Fast Food Genocide
Page 9
It would be very difficult for a person to become overweight eating mostly fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Being overweight is predominately the result of consuming disease-causing processed foods, especially flours, oils, cheeses, and sweeteners. Heart disease and diabetes simply do not exist in populations that eat mostly natural plant foods. The “Blue Zones” around the world—where people enjoy comparitively healthy and long lives—are a testament to this concept.13
There are also populations eating natural diets that have no recorded heart disease. For example, the Kitava study documents an island population with about 2500 inhabitants, with no recorded heart disease.14 The people have plenty of food to eat, and they are well nourished; they are very lean (despite food abundance), have low blood pressure, and no cardiovascular disease. It was particularly fascinating that many of them smoked cigarettes but still did not develop heart disease. Fast foods, processed foods, sweeteners, dairy, oils, sugar, cereals, and alcohol are absent from their diet, and their salt intake is very low—hence, strokes and heart disease are not found in this population. We have no reason not to cut the junk out of our diets. The benefits are literally life-giving.
HEALING AND PROTECTIVE FOODS: G-BOMBS
When we eat foods containing all the nutrients humans require, as well as an adequate amount of phytochemicals and antioxidants, the self-repair mechanisms in our cells function normally to prevent disease, and our immune systems can more effectively protect us against dangerous infections and immune system disorders.
Some natural foods have more disease-protective nutrients than others. Though one could accurately state that all fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are “good for us,” it would be inaccurate to think they are all good for us to the same degree. By recognizing some “superstars” in this field of celebrities, we can have a more powerful impact on our health destiny. To win the war on cancer, we must design an anticancer diet that focuses on the foods with the most powerful anticancer effects and floods our bodies with the protective substances contained within them.
The acronym G-BOMBS is an effective tool to help people remember to eat these superstars regularly—even daily if possible. It stands for Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds. Scientific evidence demonstrates that each one of these foods has significant cancer-protective effects, but the most powerful protection occurs when the portfolio of foods you regularly eat includes all of them.
G = GREENS
Green vegetables contain more micronutrients per calorie than any other food, and they also contain the most plant protein per calorie. About half of the calories in green vegetables, including leafy greens, comes from protein, and this plant protein is packed with thousands of beneficial phytochemicals, as well as folate, calcium, and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. The consumption of green vegetables is associated with protection against cancer and heart disease as well as life span enhancement. The green cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage, are also well-known for their isothiocyanates (ITCs), which have potent protective effects against cancer.15 This family includes green vegetables like collard greens and bok choy plus some nongreen vegetables like cauliflower.
EAT CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES FOR HEALTH:
•Arugula
•Bok choy
•Broccoli
•Broccoli rabe
•Broccolini
•Brussels sprouts
•Cabbage
•Cauliflower
•Collards
•Horseradish
•Kale
•Kohlrabi
•Mustard greens
•Radishes
•Red cabbage
•Rutabaga
•Turnips
•Turnip greens
•Watercress
Cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, and in a different area of the cell, an enzyme called myrosinase. When we blend, chop, or chew these vegetables, we break up the plant cells, allowing myrosinase to come into contact with glucosinolates, initiating a chemical reaction that produces these beneficial ITCs. These compounds have been shown to detoxify and remove carcinogens, kill cancer cells, and prevent tumors from growing.16
Glucosinolates + Myrosinase Isothiocyanates (ITCs)
Cruciferous vegetables are especially helpful for preventing hormonal cancers like breast cancer because some ITCs, such as indole-3-carbinol (abundant in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage), can even help the body excrete estrogen and other hormones. In fact, research has shown additional anti-estrogenic effects of hundreds of these green food compounds, which blunt the growth-promoting effects of estrogen on breast and cervical cancer cells.17
In a 2009 study, Chinese women who regularly ate one serving per day of cruciferous vegetables had a 50 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.18 A 17 percent decrease in breast cancer risk was found in a European study of participants consuming cruciferous vegetables at least once a week.19 Plus, breast cancer survivors who eat cruciferous vegetables regularly have a lower risk of cancer recurrence—the more cruciferous vegetables they eat, the lower their risk.20 In men, twenty-eight servings of vegetables per week decreased prostate cancer risk by 35 percent, but just three servings of cruciferous vegetables per week decreased prostate cancer risk by 46 percent.21 One or more servings of cabbage per week reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 38 percent.22
The active ingredient in broccoli, is broccoli.
—DAVID KATZ, M.D., PRESIDENT, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE
Cruciferous vegetables are not only the most powerful anticancer foods in existence; they are also the most micronutrient-dense of all vegetables. Although the National Cancer Institute recommends five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day for cancer prevention, it has not yet established specific recommendations for intake of cruciferous vegetables. I recommend three to six fresh fruits and eight total servings of vegetables per day, including two servings of cruciferous vegetables—one raw and one cooked. Consuming a variety of vegetables within an overall nutrient-dense diet can provide us with a profound level of protection against cancer. And don’t forget: Eat some raw and chew well. Chewing well, blending, or juicing cruciferous vegetables is necessary to produce the most anticancer ITCs.
