Nutrition is important not only for your overall health, but it helps you fight cancer. Many of the vegetables and fruits we buy at our local super market or farmers markets contain cancer-fighting properties that boost your immune system and fill the body full of nutrients. It’s important to watch what you eat and stay away from processed foods that can harm your body. Take a look at the list of super foods we’ve put together and try to incorporate them in meals and snacks. Eating healthy is great for your mind, spirit, and especially your body.
Broccoli – A cruciferous veggie broccoli contains a high level of sulforaphane, a compound that boosts protective enzymes and flushes out cancer causing chemicals. Sulforaphane also targets cancer stem cells which are part of what causes tumors. Broccoli helps fight breast, liver, lung prostate, skin stomach and bladder cancers.
Berries – A great source of phytonutrients, berries, black raspberries in particular, contain high concentrations of these enzymes. The great thing about these enzymes is that they slow down growth of premalignant cells. They also keep new blood vessels from forming, which could potentially feed a cancerous tumor. Berries help fight colon, esophageal, oral and skin cancers.
Tomatoes – Tomatoes contain lycopene, a carotenoid that not only gives tomatoes their red color, but also stop endometrial cancer growth. Cooked tomatoes increases the amount of lycopene your body is able to absorb. Tomatoes help fight endometrial, lung, prostate and stomach cancers.
Walnuts – Want to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer? Snack on walnuts. The walnuts contain phytosterols which are cholesterol-like molecules found in plants. They slow down cells and help fight breast and prostate cancers.
Garlic - Not only does garlic bring out the flavor in your food, but it also helps halt the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogens formed in the stomach. Garlic helps fight breast, colon, esophageal and stomach cancers.