Some nutritional information

March 31, 2009

I thought I would share some helpful information from my naturopath. I had a follow-up appointment yesterday and we discussed an antioxidant diet and lifestyle. Once I start my Taxol treatments, I will be able to really shore up my immune system (while on the AC treatments, excess antioxidants are discouraged, because they interfere with the particula chemo drugs used.) I appreciate the approach my naturopath takes: she believes that trendy antioxidant drinks and supplements are not nearly as effective as getting those cancer-fighting vitamins and minerals from real food.

I thought I would make a short list of cancer-fighting foods that are easy to work into your diet. With summer coming up and farmers’ markets on every corner, what a good excuse to buy a flat of raspberries and snack away!

Green tea (whole leaf is best)
Raspberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Strawberries
Broccoli
Kale
Brussels sprouts
Walnuts
Brazil nuts (just three nuts gives you enough selenium for the day)

See? Wasn’t that easy? Rebecca H.-P. turned me on to the frozen berries at Trader Joe’s. In the evening, I mix together some frozen blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries and let them thaw in a bowl. Then I pour a tablespoon of heavy cream over the top and drizzle it with the tiniest bit of honey (really, less than ¼ teaspoon). It’s even good without the cream and honey. Oliver loves this. He scrapes the bowl with his spoon for so long we have to take the bowl away.

Kale is full of antioxidants and easy to make as a side dish. Just chop up a bunch of the leaves, boil them until soft, then sautee them in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and red onion. A great side dish!

Green tea is probably the best antioxidant. The rate of cancer in Japan is incredibly low, and studies are showing that green tea is one reason. (A diet high in Omega-3s such as salmon, mackerel and sardines is another, but I have yet to incorporate fish into our diet – but I’m working on it!) The low cancer rate is apparently NOT hereditary: within a generation, Japanese people who come to America have the same rate of cancer as we Americans. That says something about our diet, no?

There are a couple tea places in Ballard and a great one on Queen Anne (http://seattleteacup.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc). Go. Get some. Brew it up in the morning and have a couple cups. Invest in a teapot and keep in on your desk at work.