B = BEANS
Beans and other legumes are the most nutrient-dense carbohydrate source. Like green vegetables, beans are also high in protein, but unlike animal protein, they do not promote unfavorable cancer-promoting hormones. In fact, beans are a powerful anticancer food, because of their high phytochemical content and also because they are a very low-glycemic food. The starch they contain is mostly a mixture of slowly digestible starch and resistant starch, which means that their calories enter the bloodstream slowly over several hours, preventing an insulin surge. This has a stabilizing effect on blood sugar, which promotes satiety and helps to prevent food cravings.23 The high amount of resistant starch (which is not broken down by digestive enzymes) reduces the total number of calories absorbed from beans and is also fermented by intestinal bacteria into fatty acids that help to prevent colon cancer.24 Combined with the high amount of soluble fiber, beans also lower cholesterol.25
O = ONIONS
Onions, along with leeks, garlic, chives, shallots, and scallions, make up the Allium genus of vegetables, which play a powerful role in fighting cancer, are anti-diabetic, and have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems. Allium vegetables are known for their characteristic organosulfur compounds, which are released when onions are chopped, crushed, or chewed. Studies have found that increased consumption of allium vegetables is associated with a lower risk of gastric and prostate cancers because they contain compounds that detoxify carcinogens, halt cancer cell growth, and block angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels).26
M = MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms may not be the most dense in vitamins and minerals, but they have unique compounds that influence huma
n health and immune function. They are rich in angiogenesis inhibitors.27 Cancer cells secrete angiogenesis promoters to secure a robust blood supply to fuel their growth and metastatic process. This process is prevented by the angiogenesis-inhibiting compounds found in mushrooms, which hinder cancer cell growth and promote cancer cell death. Angiogenesis promoters are also secreted by fat cells to enable fat growth on the body. Mushrooms inhibit the growth of fat on the body through this same mechanism.
White, cremini, Portobello, oyster, shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms all have anticancer properties. Some are anti-inflammatory; others stimulate the immune system, prevent DNA damage, slow cancer cell growth, and cause programmed cancer cell death.28
Mushrooms also contain aromatase inhibitors, which can limit the production of estrogen and protect breast tissue from excess estrogen stimulation.29 Other anticancer compounds in mushrooms collectively account for their powerful effects against breast cancer. One study found that Chinese women who regularly ate about 10 grams of mushrooms a day had a 64 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer.30
Note that you should always cook mushrooms before you eat them because they contain small amounts of a mild toxin called agaritine, which is greatly reduced in the cooking process.31
B = BERRIES
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are true superfoods. Berries are low in sugar and high in nutrients, and their vibrant colors mean that they are full of phytochemicals and antioxidants, including flavonoids. Flavonoids affect gene expression and detoxification, inhibit cancer cell growth and proliferation, and hinder inflammation and other processes related to cancer and heart disease.32 Notably, berries have the highest nutrient-to-calorie ratio of all fruits.
Antioxidants provide cardioprotective and anticancer effects and stimulate the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. Berry consumption has been linked to reduced risks of diabetes, cancers, and cognitive decline and has been shown to improve both motor coordination and memory.33
Several studies have shown that high flavonoid intake lowers the risk of heart disease by up to 45 percent.34 Flavonoids and polyphenols in berries, cherries, and pomegranates act in several ways to maintain heart health, including by reducing inflammation; by improving blood lipid, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels; and by preventing plaque formation.35
The antioxidants in berries, cherries, and pomegranates help to protect against cancers. In the 1980s, ellagic acid, another type of antioxidant abundant in berries, was found to block the formation of tumors, providing the initial evidence that these fruits had strong anticancer benefits.36 The anticancer effects of flavonoids include reducing inflammation, preventing damage to genetic material, preventing cancer cells from multiplying, slowing the growth of cancer cells, preventing tumors from acquiring a blood supply, and stimulating the body’s antioxidant enzymes.37
Berries are excellent foods for the brain. Substances present in blueberries can both reduce oxidative stress and improve communication between brain cells. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries have all been shown to slow or reverse age-related cognitive decline in animal studies, and blueberries have now been tested for their effects on human memory.38 Older adults with mildly impaired memory were given wild blueberry juice as a supplement, and after as few as twelve weeks, measures of learning and memory had improved.39
In summary, berries, cherries, and pomegranates are important components of a natural, high-nutrient diet. I recommend eating them daily to provide the body with protection against free radicals, inflammation, heart disease, and cancers. Include them as part of your variety of fruits, in addition to a bounty of vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, which together can provide an abundant and varied mix of antioxidants, further protecting your health.
