Hormone Imbalance Video and Self Assessment

Hormone imbalance is one of the most common causes of feeling “less than good”.

Proper functioning of your hormones depends on the delicate orchestration of a number of key lifestyle factors.  When your hormones are in balance, you feel great—energetic, clear headed, strong and joyful.  But, when your hormones  get out of balance, the opposite is true,  You just don’t feel quite right.

You may be suffering from adrenal fatigue, thyroid imbalance, autoimmune disease, digestive problems and a host of other symptoms.  Plus you’re at higher risk for hormone related cancers — breast, prostate, ovarian and uterine.

Use the assessment below to determine how well balanced YOUR hormones are:

Mark each one you experience.

1.    Fatigue/lack of energy?
2.    Distractibility or lack of focus?
3.    Memory loss?
4.    Anger or irritability?
5.    Anxiety?
6.    Depression?
7.    Mood swings?
8.    Headaches?
9.    Muscle Aches?
10.    Joint pain?
11.    PMS?
12.    Painful periods?
13.    Breast tenderness or swelling?
14.    Accumulation of weight around your midline?
15.    Weight loss resistance?
16.    Acne or oily skin?
17.    Dry or thinning hair?
18.    Dry or itchy skin?
19.    Increased facial hair?
20.    Urinary incontinence?
21.    Decrease in sex drive?
22.    Vaginal dryness, itching or pain?
23.    Painful intercourse?
24.    Difficult achieving orgasm?
25.    Hot flashes/or night sweats?
26.    Insomnia or night time awakenings?
27.    Osteopenia or osteoporosis?
28.    Elevated cholesterol?
29.    Constipation?
30.    Bloating, gas or indigestion?

Score one point for each positive answer.  Score an additional point for each symptom that’s moderate to severe in intensity or you experience it frequently.

**If your score is 20 or higher, you most likely have a hormone imbalance that needs to be addressed ASAP.

**If you scored between 10 and 20, you are likely suffering from a hormone imbalance that’s interfering with your
quality of life.

**If you scored between 5 and 10, your hormone imbalance is mild and should be addressed to prevent it from getting worse.

**If you scored less than 5, congratulations.  Your hormones are mostly in balance and you are in a good position to  take measures to protect and nourish your hormones to prevent future imbalances.

There’s a series of 5 videos we recorded to show you how to get your hormones in balance.  The videos are free at http://www.vibranthormones.com

I teamed up with internationally acclaimed hormone expert Dr. Lindsey Berkson, author of  “Safe Hormones, Smart Women”, “Hormone Deception”,”Natural Answers to Women’s Health Questions”, “Healthy Digestion the Natural Way” and 8 other books to create these videos that share the best kept secrets about nourishing and protecting your hormones.

This Natural Hormone Balance Video Series covers the following topics and more:

• How your hormones are like email messages – and the factors that affect their delivery
• Why testosterone is important for keeping women’s hormones safe
• Important vitamins  that balance your mood, energy and libido
• The intimate connection between food and hormones, and why living and raw foods can help keep your hormones balanced
• How sleep protects you from cancer
• Why synthetic vitamins may be hurting you

In the very very first video, we share why testosterone is so  important for women as well as men and how it keeps a certain body part safe.

http://www.vibranthormones.com

This information is not to be missed if you’d like to be healthy, happy, sexy and vibrant at any age!

Love, Health and Joy to you

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.vibranthormones.com

Green Smoothies vs Green Juice, Fruit Friend or Foe, and Other Controversial Topics

Green Smoothies have been my friend for close to 25 years now.  My daily smoothie habit is a part of my life, just like brushing my teeth.  When Dr. Brian Clement spoke here in Austin earlier this month, he brought up a very controversial issue…Green Smoothies vs Green Juices.  He flat out said that green smoothies were “a step above soft drinks” because 90% or nutrients are lost through oxidation  when the fruits and vegetables are blended.

I personally have a hard time with this.   Nutrient destruction can occur as a result of damage by heat, light and air.   The amount of damage is a function of severity and  It is generally accepted that nutrients begin to be damages when heated above 118 degrees F.   I have not found any studies that confirm this.  In fact there is quite a bit of evidence that refutes this.

