Category: Nutrition & Health

I’ve been trying to compose my thoughts on this subject for some time but wasn’t sure how to put my feelings into words. Let me begin by saying that the trends in healthcare today have become quite disturbing to me. The reason I feel this way is because I don’t believe there is very much incentive to find the cure for many of the diseases we as Americans suffer from. Most of these “lifestyle” diseases i.e., Obesity, Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, cancer and stroke, are caused by how we live our lives and namely what we’re exposing our bodies to, both inside and out. While it is our ultimate responsibility to know what is good for us we are being barraged with misinformation about what and how we should eat, drink, act, look, etc.

Healthcare prices keep on rising due to various reasons related to research and development of new technology and new drugs to treat all of these diseases, and the spread of these diseases to younger people in our country. Huge money is being made by all of these drug companies who develop these drugs. These drug companies are also responsible for testing them to measure the efficacy of these drugs weighed against the possible side effects of them. You only have to watch the many TV commercials advertising these drugs. I imagine that in order for these companies to be able to advertise, they must also disclose the possible side effects which are often numerous. It’s a travesty to me that drug companies are allowed to advertise to the general public with flowery ads depicting how much better your life would be if you took this or that drug and encourages you to “ask your doctor if so and so could be right for you”.

I don’t want to go as far as to say that there is a conspiracy to keep the public sick so that money can be made for insurance companies, hospital corporations, drug companies, huge agricultural companies, such as Cargill, Monsanto, and the like, but you do the math. Where is the incentive to tackle the one thing that could help to improve the health of the population?

When is it going to come to light that it’s the fuel (food) we put into our bodies? The food we eat is what becomes us and it is the food we eat that either heals us or makes and keeps us sick.

What I’m referring to are foods laden with pesticide residue, Roundup ready seed, chemicals used to increase shelf life and foods so processed that most of the nutrition is lost.

Until we educate the people about what’s happening with our food systems things will continue as they always have.

If you look at animals in nature you will see that they eat foods from their natural habitat and they don’t generally get sick, as a species. Man, however, has altered our food so much that most the the nutrition is lost in the processing of food and we don’t get the optimum benefit from the food. Obesity is driven by hunger and hunger comes because your body is hungry for nutrients that will make it run at its best. Eating processed foods robs the body of what it needs and hunger is again triggered because the body is starving for nutrients. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables,nuts and seeds, peas and beans, herbs and spices gives the body all the phytonutrients that our bodies crave. The foods that nature gives us give us all the nutrients we need to give us energy and keep our bodies running in top condition.

You only have to look at countries where the populations that were considered to be generally healthy  because of the indigenous diet of the general population. When a more “western” diet was introduced vis a vis fast food, their bodies responded by developing the same diseases that are prevalent here in the United States, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease..

I remember the slogan that Bill Clinton used when he was running for office. “It’s the economy, stupid!”

Today’s slogan coming from Washington should be, “It’s the food, stupid!”.

The bacteria in your gut can be one of your strongest allies in getting healthy…or it can be one of your worst enemies. Most people don’t realize it, but what they eat and how they live are changing the makeup of their gut bacteria.

Exciting new studies are coming out every day exploring the connection between gut bacteria and practically every other aspect of human health. The conclusion is clear: if you can change your gut, you can change your life.

Gut bacteria, which number more than 100 trillion cells, have more of an impact on our health than medical experts previously realized. But not all gut bacteria are created equal. Among other things, “good” gut bacteria improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, and manufacture the vitamins your body needs. On the other hand, “bad” gut bacteria can cause digestion nightmares, mental problems, skin conditions, and all kinds of other problems you’ll learn about in just a second.

A healthy gut isn’t made by trying to rid your body of gut bacteria altogether. It’s made by balancing the bacteria—limiting the bad guys and encouraging the good guys to grow. So let’s start at the beginning: how to figure out if your gut bacteria is unbalanced.

Are Your Gut Bacteria Imbalanced? 7 Things to Look for

How can you know if your gut bacteria are out of whack? It isn’t quite as easy as finding out if you have a fever. You can’t just take your gut bacteria’s temperature with a thermometer you bought over the counter. But there are common warning signs that something might be wrong. Keep an eye on them, and you’ll put yourself in the best position to get healthy.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Sign 1. Digestive Issues

When you think of the potential consequences of unhealthy gut bacteria, digestive problems are probably the first things that come to mind. Many doctors will prescribe drugs like Prevacid or generic antacids to help people struggling with these issues, but those medications only address surface level symptoms. They don’t get to the root cause of the problem, which is unhealthy gut bacteria. If you’re dealing with any of the following, you might have an unhealthy gut:

Sign 2: Mental Issues

Did you know the health of your gut could affect the health of your brain? It’s true. Scientists have already discovered that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters. Now, they’re focused on another trend: people with certain mental disorders also tend to have disturbances to their gut bacteria.

Believe it or not, your gut could be to blame for certain mental disorders.

