Somehow, even if we’re not looking for it, we’ve all heard by now that there are certain foods and activities out there that can more heavily contribute to our chances of being diagnosed with different types of cancers. But did you know that there are preventative measures you can take and foods you can eat to help avoid developing cancer? Following an anti-cancer diet helps improve your body’s ability to detoxify and fight off foreign invaders. Below, we’ll go over a few helpful hints for how to best help your body fight off free radicals and rid itself of toxins.
1. Reduce the presence of toxic chemicals/products in your life:
Removing certain everyday products from your life will lower the overall toxic load within your body and help it better fight off free radicals and cellular damage. SO many products we interact with every day have exceptionally large toxic loads. Beauty products such as makeup, lotions, and even shampoos are often loaded with potential carcinogens. Household cleaners are some of the most dangerous products you can have in your home. They’re filled with endocrine disruptors and neurotoxins. Plastics, especially those that are heated (like old food storage containers) can also leach endocrine disruptors into your food.
2. Drink good quality water:
Tap water is often under-regulated, allowing contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants into your drinking water. However, bottled water is surprisingly sometimes worse. Your best option is to have a home filtration device that can handle larger toxic loads and remove chlorine, fluoride, and other pollutants from your water.
3. Lower the heat:
This tip actually makes me a little sad because most delicious food like roasted coffee, smoked foods, and fried foods contain a chemical compound known as acrylamide, which until the early 2000s it was believed to only be found in cigarette smoke. While it’s nearly impossible to completely eliminate acrylamide from our diets, eating a fresh plant-based diet will greatly reduce the acrylamide levels in your life.
4. Avoid Processed Grains:
Our bodies are well-oiled machines. They know how to process food best when it’s in its natural state i.e. not highly processed or with added sugars. As soon as food becomes processed, our bodies have a harder time getting nutrients from it and this can cause major gut issues. Additionally, highly processed foods often tend to be loaded with herbicides, pesticides, GMOs, and heavy metals - all of which contribute to pro-cancer reactions within the body.
5. Eat more local and Certified Naturally Grown veggies:
Adding more cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and kale can add potent antioxidants to your diet and help fight off several different types of cancer. Foods high in beta-carotene (red and orange fruits and vegetables) contain important precursors to vitamin A, which has been found to be helpful in fighting breast and ovarian cancers. Vitamin A is also a crucial element in performing many bodily functions, including immune system functions. Drinking organic green tea has been found to destroy leukemic cells by way of its polyphenols and high antioxidant content.
If learning more about preventative medicine interests you, you’ll be happy to hear that Woodside Farms will be the host site for several upcoming Wellness Chats in The Barn. Check out our website here for more info on this event along with several of our upcoming wellness-focused events. The new year is the perfect time to refocus on our health and well-being.
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