First of all we need to define what we mean by nutrients.

1. Macronutrients: nutrients consumed in large amounts , ie protein, carbohydrates and fats.
2. Micronutrients: nutrients consumed in small mounts , ie vitamins, minerals, enzymes

Not all are similarly sensitive to oxidation.  Take minerals for example.  You can leach them out with prolonged heat, but its hard to destroy calcium by blending.  In fact, calcium becomes more available after blending because ti’s released form the cell walls, a feat ordinarily accomplished by stomach acid – which becomes deficient as we age and abuse our bodies.

The smoothie vs juice debate is a hot topic these days.  Her’s an excerpt from an excellent article written by Kevin Gianni of Renegade Health.  Kevin gave me permission to reprint it .  Thanks Kevin.  You saved me some precious time.

There are 5 important issues to address when discussing the Green Smoothie vs Green Juice debate, according to Kevin.

1. Oxidation
2. Fiber
3. Sugar Content
4. Available Nutrients
5. Ease of Making them.

Number 1: Oxidation

It’s said that high speed blenders can oxidize your nutrients so that when you drink a smoothie you won’t get the health benefit of it.

This is why you should drink juices instead.

This is false.

Victoria Boutenko did a study using potatoes in a blender and in a juicer and found that the potatoes in a blender oxidized much more SLOWLY than the potato juice.

• Fiber actually protects the smoothie from oxidizing quickly.
• Juices should be consumed right after you make them for the highest nutrient profile.
• Twin gear juicers like the Tribest are best for slowing the oxidizing process when you juice.  (Sold  in the Renegade Health store)

So the bottom line is this…

Smoothies oxidize slower, which means you will be able to preserve more nutrients for longer.

For oxidation, we like smoothies best.

Number 2: Fiber

Don’t we need fiber to prevent heart disease?

Why would we take the fiber out when we make a juice?

These are good questions.

First off, we do need fiber… but if we’re eating a high raw diet we’re getting plenty of fiber.  Your body won’t miss the fiber from the juice.

Why take the fiber out of the juice?

For fast absorption (and maximum) of the nutrients.

A juice to me is like a power-packed supplement to your regular healthy diet.

For fiber, the smoothie has more, but the juice has a different purpose.

Number 3: Sugar Content

For sugar content, if you’re using fruits and sweet vegetables for your juices and smoothies you’re going to get sugar.  Most people can deal with moderate amounts of sugar in their diet for an extended period of
time.  (Higher sugar for shorter periods)

Because there is fiber in your smoothie, your body will absorb the sugar slower.  This is good for your pancreas. When you juice fruit, you take away the fiber and this can cause your pancreas to struggle to regulate your blood sugar.

For this reason, I recommend smoothies with sweet fruits and veggies and juices with greens and low  glycemic fruits like lemons and limes.  This way you can enjoy your fruits without blood sugar spikes and enjoy a nice, clean green juice!

Just to recap, smoothies contain more fiber, don’t oxidize as fast, and allow for slower nutrient absorption.

Juices have less fiber, oxidize quicker and allow for quick absorption.

Now again, this doesn’t mean that juices are bad, they just have  their place.  We use them as we would a supplement.  Drinking an organic vegetable juice is an opportunity to get great nutrients and minerals straight into your system.

4. Available Nutrients

When you juice a veggie, you strip away all the fiber.  This makes  the nutrients extremely available for your system to absorb. When you blend a veggie, you break down the fiber making the nutrients easier to absorb, but you still have a bunch of fiber that will slow absorption in your intestines.

For sugary foods this is ideal.  For greens it’s good too, but not as good as a green juice.  When it comes to readily available nutrients, juices take the lead.

5. Ease of Making Them

Smoothies hands down on this.  Put your ingredients into a blender  and turn it on.  Cleaning with a blender is simple too. Rinse it out a bit, add some water and soap, then put it back on the base.  Turn it on for a few seconds, then use a sponge to clean out what’s left.

Juicers are harder to clean because they have more moving parts.

To get the best of both worlds, you can use your blender to make juices.

