Diet Improves Immunity to Disease Including Fighting Cancer

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. This month is a time to raise awareness on an often silent and potentially deadly disease. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which is linked to cervical cancer. HPV can be prevented with vaccination, and cervical cancer can be caught early and potentially stopped with regular screening. If screening results in a positive diagnosis your diet will play a role in how your feel and how your body manages the disease.
There is not a disease that can not benefit from a healthy diet based on whole food nutrition. Cancer feeds on sugar and the chemotherapy treatment for cervical cancer increases your blood sugar levels, as does the stress from having the disease. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant-based proteins, and limiting sugar, and processed foods including meats will help your body fight disease and heal. It’s best to omit foods that aren’t organic or that are genetically modified (GMO) because studies have linked these types of foods to disease, infertility, birth defects, toxicity, food allergy and cancer to name a few concerns.
The good news is that studies are mounting on how a healthy attitude, regular exercise and diet impact cancer progression, recurrence risk, and survival. Many of us do not eat the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, so bridging the gap with a whole food supplement will ensure your body has the nutrients needed to combat disease. Healthy diets help to reduce inflammation in your body and can be supported with delicious anti-inflammatory, super foods.
Super foods, those that help fight inflammation and disease include, dark leafy greens, namely, raw kale, collard greens, baby spinach (cooked), Swiss chard and other vegetables offer magnesium and provide additional vitamins and minerals. Fruits like blueberries, cherries, strawberries, oranges combat cancer and inflammation due to their high antioxidant and polyphenols (protective compounds found in plants) levels. Other super foods include, Manuka Honey which decreases cancer growth in the breast, skin and colon when combined with chemotherapy. Olive Oil studies show that it kills cancer and shrinks cancer cells, and reduces inflammation. Nuts and seeds also have cancer fighting properties. Good choices are almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, and cashews along with seeds such as, flax chia, sunflower, and sesame. All of these fight inflammation, cancer and provide various vitamins and minerals and some provide Omegas. For us chocolate lovers, thankfully, dark chocolate contains cancer fighting antioxidants called flavones, but even better is cocoa which contains over 30 mg of Flavones without the saturated fat. You can add coco to oatmeal, smoothies or shakes for a healthy treat.
What we put in our bodies and on our bodies matters! Eating healthy organic, non GMO foods and using products with a similar theme are key to living a quality life until the end of life.