goes through unnatural processes of sterilization and
homogenization at super heated temperatures to kill both good and bad
bacteria. These processes change milk at a molecular level, hard for our
bodies to recognize. Cows are given hormones and antibiotics, they're
often over milked they produce puss which we consume. Calcium deficiency
is just another ploy to sell more dairy and calcium supplements.
Calcium is vital for strong bones and teeth, it also regulates blood
pressure, and maintain blood vessels. " Got milk"? You don't have to,
there are other excellent calcium choices. Here's a few, collard greens,
broccoli, kale, edamame, bok choy, figs, oranges, sardines,
wild salmon, white beans, okra, almonds, turnip greens, blackstrap
molasses, seaweed, sesame seeds, etc.
, and maintain blood vessels. " Got milk"? You don't have to,
there are other excellent calcium choices. Here's a few, collard greens,
broccoli, kale, edamame, bok choy, figs, oranges, sardines,
wild salmon, white beans, okra, almonds, turnip greens, blackstrap
molasses, seaweed, sesame seeds, etc.
Meat
I
still have fond memories of the steak house our parents always take us
to after Sunday mass. We were big meat eaters! We would have a whole
roast pig for celebrations.
I'm working on eliminating meat from my diet
completely, I'm down to one meal with it a week, I know I'm getting
there. Yes we're classified as omnivores and physiologically able to eat
some meat, but the way we're consuming meat nowadays doesn't allow time
for our bodies to process them before we chomp down yet another burger,
with cheese! Meat takes massive quantities of digestive enzymes to
liquefy and digest, especially red. We over work our digestive
systems. When you've got cancer your body needs to conserve as much
energy and this digestive process is taxing which in turn renders your
body deficient of enzymes required for many other functions
within the body. Meat is acidic too and you want to be alkaline. The
longer it takes for food to go through our system, the more prone it is
to putrification, you've got rotten, decaying food in your tummy, not
yummy.
. When you've got cancer your body needs to conserve as much
energy and this digestive process is taxing which in turn renders your
body deficient of enzymes required for many other functions
within the body. Meat is acidic too and you want to be alkaline. The
longer it takes for food to go through our system, the more prone it is
to putrification, you've got rotten, decaying food in your tummy, not
yummy.
Pork is a
scavenger beast, it can tolerate eating putrid foods and they don't have
sweat glands to expel toxins which we ingest when we consume them. Pigs
actually have the same IQs as dogs and as affectionate as them, they
were right about "Babe".
Fish,
oily fish such as wild salmon and mackerel are good sources of omega 3,
but make sure you source it properly, steer clear of farmed fish which
are given growth stimulants. Cook it properly, don't fry, or smoke. Fish
should still be taken in moderation.
Chicken.
The process that take a chicken to the kitchen table is deplorable and
unsanitary. Factory farmed chickens can't even survive outside of their
cages, the only reason they're alive is because of the
antibiotics, vitamins, and growth hormones they inject them. They're
subjected to contamination, forced out of their packed cages, scalded
and defeatthered alive, and submerged into a pool of waste and bacteria.
If you must eat them, make sure you source them well, organic and free
range.
Red Meat. it takes
a great deal of processing from our digestive systems to absorb meat,
if you constantly eat it, the putrification from waiting to be digested
builds up within the gut and bowels and the toxins re absorbed back into
the body, it's just not worth it.
Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies, they break down amino acids that promote cell growth and repair but there are better protein choices than meat. Here's a quick list, green peas, quinoa, nuts and nut butters, beans, chickpeas, tempeh and tofu, edamame, leafy greens, hemp, chia, sesame, and sunflower seeds, seitan, even unsweetened cocoa powder.
Raw (and Organic)
A week after starting a raw diet, my energy levels zoomed up, I believe this is the stuff super humans are made of, raw, sustainable, sun based energy! Raw food is alive, you want life to run through your body, not dead rotting food. Raw food puts less strain on your digestion too. They are hydrating and contain loads of fiber which is essential in sweeping out digestive tract waste. They contain phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and immune boosters. A Swiss scientist, Dr. Paul Kouchakoff studied the effect of digestive leukocytosis, a well known phenomenon in which white blood cell count rises after eating cooked food but not when raw food is consumed. It only occurs after eating cooked, canned, or processed food. He renamed it pathological leukocytosis because the body's reaction to a foreign invader causes the increase in white blood cell count.
Sugar
Cancer cells feed on sugar, they need glucose to grow, that's where they get their energies from. The cancer cell has 96 receptor sites for sugar. This is why you get radioactive sugar when you do your pet scans, the cancer cells light up and reveal themselves, this diagnostic tool relies on the fact that cancer cells love sugar. Healthy cells transform into glucose-guzzling machines when they lose the ability to use oxygen effectively. They become anaerobic and turn to fermentation as a way of producing energy. Sugar is disguised in so many things today, toothpaste, ketchup, rice, salad dressings, it's everywhere. It doesn't help that it's addictive too. Cancer patients should not even eat fruit except for pineapples which contain bromelain and papaya which contains papain, both cancer fighters. Organic apples and pears should be limited.
The right diet and proper food contains information that the body uses to
support life systems. It is essential to life. Unfortunately, we don't
eat real food anymore and almost everything is processed or tampered for
convenience, our food stripped of the nutrients that we need to sustain
a healthy body.
We should all aim to eat live energized food in its purest form.
A week after starting a raw diet, my energy levels zoomed up, I believe this is the stuff super humans are made of, raw, sustainable, sun based energy! Raw food is alive, you want life to run through your body, not dead rotting food. Raw food puts less strain on your digestion too. They are hydrating and contain loads of fiber which is essential in sweeping out digestive tract waste. They contain phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and immune boosters. A Swiss scientist, Dr. Paul Kouchakoff studied the effect of digestive leukocytosis, a well known phenomenon in which white blood cell count rises after eating cooked food but not when raw food is consumed. It only occurs after eating cooked, canned, or processed food. He renamed it pathological leukocytosis because the body's reaction to a foreign invader causes the increase in white blood cell count.
Sugar
Cancer cells feed on sugar, they need glucose to grow, that's where they get their energies from. The cancer cell has 96 receptor sites for sugar. This is why you get radioactive sugar when you do your pet scans, the cancer cells light up and reveal themselves, this diagnostic tool relies on the fact that cancer cells love sugar. Healthy cells transform into glucose-guzzling machines when they lose the ability to use oxygen effectively. They become anaerobic and turn to fermentation as a way of producing energy. Sugar is disguised in so many things today, toothpaste, ketchup, rice, salad dressings, it's everywhere. It doesn't help that it's addictive too. Cancer patients should not even eat fruit except for pineapples which contain bromelain and papaya which contains papain, both cancer fighters. Organic apples and pears should be limited.
The right diet
and proper food contains information that the body uses to
support life systems. It is essential to life. Unfortunately, we don't
eat real food anymore and almost everything is processed or tampered for
convenience, our food stripped of the nutrients that we need to sustain
a healthy body. We should all aim to eat live energized food in its purest form.
It's not just cancer patients who can benefit from this way of eating, this is how we should all be eating. When we eat this way we not only nourish ourselves but the Earth. In taking care of ourselves we take care of life as it should be.
" I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be your food" Genesis 1:29
"And you will eat the plants in the field" Genesis 3:29
"For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, though shalt not lack anything in it" Deuteronomy 8:7-9a
"Excess of meats bringeth sickness" Ecclesiastics 37:30
Happy Easter!
"For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, though shalt not lack anything in it" Deuteronomy 8:7-9a
"Excess of meats bringeth sickness" Ecclesiastics 37:30
Happy Easter!
