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July 23, 2006 - Day 5 - Week 16
- Super
Ingredients Super Foods
Remember July 20th
and our new vocabulary for a new beginning? Now it
is time to fill in the blanks. We looked at 10 words
we most likely had seen for the first time.
Understanding this new vocabulary may be the key
that unlocks the mystery surrounding our health and
avoidance of disease.
Granted, as I pen this I am on
Cape Cod and my diet is a bit different than usual.
When surrounded by water, in the presence of
quahogs, bluefish and stripers, I am more likely to
eat from the sea than normal, but blueberries, oats,
yogurt, carotenoids and cruciferous vegetables still
find their way home from the farmer’s market or the
grocery store.
Let’s examine the 10 ten
ingredients and where we might find them.
#1. Alliums – This word refers
to vegetables in the onion family. The top of the
onion category is garlic which is the source of an
anticancer phytochemical that works to slow the
growth of cancer cells. Having spent many days in
the garlic capital of the world, Gilroy California,
I am now aware of its therapeutic value. Onions,
shallots, leeks and garlic are an important part of
everyone’s diet.
#2. Anthocyanins - These
little guys are powerful anti-oxidant compounds.
That means they protect cells from damage by the
free radicals that bounce around in us. Once again
color is key. Think about which food group is very
bright and immediately berries come to mind.
Raspberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes,
cranberries and my favorite blueberries are all team
players. They are anti-oxidants of the highest
magnitude. Neutralization of the bad cell process
is their specific purpose in life. I am now trying
to put a cup a berries in my stomach daily.
#3. Carotenoids - This is
the easiest connection to make because the first
part of the word is carrot without the r.
Compounds found in the colorful deep orange, red,
yellow and green foods protect against rapid cell
development. Carrots, peppers, melons,
peaches, papayas, mangoes and oranges are all
available to fight the horrible free radicals which
can hinder the natural ability of cells to resist
cancer. Eat these daily and without any
restriction on quantity is the advice of the
specialists.
#.4 Ellegic acid - “Nuts are
nutritional wonders.” Why, because many contain the
compound ellegic acid which inhibits cancer growth.
Walnuts are best by far, but Brazil nuts, almonds
and cashews are not far behind in their over-all
value. Moderation is encouraged, but a handful
of nuts a day add an important ingredient in our
arsenal of food specific teammates. Flax and
flaxseed are also strong tumor fighters.
#5. Indoles - If you want cell
protection you want phytochemicals, and indoles are
these derived from veggies like broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower and my all time favorite, organically
grown Brussels sprouts coated with olive oil and sea
salt and grilled.
You can also get your daily
dose of indoles from cabbage, kale radishes, bok
Choy (get baby bok Choy and sauté it), collard
greens (for the Southern appetite), and turnips.
“Foods in the cruciferous family of vegetables (all
of the above) also contain another phytochemical
compound called sulphoraphane which helps block
tumor growth.
Here we have it. The
beginnings of the Kreitler Compact Miracle Diet
Let’s review: Blueberries and
broccoli, walnuts and garlic, peppers and peaches –
just to begin. Let’s design the dinner: Salad
consisting of arugala lettuce, sliced peppers,
walnuts, and carrots. Place a ¼ to ½ pound of wild
caught poached salmon on top and add a good olive
oil and balsamic vinegar dressing and voila.
Vegetable dish consisting of one of the cruciferous
family - all tasty and top of the line nutritional
value. Finish the meal in style with dessert
consisting of a bowl of peaches and blueberries, or
strawberries and raspberries. Do these special
dishes three times a week and you are off and
running to a healthy cancer fighting diet. Might
lose a little weight at the same time.
Back to Week 16 |
