| It seems that everywhere I turn I'm reminded of | | | | cancer study. The researchers found that raw |
| opportunities to support a sustainable environment. | | | | cabbage offered more protection than cooked |
| "Going green" is all the rage now and I have found | | | | cabbage. It turns out that heating the cabbage |
| myself purchasing common household items or using | | | | denatures the enzyme and reduces the absorption of |
| services that capitalize on our planet's natural | | | | glucosinolates in the body. |
| resources and reduce potential harm to the | | | | Broccoli |
| environment. I see my small effort as an investment | | | | Scientists have identified a naturally occurring |
| in our children's future. After all if we don't take care | | | | compound called indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous |
| of our Earth where else are we going to live? I guess | | | | vegetables like broccoli, which may be very effective |
| the same principle applies to our bodies. | | | | in the fight against breast cancer. British researchers |
| One of ways we can sustain good health is to | | | | revealed that indole-3-carbinols can destroy cancer |
| practice good nutritional habits. And, in the spirit of | | | | cells when used in combination with certain |
| "going green" I would like to encourage you to | | | | chemotherapies. Indoles can also change the potent |
| choose foods that are seasonal and regional to | | | | form of estrogen into a non-toxic form-something |
| where you live. Buying local means you are reducing | | | | every woman with estrogen-receptor positive breast |
| the transportation cost (and environmental impact of | | | | cancer should know about. Even a ½ cup of |
| that transportation), and the electricity typically | | | | broccoli per day decreased breast cancer risk by |
| needed to manufacture and/or package the product. | | | | 14%. |
| Organic food is grown or produced without the use | | | | Green Tea |
| of pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics or growth | | | | Published in the Journal of Cancer Biology and |
| hormones in an effort to both help people eat more | | | | Therapy, December 2007, a study found that |
| healthfully and minimize the negative impact of | | | | catechins, the plant chemicals found in green tea, |
| conventional agriculture and food production on the | | | | could inhibit the invading capacity of breast cancer |
| environment. However, organic food is typically more | | | | cells, and cause cellular death-something called |
| costly - often much more costly - than non-organic | | | | apoptosis. Population studies also suggest that the |
| food, so it's important to prioritize your grocery list | | | | risk of breast cancer is found to be less in Asian |
| and choose those food items that offer your family | | | | countries that consume green tea. The therapeutic |
| maximum health protection. For example, I insist on | | | | dose of green tea is three to four cups of tea per |
| purchasing non-genetically modified soy milk and | | | | day; enjoy hot or cold. |
| hormone-free dairy products whenever possible. I | | | | Spinach |
| also look for nonperishable organic items on sale such | | | | High intakes of foods rich in vitamin A or carotenes |
| as cans of soup, vegetables, and grain products that | | | | are cancer fighters. In a case-control study |
| I can store for longer periods of time. | | | | conducted in the United States, subjects who had |
| Certainly, optimal health comes from a combination of | | | | completed food questionnaires indicating a higher |
| putting the right things into our body and limiting the | | | | consumption of spinach had a reduced risk of breast |
| wrong things that come from our man-made | | | | cancer. Vitamin A from supplements did not offer the |
| environment. Plasticizers, herbicides, PCBs, and other | | | | same protective effect as food, which solidifies my |
| industrial toxins clutter our water and food supply. | | | | stance that foods rich in plant chemicals, not |
| When we consume these foods we internalize these | | | | preformed vitamins, have the ability to unlock the |
| toxins, bathing our cells in disease-promoting | | | | key to health and disease prevention. |
| substances. If you believe that our cells are a | | | | Kale |
| microcosm of everything we feel, think and eat, then | | | | According to a study published in Cancer Letters, |
| you understand the importance of surrounding our | | | | 2002, consumption of kale may reduce the risk of |
| cells with health-promoting nutrients. In keeping with | | | | breast cancer by decreasing the formation of |
| the green theme, I thought I'd share information | | | | nitrosamines. These cancer-causing agents are |
| about some of the most powerful, cancer fighting | | | | formed when nitrates (from bacon, ham, sausage, |
| green foods that every cell in our bodies need and | | | | lunch meats, etc.)are ingested and mixed with |
| every woman concerned about breast cancer should | | | | hydrochloric acid in the stomach which is known to |
| be consuming: | | | | inhibit nitrosamine formation, although kale also |
| Cabbage | | | | contains fiber, folic acid, carotenoids and other plant |
| Cabbage contains glucosinolates and myrosinase | | | | chemicals known to have anti-cancer activity. |
| enzymes which have powerful anti-cancer actions in | | | | While the focus of this article is on green foods and |
| the body. According to results of a 2005 study at | | | | provides tips on how to protect the environment |
| the University of New Mexico, women who | | | | (both outside the body and within), the message of |
| consumed four or more servings per week of raw or | | | | whole foods nutrition would not be complete without |
| lightly cooked cabbage--such as coleslaw or steamed | | | | mentioning that it is the entire rainbow of plant |
| sauerkraut--were 72% less likely to develop breast | | | | chemicals that offers maximum cancer protection-not |
| cancer as adults. The study included hundreds of | | | | just one color family. So, while green is good, eating |
| Polish women and Polish born to women in the United | | | | a varied diet, rich in colors and freshness, is best. |
| States who were part of a case-control breast | | | | |