You Are What Your Fish & Poultry & Livestock Eat

You are not only what you eat, but also what your fish, poultry and livestock eat.  It's no coincidence that Cancer and other diseases have been on the rise for the last 50 years.  In addition to industrial pollution, I believe the other major contributing factor is linked to the fact that poultry and livestock have been fed antibiotics since the 1950's when their diet was changed from grass in the pasture, which gave us a good source of the desired Omega 3's, to corn and soy.

The fish that are Wild Caught have the desired Omega 3 health benefits, but the fish that are farm raised are consuming a diet of corn or soy, which negates any health benefits.  Corn has a known propensity for aflatoxins and I believe should be avoided if you are seeking to maintain an anti-inflammation diet.

There are some strides being made to eliminate the practice of feeding antibiotics to healthy livestock causing dairy products and supermarket meat to be nothing more than cartons and packages of inflammation-promoting drug resistant bacteria.

There was a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, New York recently asking the court to declare that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) had violated federal law by failing to withdraw approval of using penicillin and tetracycline in animal feed when the animals health is not at stake.  And it further states that as early as 1977, the FDA has had knowledge that this practice could promote antibiotic-resistant bacteria that could infect people, but failed to curb their use.

So although this is belatedly a good step in the right direction,  and I applaud the parties bringing suit, the necessity of a nutrient-rich, whole food plant-based diet is still critical in trying to maintain good health and promote longevity.

And relying on the FDA's seal of approval, when there is known collusion with the big Pharma companies is a mistake we can ill afford to make.  That's a case of the fox guarding the henhouse.
(With antibiotic-laden hens in that henhouse.)

I can't stress the advantages of a plant-based diet enough.  Many people mistakenly associate a protein diet with meat only.  Lentils, beans, Tofu and Nuts, to name a few, pack a powerful protein punch and are a much better choice over animal based protein.

If you need to segue from a being a major meat eater to a plant-based way of eating, then buy red meat that has been grass fed and poultry that is hormone and antibiotic-free.  Organic is not enough.  Make sure whatever you eat is not eating a diet of corn, soy or antibiotics.

And real men do eat a plant-based diet.  Now, treat yourself to better health!

The Power In Deleting White Flour

White flour products are one the top offenders if you are striving for an anti-inflammation, anti-cancer diet. I have adapted all of my life-long recipes to delete white flour and substitute it with 100% whole wheat or brown rice pasta.  Other delicious options are quinoa pasta and kamut pasta.  Once you try these healthier and tastier alternatives, you'll wonder why you ever liked white flour products, which have no nutritional value, in the first place.

This goes for rice, too.  Get some long or short grain brown rice or basmati rice.  Ditch the white rice at the next wedding you go to!

Breads can be a little tricky, because not only do you want them without any white flour added, but you want them without sugar, honey, molasses or other sweeteners.  There are a lot of breads that "sound" like a healthy choice until you read that they have used unhealthful preservatives.

I spent a lot of time reading labels on breads at various markets.  Luckily, my daughter found Ezechial bread for me a few years ago and that is my perfect alternative to the white floured, sugar and preservative laden unhealthy choices out there.  I put it in the freezer when I get home and it doesn't even have to be defrosted when I lightly toast it.

Don't be fooled by deceptive marketing techniques when shopping for your pastas.  Read the labels!  There are many brands that still add a percentage of white flour to the whole wheat.  It has to be 100% whole wheat.  99% is not good enough.  There are many good organic whole wheat and brown rice pastas at the markets now.  I even found good brands in France last year, when I ran out of my coveted stash.

Spinach pasta "sounds" like a better choice, but doesn't hold up when you read the fine print.  It is usually made with white flour and has a small percentage of spinach in it.  So if you want spinach pasta, make it yourself from scratch with whole wheat flour.  No time for that?  Find a nice Italian nonna to make it!

Fight Against Cancer: Relay for Life (Malibu, CA)

Cancer Survivor's Cooking To Avoid Cancer Recurrence & Inflammation

My goal with this blog is to help others achieve longevity and good health by utilizing proper nutrition, especially if they have had cancer or any other diseases.

 My own cancer journey began in February of 2009 when I was diagnosed with Anal cancer.  I started Chemo and Radiation, but by the end of the first week I was hospitalized with heart and kidney failure due to Chemo Induced Colitis.  I had a near fatal reaction to the treatment and had to have emergency surgery twice to save my life.

After a three week hospital stay in the ICU, I was able to go home and start a long recovery process.  I knew with my drug sensitivity that Chemotherapy would never be an option for me so i decided to continue my research for new avenues to give myself the best shot of being and remaining cancer-free.

All of my over a dozen doctors were amazed that I pulled through the first surgery and that my then eighteen year old daughter was so adept at knowing what to do for me initially and then how she managed to make informed decisions about each medical crisis I had during my stay.  She saved my life, literally! I was so blessed to have so many angels in my life that were as vital in pulling me through to survive this as the great team of doctors who saved my life.

  But now what really puzzles the doctors was the fact I was declared cancer-free a month and a half after leaving the hospital.  Due to my life-threatening reaction, I ended up having "limited treatment" which normally does not rid one of the cancer.  I did not do even half of the recommended "one size fits all" protocol.

When asked what i did to get rid of the cancer and remain cancer-free for two years now, as of 2011, I can only say that I think the chemotherapy jumpstarted the process and then the fact that my anti-cancer diet is my major lifestyle change and is also incorporated with lots of love, laughter, light exercise, meditation, and mild yoga with ballet stretches to keep me cancer-free.

I was a writer and a chef B.C. (before cancer) so I decided to combine my two passions and make something good come out of this for others.  My life has a new purpose and I am lucky to be able to do something that makes everything I went through worth it.

So I am currently writing a cookbook with a focus on anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer cooking, which has adaptations of my recipes that are healthy and are comprised of foods that do not promote inflammation, which is what leads to disease and cancer.  There are foods that feed cancer cells and foods that reportedly kill cancer cells.  So I have eliminated the offending foods and prepare only foods that will foster optimum health.

And that is what I wish for you.  I hope that by changing certain eating habits others can avoid cancer or  if they have had it, prevent a recurrence through essential lifestyle changes, mainly utilizing proper and preventative nutrition.

My life has changed in so many ways as a result.  I hope it benefits you as well.  So while waiting for the finishing touches on my book, I wanted to get this out here so people can get an immediate start on cooking to kick cancer's ass.  You can comment with your recipes and I can adapt them if you want.

The most important rule I follow myself is eliminating all sugar and white flour products.

 I thought I was eating to promote good health B. C. (before cancer) by only utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables, usually organic, in my cooking.  I had sugar sweetened desserts sporadically.  I never ate junk food or processed foods, but I mistakenly thought regular semolina pasta was a good choice as long as I was making it or ordering it with a sauce made of fresh, nutritious ingredients.

Now I still make my fresh sauces for my pasta dishes but instead I substitute out the semonila (white flour) pasta with 100% whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, kamut pasta, kelp noodles and even quinoa.  Try for organic if you can.  Make sure it is not a blend of white and whole wheat.  Be aware that spinach pasta is made with white flour pasta.

As to sugar.   Banish this from your cupboards. Cancer feeds off sugar.  They give radioactive sugar injections when doing your PET scans to detect cancer cells. So.  No refined sugar.  No white sugar, brown sugar, no turbinado sugar, no organic sugar. No sugar of any kind or color whatsoever.  No raw honey, no agave nectar.  I substitute sugar with stevia.  Picture Joan Crawford yelling, "no wire hangers!" from the film Mommy Dearest and picture me shouting, "No sugar!!!"