Lifestyle Affects Cancer Risk

During February 2009, results of a joint American-British study concluded that 1/3 of most common cancer cases in the U.S. to be preventable by making healthy choices. Next to avoiding smoking, a healthy lifestyle is the most effective thing you can do to prevent cancer.

The American Institute for Cancer Research's recommendations for Cancer Prevention include:

• Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar or low in fiber, or high in fat).
• Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
• Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
• If consumed at all, limit daily alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women.
• Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
• Don't use supplements to protect against cancer.

Special Population Recommendations:

• It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods.
• After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

And always remember - Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
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What is "Eating Clean?"

Eating Clean is not just a diet, it's a lifestyle. It's not about denying yourself or going hungry.  It's about eating with thought and planning.  Learn the rules of  Eating Clean and adopt them into your day like the other good habits you practice.

Eating Clean Principles

• Eat 5 or 6 small meals every day. (Fruit, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy, whole grains)
• Eat every 2 to 3 hours.
• Combine lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
• Drink at least 2 liters, or 8 cups of water each day.
• Never miss a meal, especially breakfast.
• Carry a cooler loaded with Eat-Clean foods to get through the day.
• Avoid all over-processed, refined foods, especially white flour and sugar.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar-loaded colas and juices.
• Consume adequate healthy fats each day (olive oil, avocado,flax seed oil)
• Avoid alcohol, another form of sugar.
• Avoid all calorie-dense foods that contain little or no nutritional value.
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and enzymes.
• Stick to proper portion sizes - give up the super-sizing!

Eating this way is NOT A DIET!  It is something we want to do for the rest of our lives, to be the healthiest we can be.  To stave off disease and obesity.  Read more about "Eating Clean" at: http://www.eatcleandiet.com/

Lower Your Cholesterol

Scientists have revealed that we can get our cholesterol back to a healthy level not only by eliminating damaging foods (such as saturated and trans fats) but by incorporating some of nature's most nutritious foods in our daily menu.

Include these healthy foods into you daily meals and watch your numbers go down.

• Oats - Beta-glucan in oats absorbs "Bad"LDL cholesterol which is then excreted through the bowel. A Columbia University study discovered that eating 2 servings of cereal containing oats each day for 6 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 4.5% and "Bad"LDL cholesterol by 5.3%. Wow! Shouldn't we be finding more ways to get Oats into our daily menus?


• Walnuts - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that eating 1.5 ounces of whole nuts, 6 days a week for 1 month lowered "Bad"LDL cholesterol 9.3% and total cholesterol 5.4%. Be aware that all nuts are calorie dense and a 1.5 ounce serving contains about 277 calories.


• Fatty Fish - Such as salmon, herring & sardines eaten twice a week for 1 month raises "Good"HDL cholesterol by 4%. I found some frozen salmon pattys at my grocer that we use in place of ground beef pattys. They are very delicious and convenient.


• Beans (Legumes) - Carol Johnston, PhD.RD, professor of nutrition at Arizona State University says Pinto beans, when eaten everyday for 8 weeks can lower cholesterol levels 8%. Legumes contain soluble fiber which inhibits the absorption of cholesterol.


• Mushrooms - Eating maitake, enoki & shiitake mushrooms daily can lower blood cholesterol by 25% after 4 weeks. This was reported in a study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine. This is the highest reduction I've found so far! WOW!

Evolution of the Human Diet

You’ve heard me say, “Eat like our cavemen ancestors ate.” Well, how exactly did our ancestors, within the past million years, eat?

Early Man (from the Pleistocene Era) ate: 40% Protein from herbivores (Plant eating animals) – 10% Plant and animal fats – 50% Leaf & fruit-based carbohydrates (no grains).

Hunter-Gatherers (150,000 years ago) ate: 40% Protein from herbivores and vegetables (but no legumes) – 10% Plant and animal fats – 50% Leaf and fruit based carbohydrates (no grains).

Agricultural Revolution (10,000 years ago) ate: 30% Protein from legumes and grazing animals – 25% Animal fats – 25% Whole and stone-ground grains – 20% Vegetables, tubers and roots, dried and occasional fresh fruits.

Modern Era (from 1900 to Today) eat: 15% Processed foods – 25% Protein from animals fed grain and legumes – 30% Animal fats and grain based oils – 25% Refined carbohydrates and sugars, fruit and fruit juice – 5% Vegetables.

Wow! So, starting 10,000 years ago, man changed his eating habits, quite dramatically.
If you stop to think about it, we evolved as a being eating mostly fruits and vegetables at 50%, 40% protein from plant eating animals and 10% plant and animal fats.

Down through the ages, our diets have increased in caloric density and decreased in micronutrients, leaving us in the condition we now experience. Let’s learn a lesson from our ancestors! Eat more like a caveman!