Add your juice ingredients to the blender, add some water, and blend.  When you’re done, strain everything through a nut milk bag and you have your juice ready to go.

http://www.renegadehealth.com/smoothieweek

Check out Kevin’s Smoothie Wee Specials…1/2 off Kevin’s  “Smoothies for Optimal Health” book, and discounts on Kev’s Super Smoothie Powder.

For the second topic, Fruit friend or foe,  we’ll continue tomorrow.

Bottom line:  enjoy your smoothies and have juice too, for a powerful nutritional boost.

For a super powerful nutrition and energy boost, check out our Green Smoothie Cleanse as part of our  “Drink Green Stay Lean”  Coaching Program.

Love, Health and Joy to You,

Dr. Ritamarie

Kelp – Magic from the Sea to Combat Adrenal and Thyroid Fatigue and Create Vibrant Health

Kelp is a great food for adrenal fatigue, thyroid balance and detoxification. Who’d of thought—back in the days when I was first learning to scuba dive in the thick kelp forests in northern California—that someday I’d be eating the slimy stuff?

Now that I know that kelp is one of the most nutritious foods around, I eat it on a regular basis. Only I don’t eat it in it’s slimy state. Usually it’s ground up as a powder or dried into long crunchy chip-like pieces.

My favorite kelp of all is called bullwhip kelp. It grows in the moving cold waters of the Pacific Northwest. When sun dried and carefully packed, it is crispy and light, salty and delicious. Kids love it.

Another form of kelp is called Laminaria Digitata. Say that 10 times fast! The claim to fame of Laminaria Digitata is its effect on thyroid function. 10% of the iodine in Laminaria digitata Kelp is T3 and T4, the nickname for your thyroid hormones. I’ve seen people reverse abnormal thyroid lab tests in 6-8 weeks by taking laminaria digitata.

Bullwhip kelp can be eaten and enjoyed as is, like chips. It can also be added to salads, soups, steamed vegetables, smoothies, soups and salad dressings. My favorite source of bullwhip kelp is Dr. Ryan Drum , noted herbalist and sea vegetable gatherer. His articles about kelp and other sea vegetables are as outstanding as his kelp.

I store my kelp in airtight containers because this kelp is very sensitive to moisture. If it does get left open and softens, I crisp it up in the dehydrator, set at 110 – 120 degrees for 30 – 60 minutes.

According to Ryan Drum. , “most kelp it made up of a body or thallus that are actually leaf-like structure called blades. Blades come from stipes which are long stem-like structures. The holdfast is a type of root that anchors the plant to the ocean floor. The American variety contains gas-filled bladders at the base of the blades that keep the leaves close to the surface.”

Kelp and the entire family of sea vegetables are incredibly nutritious, yet unfortunately are underutilized and under appreciated in our Western Culinary regime. For those who frequent Japanese restaurants, sushi and seaweed salad may be familiar menu items, but few, save for those on a macrobiotic diet, a raw foods diet or of Asian origin, serve these gems from the sea at home. They are simple to prepare and serve and can add fun and diversity to your daily culinary repertoire. Served as part of main meals and in salads, soups and wraps, sea vegetables offer an abundance of otherwise hard to get nutrients.

Nutrition Benefits of Kelp

Kelp is very rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. It’s loaded with chlorophyll, fiber, and minerals, including significant amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, lithium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, sulfur, and iodine calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, B-vitamins and many other trace minerals naturally found in the ocean. According to Dr. Drum,3-5 pounds of sea vegetables will fully mineralize an adult human for one year! That’s approximately 1-2 ounces per week. A 1/3 cup (1/4 oz.) serving of Kelp provides up to 30% of the RDA for iron, which is 4 times the amount of iron in a serving of spinach. Magnesium is twice as abundant in Kelp as in collard greens.

When purchasing kelp, care must be taken to be sure it was grown in unpolluted waters. Kelp can act like a sponge and will absorb toxins and contaminants from the water.

Just a Few of the Health Benefits of kelp

Anti Cancer Effects – The lignans in kelp can inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which cancer cells metastasize. The lignans also inhibit estrogen synthesis in fat cells and reduce the 4OH and 16OH metabolites that are considered a significant risk factor for breast cancer. Kelp is also rich in folate, a B vitamin that can significantly reduce risk of colon cancer.

