As we wind down last month’s focus on food ingredients and their many health effects, I couldn’t go without mentioning another Fall focus; cancer awareness! With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness month and October Breast Cancer Awareness, there are lessons we can adapt into our lives, whether we’ve experienced cancer in our family or not! This is not a subject many of us want to think about, and you may seem far removed from it, but the fact is approximately “1 in 285 children in the USA are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 19”, and an estimated “1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer”. There is a growing number of children being diagnosed with various forms of this disease. After all, it’s not just adult cancer cases that are growing.
So how does this affect us all and what does food have to do with it? Knowledge is everything…
As studies are being done to determine causes, there is an ongoing effort to find ways to reduce the risks of reoccurrences or secondary cancers from forming. Based on years of government follow up research one of the common factors in most 10 year survival participants; following a heart healthy, whole foods diet, with daily physical activity. Unlike many adult cancers, ”young childhood cancers may not appear to be diet/lifestyle related due to age of diagnosis” (. However, in post cancer care it makes a difference. In many 10 year survival patients the data shows that diet, lifestyle and environmental factors do appear to have a positive impact.
How can we all adapt positive changes?
My focus last month was on food ingredients and how they affect both children and adults alike with reactions caused by allergies and food intolerance’s. These same ingredients along with our love of sugar, may not cause an obvious reaction in some of us, but they DO contribute to inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation can all lead to disease over a period of time. So how can we all adapt to healthier living?
You don’t need to have experienced cancer or other diseases to change to an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruit, and vegetables. It helps us ALL thrive, regardless of our age, stage of life, or health status. One of the main ingredients that I didn’t mention last month is SUGAR.
Adding sugar to your food is not the only way to experience the negative effects. This tricky ingredient is disguised by many different names and is found in most processed and packaged foods, as well as, soft drinks and YES, seemingly healthy juices. Our bodies also break down other simple carbs like some breads, pasta, desserts, into sugar. So there are many different ways we can be affected, but there is a solution without going cold turkey and giving up every delicious food in your diet!
The first step is “stepping back into the kitchen” and cooking with more whole foods. The great thing about whole foods is they don’t contain added sugars and most do contain lots of fiber to help us slow down any sugars entering our system.
My challenge to you; try a new recipe or an old favorite this week, made from whole grains and whole foods. Learn to love your kitchen and putting love back into your meals!
References:
http://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/late-effects-hp-pdq
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-key-statistics
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@research/documents/webcontent/acspc-041787.pdf