S = SEEDS AND NUTS
Seeds and nuts are rich in a spectrum of micronutrients including phytosterols, minerals, and antioxidants. The healthy fats in seeds and nuts also aid in the absorption of micronutrients when eaten with vegetables.40 Countless studies have demonstrated the cardiovascular benefits of nuts, and in addition they aid in weight maintenance and diabetes prevention.41 Seeds are similar to nuts when it comes to healthy fats, minerals, and antioxidants, but seeds are also abundant in trace minerals and are generally higher in protein than nuts. Sunflower seeds are about 20 percent protein. Flaxseeds and chia and hemp seeds are also good sources of omega-3 fats, and flaxseeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds are rich in lignans, which have strong anticancer effects.42
Flaxseeds are the richest source of plant lignans, having about three times the lignan content of chia seeds and eight times that of sesame seeds (note that flaxseed oil does not contain lignans because lignans bind to the fiber in the seed). Kale and broccoli also contain lignans, but only about one-tenth the amount in sesame seeds per serving.43 Plant lignans are classified as phytoestrogens, and there has been much interest in the potential contribution of lignan-rich foods to reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers, especially breast and prostate cancers.44
Lignans inhibit the production of aromatase (an enzyme that converts other hormones into estrogen) and estradiol, lowering serum estrogen levels.45 Plant lignans also blunt the effects of estrogens.46 These benefits were documented when forty-eight postmenopausal women consumed 7.5 grams per day of ground flaxseeds for six weeks, then 15 grams for six weeks, and significant decreases in estradiol, estrone, and testosterone were noted. When you are overweight, the fat cells produce more estrogen, increasing your risk of breast cancer, so the finding that the overweight women saw the greatest lowering of estrogen from the flaxseeds demonstrates how important these seeds are to limiting breast cancer in our population.47
This protection against breast cancer was demonstrated in a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of dietary flaxseed. Women daily ate either a control muffin with no flaxseeds in it or a muffin containing 25 grams of flaxseeds starting at the time of breast cancer diagnosis for just thirty-two to thirty-nine days until surgery. Tumor tissue analyzed at diagnosis and surgery demonstrated surprising benefits even in this short time. There was significant tumor cell death (apoptosis) and reduced cell proliferation in the flaxseed group in just the one month.48 Longer trials confirm such benefits. Women with breast cancer, eating more dietary lignans (flaxseeds have the most of all foods) and followed for an average of six years, were found to have a 42 percent reduced risk of death from postmenopausal breast cancer and a dramatic (40 percent) reduction in all causes of death.49
One study on flax that followed a group of women with breast cancer for ten years found a 71 percent reduced risk of breast cancer–related deaths in the group that consumed the most lignans.50 Flaxseeds are clearly superfoods; even with a mediocre diet they offer powerful protection against breast cancer.
The bottom line: Don’t forget to eat your seeds, especially some ground flaxseeds (or chia seeds) every day. I sometimes forget to do this, too, but reviewing the science encourages me to remember. When seeds and nuts are eaten in conjunction with greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, and berries, dramatic reductions in the risk of breast and prostate cancers are possible.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET NOT SO MUCH, BUT TOMATO SAUCE IS A KEEPER
The “Mediterranean” diet typically includes tomatoes and tomato sauce and is generally higher in fruits and vegetables compared with the SAD. But it should not be considered an optimal diet because it was not carefully designed to comprehensively include the most protective anticancer foods. It also often contains white flour, oil, and too many animal products. It is a step in the right direction compared with the SAD, but too many people are touting its benefits without a complete understanding of its negative features—especially white flour products. However, its inclusion of tomatoes and tomato sauce is one of its most powerful benefits.
Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, which is one of six hundred carotenoids, and the carotenoid level in your body is an important indicator of your overall healt
h. Your carotenoid level generally parallels the levels of other plant-derived phytochemicals circulating in your body. In a study of more than thirteen thousand American adults, low levels of total carotenoids and lycopene in the blood were linked to increased risk of death from all causes.51 And of all the carotenoids, lycopene at low levels in the blood was the strongest predictor of premature death.
Overall, people with very low levels of carotenoids are at risk of developing autoimmune disease, headache, fatigue, and cancer.52 Lycopene is the signature carotenoid of the tomato, and it helps protect against prostate cancer, skin cancer (in the skin, lycopene helps prevent damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays), and heart disease.53 Many observational studies have found a connection between higher blood lycopene levels and lower risk of heart attack. One study found that low serum lycopene was associated with increased plaque in the carotid artery and a triple risk of cardiovascular events compared with higher levels.54
In another study, women were split into four groups according to their blood lycopene levels. Women in the top three quartiles were 50 percent less likely to have cardiovascular disease compared with the lowest quartile.55 A 2004 analysis of the Physicians’ Health Study data found a 39 percent decrease in stroke risk in men with the highest blood levels of lycopene.56
Lycopene is more absorbable when tomatoes are cooked—a cup of tomato sauce contains about ten times the lycopene of a cup of raw, chopped tomatoes—so enjoy a variety of both raw and cooked tomatoes in your daily diet. Of course, lycopene is not the only important nutrient in tomatoes. They are also rich in vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and flavonol antioxidants, in addition to many others nutrients.57 Antioxidants usually exert their protective effects in concert with each other; they work synergistically.58
THE YOUNGER YOU EAT BETTER, THE BETTER