Thyroid health – The high level of iodine, especially in the form of T3 and T4 as in laminaria digitata kelp, supports thyroid health and protects the thyroid from radiation exposure.

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease – The folate in kelp helps breakdown homocysteine, a dangerous metabolic by-product. . Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls, and high levels are associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Kelp is also a very good source of magnesium, which has also been shown to reduce high blood pressure and prevent heart attack.

Anti-Inflammatory Action – Kelp is a source of fucans, carbohydrates that can reduce inflammation.

Relief for Menopausal Symptoms – Kelp’s abundance of magnesium helps restore normal sleep patterns, especially in women who are experiencing symptoms of menopause.

Cashing in on the Health Benefits of Kelp

There are many ways to enjoy kelp. I put a teaspoon of the powder in my smoothies just about every day. I add it to salad dressings, soups and sauces. I’ve even added it to brownies.

Kelp noodles are one of my favorite dishes. Search the blog for several delicious kelp noodle recipes.

Here’s one of my favorite kelp recipes , taken from my e- book “Greens from the Sea”

Land and Sea Slaw

• Cut kelp into thin strips using a kitchen scissor.
• Soak kelp for at least 10 minutes in enough water to cover, until softened. Drain.
• Grate land vegetables
• Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make dressing.
• Combine land and sea ingredients into a large bowl and toss with dressing.

Adjust seasonings to taste.

Enjoy kelp and other sea vegetables on a regular basis, at least 1-2 ounces per week. It will go along way to protecting your health, improving your hormones and making you strong and lean.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

39 Quick and Easy Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer

Cancer is often referred to as a modern day disease, as if it was barely recognized as a disease back at the turn of the 20^th century.

Yet I recently found a book called “Cancer…Its Causes, Symptoms and Treatment”, by Eli G. Jones, MD.  It was recommended by my herbal medicine mentor David Winston.  It sat on my shelf for almost 2 years and I just happened to come upon it during my recent reorganization frenzy.  What I read blew me away.

The cover looks modern enough, since it was reprinted in 2004, yet the inside has many tell-tale signs of age.  The book was written in 1921!  What shocked me were the cancer statistics presented in the very first chapter.  Before reading this, I had thought that cancer was practically unheard of in the early part of the 1900’s.

In the US in 1890, there were 18,536 deaths from cancer.  In 1900 there were 29,222 and in 1921 there were over 50,000. In 1921, it was estimated that one man in 32 and one woman in 11 die of cancer.

Cancer Statistics: Are We Really Making Progress?

Conventional medicine would like us to believe that great strides have been made in the eradication of cancer.  Yet the statistics say quite the opposite.  Today, in the US alone, there are over 562,000 deaths per year from cancer and it’s estimated that 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 people will get cancer.  And if do you get cancer, the odds are bleak if you rely on modern medicine to bail you out.

The Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2004 (16:549) published a study done by two Australian oncologists who looked at every randomized controlled clinical trial between 1990 and 2004.  On average, the 5 year survival rate for 22 types of cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation was 2.1 percent.  Admittedly, the survival rates tend to be higher in the general population than in studies.  Michael Boyer, head of oncology at the Sydney Cancer Center estimated the 5 year survival rate to be closer to 5 or 6 %.   It should be noted that in drug trials, anything with less than 30% effectiveness is considered placebo.

The cancers with the best 5 year survival were:

• Hodgkin’s lymphoma – 40.3%
• Testicular cancer – 37.7%
• Cervical Cancer – 12%
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 10.5%

What About Nutritional Cancer Interventions?

Are the statistics much better for non-conventional treatments?  Hard to say because we really don’t have good statistical analysis for non conventional treatment approaches.  And to further complicate things, most people who undergo alternative cancer protocols do so AFTER conventional treatment has failed.  At this point their bodies are so ravaged from the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery that it would take a miracle for them to recover.

Still, there are so many case reports of people who have been given up as dead who turned to nutrition and natural therapies and went on to live for decades.

The Hippocrates Institute in Florida was originally founded by Ann Wigmore who at the age of 56 was given 6 months to live.  She turned to the natural medicine wisdom of her grandmother, completely reversed her disease and went on to use her approach to do the same for thousands of others with cancer and other serious illness.

The Gerson Institute in San Diego California, uses a program of organic foods, juicing, coffee enemas, detoxification and natural supplements developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920’s and has helped thousands of cancer patients recover their health.

The Oasis of Healing in Tempe, Arizona, is a comprehensive and integrative medical and healing facility that helps cancer patients and their families learn to re-establish health.  It’s run by Dr. Thomas Lodi, whose 3 pillared approach has restored health to thousands of people.  Dr. Lodi combines juicing, living foods and emotional healing with elements of modern medicine to guide the patients to stop making cancer, target and eliminate the cancer without harm to healthy cells and enhance the immune system.

There are many other healing centers that utilize natural methods, mainly diet and nutritional balance, movement and attitude in helping hundreds of thousands of cancer patients regain their health.  Others include Optimal Health Institute in Austin and San Diego, Creative Health Institute in Michigan, and an Oasis of Hope Hospital near Los Angeles, California.

Strengthening Cancer Defenses vs Killing Cancer Cells

The approach of natural cancer interventions is to increase the body’s ability to get rid of cancer cells or to cause the cancer cells to self-destruct.  Contrast that to chemo therapy which initiates machine gun fire on all cells, hoping the cancer cells die before the good ones.  Statistics tell us that’s not what usually happens.  Many cancer deaths are a result of the treatment, not the illness

According to Mike Anderson, author of “Healing Cancer from the Inside Out”, when caught during the initiation or promotion stage, a true anti-cancer diet has 100 percent chance of reversing the disease.  When it’s progressed beyond that, nutritional treatment extends patients lives form months to years, or at minimum, reduced pain and suffering.

Seems to me the best approach is to adopt a diet and lifestyle to PREVENT cancer long before it strikes.   Prevention programs target what you eat, how you think, the quality of your relationships, with others and yourself and a long list of lifestyle choices over which you have day to day choice.

There are many books and many natural cancer prevention and management programs.  The one thing that almost all have in common is that the diet is primarily or exclusively plant based, fresh, whole living foods.

Your body makes cancer cells every day.  Your body also has the ability to destroy the cancer cells before they multiply and create a problem.  Your daily choices determine how effectively your immune system checks the growth of cancer cells keeps you safe and healthy.  If you wait until cancer is detectable, you’ll have to work a whole lot harder to get rid of it that you would have to prevent it in the first place.

It’s your choice.  You can choose health or you can make choices that increase your risk of  cancer.  What will it be?

39 Quick and Easy Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer

1. Eat plenty of sulforaphane.  Say what?  Sounds like the name of a chemotherapy drug.  It, in fact, is a compound found in the cruciferous family of vegetables.  These are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and all their relatives.  Sulphorophane blocks cancer cells.  Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower also contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective variety. If that’s not enough to have you packing in the crucifers, they also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help decrease prostate and other cancers.
2. Try a daily dose of ellagic acid.  It’s found in about 46 different foods. The highest concentrations are in berries, particularly raspberries, and pomegranates, grapes and walnuts. Ellagic acid stops cancer cells from mitosis, the process they use to replicate themselves, prevents destruction of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, and causes cancer cells to commit suicide.
3. Eat an alkalizing diet. Your blood maintains its pH slightly alkaline at 7.35.  Life presents acid residue at every turn – when you exercise, get stressed, and in the foods and chemicals you take into your body. Foods that create an alkaline residue help balance life’s acids.  Cancer thrives in an acid environment.  Additional information on acid/alkaline balance is found at http://drritamarie.com/Articles.htm
4. Exercise daily and vigorously.  Cancer cells thrive in an environment deprived of oxygen.
5. Take a break from the news.  Studies show that the biochemical changes that occur when you’re stressed worried or feeling powerless affect tumor growth and spread by effecting DNA repair and the regulation of cell growth.
6. Give your body an oil change.  Heated oils oxidize, causing cancer-producing free radicals to form.  Switch them out for raw omega 3 fats like flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds.  Minimize the use of oils.  Instead choose whole food fats.
7. Tame your sweet tooth.  Cancer cells thrive on sugar.  It’s best to eliminate all forms of refined sugar, and if you already have cancer, its best to eliminate all sweet foods, including fruit, with the exception perhaps of those fruits mentioned below,  used therapeutically for their cancer fighting properties.
8. Avoid animal foods.  Study after study has reported on the cancer protective effects of a diet free of meat and dairy products.  One of the most renowned is the “China Study”, conducted by T. Colin Campbell, and published in a book with the same name.  Animal foods are devoid of fiber and travel slowly through your digestive track, producing toxic metabolic wastes en route.   One mechanism proposed for the increased cancer rates in meat eaters is that the digestion of meat requires large quantities of the pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, which leaves less of these enzymes available to dissolve the protein coat on cancer cells.
9. Get plenty of sunshine.  Vitamin D is made in your skin from exposure to sunlight. Maintaining appropriate blood levels of vitamin D has been shown to protect against many forms of cancer.  If you can’t be out in the sun, take a vitamin D supplement and test your vitamin D blood levels regularly.
10. Eat organic foods as much as possible.   Pesticides affect your immune system and detoxification systems and put you at higher risk of cancer.
11. Use “Green” cleaning products.  Products using natural substance reduce the toxic load.  Many of the chemicals used in commercial cleaning products are carcinogenic.
12. Keep cholesterol levels in a safe range.  Excess cholesterol can trigger cancer proliferative estrogens.
13. Keep your colon clean.  You need to be having at least 2 good sized bowel movements each day to keep the waste flowing out.  Sluggish bowels predispose you to toxic recirculation and increased risk of cancer.
14. Breathe deeply and fully to increase oxygenation of your tissues and minimize cancer risk.  Cancer can’t thrive in well oxygenated environment.
15. Avoid refined foods.  These are devoid of cancer protective phytochemicals and nutrients and usually contain preservatives and chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer
16. Chew your food thoroughly.  When you eat under stress and on the run, your digestion becomes inefficient.  Toxic residues accumulate from unchewed and undigested food, leaving you more prone to immune stress and cancer formation.
17. Avoid food allergens. Anything you are allergic to creates an immune system response, which distracts your system from the more important work of cancer surveillance and destruction.
18. Drink plenty of pure water. Insufficient hydration decreases your kidney’s ability to excrete water soluble toxins.  Recirculation of these poisons increases your cancer risk.  Rule of thumb is ½ your body weight in fluid ounces each day.
19. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables every day.  They are loaded with cancer protective phytochemicals,  minerals and nutrients that protect from cancer and disrupt the functioning of cancer cells.
20. Load up on Vitamin C.  It’s a powerful anti-cancer nutrient that’s frequently given in IV form to treat cancer.  Foods like fresh greens, bell peppers, berries, citrus, and sweet potatoes are rich sources.  Supplementary vitamin C can be taken in the form of buffered ascorbic acid or whole food concentrates, like camu camu, amla, goji, acerola cherry and pomegranate powder.
21. Eat laetrile containing foods, like apricot and peach kernels,  buckwheat, berry seeds,  grape seeds,  chick peas, lentils, lima beans, mung sprouts, cashews, alfalfa brown rice,  millet, bitter almond and  macadamia nuts.  Laetrile has very powerful anti-cancer properties.  It works by killing cancer cells and building the immune system to fend off future outbreaks.  For the treatment of cancer, many experts recommend a daily dose of 24 – 40 apricot, spread throughout the day.
22. Eat carrots, which contain thousands, of phytonutrients, many of which have already been identified for their cancer-fighting abilities.
23. Eat flax seeds, which contain antioxidant lignans that block or suppress cancerous growth.
24. Season with Garlic.  Its immune-enhancing allium compounds .increase the activity of immune cells that fight cancer, help block carcinogens from entering cells, and indirectly help break down and slow tumor development. Diallyl sulfide, a compound found in the oil of garlic, has been shown to deactivate carcinogens in the liver.
25. Enjoy Citrus fruits. Grapefruit and oranges contain monoterpenes, which appear by clear carcinogens from the body.  Tangerine peels contain cancer destroying Salvestrol 40, a type of phytoalexin produced to repel insects or fungi. Oranges and lemons contain Iimonene which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells
26. Eat red grapes, especially concord grapes with the seeds.  They contain cancer protective compounds such as ellagic acid, catechin, quercetin, oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), resveratrol, pterostilbene, selenium, lycopene, lutein, laetrile, beta-carotene, caffeic acid and/or ferulic acid and gallic acid!  There are several books written about a cancer treatment called the grape cure, during which a water fast is followed by a diet of blended grapes.  The idea is that the cancer cells love the grapes because of their high sugar content and while eating the sugar, they are poisoned by the chemo therapy that grapes naturally contain.
27. Make friends with mushrooms. There are a number of them that have been shown to have cancer protective effective and immune building effects, including shiitake, maitake, and reishi.   The mushrooms contain lentinan, beta glucan and  lectin –powerful substances  that help build immunity.
28. Eat 2 Brazil nits every day.  They provide cancer protective selenium, an essential mineral.  Other nuts contain the antioxidants quercetin and campferol that may suppress the growth of cancers.
29. Season your food with cancer protective herbs and spices.  Turmeric is extremely powerful as an antioxidant and anti-cancer agent. It inhibits production of cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), which reduces inflammation and cancer cell growth, especially bowel and colon cancer. Rosemary contains carnosol, which inhibits breast and skin tumors in animals. Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes.
30. Indulge in asparagus when in season.  It contains cancer reducing saponins.  Blend 1 or 2 stalks into a green soup or salad dressing.
31. Add beets to your salads.  They contain anti-cancer proanthocyanidins (OPC’s).
32. Get tropical. Enjoy raw pineapple and papaya.  In addition to lots of vitamin C, they contain the enzymes bromelain, papain and pexoxidase that have been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
33. Eat from the sea. In addition to being an excellent source of minerals that support your immune system, sea vegetables contain substances which bind to heavy metals and toxins and eliminate them from your body.  Powdered sea vegetables like kelp and dulse can be added to salads, soups and smoothies.
34. Switch from coffee to green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols , one in particular called particularly epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG , that inhibit an enzyme required for cancer cell growth and  kills cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
35. Eat tomatoes.  They contain lycopene, an antioxidant that attacks cancer promoting free radicals.  Blend them into a sauce with rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano for extra immune support.
36. Prioritize fresh foods. Adopt a diet that contains 75% or more fresh raw foods, including lots of sprouts and greens.
37. Drink a green smoothie every day to provide lots of fresh raw cancer fighting plants.
38. Learn to love your lawn.  There is a cancer protecting effect of several of the cereal grasses.  There have been several prominent rat studies which showed a definite reduction in cell mutation in rats fed wheat grass juice along with a highly carcinogenic substance called benzopyrene compared to when they were fed the benzopyrene alone.  Barley grass extract was demonstrated to inhibit growth of human prostate, breast and melanoma cancer cells in a study done at George Washington University Medical Centre.  While wheat grass juice may not be the tastiest juice you can drink, it sure does appear to be one of the most health promoting ones.
39. Practice the Art of Appreciation.   There is no better way of getting your stress hormones settled down and your immune system fired up than taking time to deeply appreciate your blessings.  Do it daily, morning and evening.  Find 3 things to appreciate and experience how good it feels.

So there you have it.  Creating cancer protective habits is not difficult.  There are lots to choose from.  While you don’t need to master all 39 tips all at once, the more you do, the better your odds of protecting yourself from clenches of cancer.

To hear more, visit www.drritamarie.com/cancertalk.

Love, Health and Joy ..and lots of Fun!

Dr. Ritamarie

Living Foods that Protect You from Cancer: BROCCOLI SPROUTS

There are many whole fresh foods that belong in your arsenal of cancer protection and immune support.  None is more powerful that the little known, super powerful broccoli sprout.

Here’s a contributed article I thought I’d share.

BROCCOLI SPROUTS –  Potent Little Cancer Fighters

by Jane Hardin, MS, RD/LD

One of the many benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the reduced risk of cancer.  Hundreds of studies are being conducted to determine exactly which components in our food are anti-carcinogenic and one of them – broccoli sprouts — is getting a lot of research attention for its phytochemical, SULFORAPHANE.

In general, cruciferous plants are rich in sulforaphane in its glucosinolate precursor form, glucoraphanin (conversion occurs in the gut).  Broccoli contains unusually high levels of glucoraphanin, with the youngest plants having the most concentration.   Raw is preferred, as heat appears to destroy some of the glucoraphanin.  However, the evidence suggests that broccoli must be eaten in large quantities to substantially reduce the risk of cancer.  Broccoli sprouts, then, become the optimal food for the following reasons:

• Glucoraphanin is concentrated in the broccoli sprouts.  In fact, three day-old broccoli sprouts contain approximately 20 times the concentration of sulforaphane glucosinolate found in mature broccoli.  (Other studies suggest sulforaphane glucosinatelevels anywhere from 10-100 times higher in sprouts than in fully grown plants.)  A single ounce of sprouts has as much glucoraphanin as 1¼ pounds of cooked broccoli.

• There is a lot of variance in nutrient and phytochemical content from one broccoli plant to another.  The sprouts seem to offer more uniform benefits.

How does it work?

There are two complementary routes to controlling cancer.  The first is prevention – reducing exposure to cancer-causing chemicals and harmful diet choices.

The second, protection, bolsters the body’s own defenses by releasing detoxification (Phase 2) enzymes.  These enzymes neutralize cancer-causing agents and free radicals before DNA is damaged and cancer is initiated.   Dr. Paul Talalay and his colleagues at John Hopkins University School of Medicine have shown sulforaphane is a potent activator of these Phase 2 enzymes, thus enhancing the body’s natural cancer fighting instincts.

In animal studies, administration of sulforaphane blocked tumor development, thereby reducing the incidence, size, and multiplicity of carcinogen-induced tumors.

Nutritional biochemist Jed W. Fahey, M.S., Sc.D. (John Hopkins) states that protective enzymes are increased by just a just a couple ounces broccoli sprouts per day.

How do I incorporate broccoli sprouts into my diet?

Just mix them into your salads and wraps, or throw a handful into your smoothies, soups or blended salads!  Broccoli sprouts have tender shoots and tiny leaves resembling alfalfa sprouts, but their taste more closely resembles radish.  Its sharp flavor is the result of high concentrations of glucoraphanin, exactly what you want to stimulate protection against cancer.

Sprouting your own broccoli seed is easy and cost effective.  Just soak the seeds overnight, then rinse and drain them two or three times a day, using any of the multiple sprouting systems you can purchase or make yourself.  After just a few days you have sprouts!  Eat immediately or store them for a few days in the refrigerator.

Broccoli sprouts are a dietary means to chemically reducing cancer risk, but the good news doesn’t end there.  Studies have shown that broccoli sprouts may decrease overall cholesterol levels, while increasing HDL; reduce inflammation;  optimize heart, artery and kidney function: decrease the risk of macular degeneration; protect lung cells while dealing with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and potentially reverse the damaging effects of diabetes-induced vascular disease!

Plant phytochemicals number in the thousands; only a handful of these have been identified and their mechanisms of action determined.  There is also the issue of synergy – to what degree might healthful effects be dependent upon multiple food components working together, rather than as isolated substances?

Because there are still so many unknowns about the nutrition connection with cancer, a sensible approach is to incorporate lots of whole fruits and vegetables, including those crazy broccoli sprouts!

About the Author

R.Jane Hardin, MS, RD/LD is a traditionally-trained registered dietitian with a lifelong engagement in various holistic approaches to health and nutrition. Her eclectic food interests over the years have led her to studies with experts such as Dr. Ann Wigmore and Michio Kushi.

Jane’s renewed interest in raw living foods enabled her to reverse several deteriorating, personal health conditions, including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. This inspired her to become a certified Raw Foods Educator. She now enjoys helping others along the pathway to nutritional wellness, regardless of starting point or destination, one bite at a time.