If you have any of these mental issues, your gut bacteria might be to blame

Depression and anxiety
Brain fog
OCD
Autism

Sign 3. Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

vitamin-deficiency.jpg
A healthy gut also plays an important role when it comes to helping your body produce and synthesize vitamins and minerals. When your gut bacteria is out of whack, your body has a harder time getting enough of the following essential vitamins and minerals:

If you’re deficient in any of the above (you can find out by getting a simple physical from your doctor), you might have an unhealthy gut.

Sign 4: Antibiotics

Sign 5: Chronic, Unmanaged Stress

Stress can wear you down, make you anxious, and increase your blood pressure… and it can also wreak havoc on your gut! Stress is inevitable, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. That isn’t an issue — until you let it go on for too long without managing it. Unmanaged stress raises cortisol levels, which can stop the gut from working properly. If you’ve been stressed for the past few months (or years, or decades) but haven’t acted to manage your stress, you’re more likely to have an unhealthy gut.

Sign 6: Skin Conditions

There’s been a lot of confusion about skin conditions over the years. Much of it comes from the common (but misguided) idea that the symptoms of a condition must appear in the same spot as the condition itself. For many skin conditions, the problem isn’t with the skin itself. It’s with an unhealthy gut. If you have any of these skin conditions, it could be due to unbalanced gut bacteria:
Acne
Rosacea
Psoriasis
Eczema

Sign 7: Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can be difficult to manage because the body is literally attacking itself. It can be even tougher to spot the source of the problem and address it there. But more research is emerging linking autoimmune diseases to unhealthy guts. If you’re dealing with any of the following, you just might be able to make your symptoms disappear by taking care of your gut:

Hashimoto’s
Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory bowel disease
How to Balance Your Gut Bacteria in 4 Simple Steps

If any of the warning signs above look familiar to you, there’s good news! You can take action to improve the health of your gut. Doing so can prevent new medical conditions from arising and even reverse conditions that have bothered you for years.

Ready to get started today? Here’s how to balance your gut bacteria in four simple steps:

Step 1. Avoid Toxins

If you wanted to put out a fire, adding gasoline would be worst thing you could do! Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a lot of people with unhealthy guts are doing. They’re continuing to eat and live in a way that kills good bacteria, encourages bad bacteria to grow, and breaks down the integrity of their gut lining. Most of them don’t even realize they’re doing it.

The first step to reversing this trend is to avoid toxic foods. These include:

Grains
Conventional grain-fed dairy
Sugars, including fructose (check out 12 Painless Ways to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet)
Unhealthy oils
If you’re already following a Paleo lifestyle, you’ve pretty much taken care of this step. Stick to a diet focused on vegetables, animal protein, and fruits, and you’ll create a gut environment that’s friendly for good bacteria and unfriendly for bad bacteria.

Avoid sugar, drugs and other toxins to maintain a healthy gut.

It’s also a good idea to avoid other modern toxins. Watch out for:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil and Ibuprofen
Antibiotics (as much as possible)
Pesticides

Step 2. Eat Fermented Foods

kimchi.jpgAvoiding toxic foods and environmental toxins is a great start, but not quite enough for optimal health. It’s time to get proactive about encouraging good gut bacteria to flourish. One of the best ways is to eat more fermented foods. These foods, commonplace in our ancestors’ diets, are full of good gut bacteria.

Great fermented foods include:

Going from eating no sauerkraut to say… two or three bowls a day might sound like a good idea. But resist the temptation! Adding too many fermented foods too quickly can create some nasty side effects. Start small—a teaspoon or two a day and work your way up to give your gut time to adjust.

Step 3. Take Probiotic Supplements

In addition to eating fermented foods (a great natural source of good gut bacteria), you can restore your gut health faster by taking a daily probiotic supplement. Our ancestors were a lot less concerned with hygiene than we are. This actually helped them pick up plenty of good gut bacteria along with the soil and other dirty things they encountered. You can use probiotic supplements to “make up” for that lost good bacteria. No eating dirt needed!

There’s a wide range of probiotic supplements available. And just like with gut bacteria, some are better than others. Dr. Tim Gerstmar laid down some excellent guidelines on which supplements to focus on:

Stay away from “bargain bin” prices. You get what you pay for.
Two reputable brands are Jarrow and Klaire Labs.
Make sure they’re potent. Dr. Gerstmar recommends at least 8 billion/dose.
Look for supplements that contain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Our recommended probiotic: Biotrust Pro-X10

Step 4. Manage Your Stress

One of the most powerful things you can do to improve your gut health (besides changing your diet) is to make “stress management” a priority. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method to do this. The key is to pick something you enjoy and stick with it. Making time to manage your stress — whether you feel stressed or not — will reduce inflammation, lower cortisol levels, and improve your gut health.

Get plenty of sleep and take time to reduce your stress levels to improve gut health.

And make sure to get enough sleep! A sleep deficit raises cortisol levels (and harms the gut) just like any other type of stress. Shoot for at least 7 hours a night.

Change Your Gut, Change Your Life

More science is emerging every day connecting issues with the gut to issues throughout the body and mind. That’s good news for you! With knowledge and smart action, you can quite literally heal yourself from the inside out. The recipe for a healthy gut is simple. Avoid toxic foods and substances, add in some fermented foods and probiotics, and make managing your stress a priority. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. Changing your gut just might be the first step to changing your life.

When I set out to write about a particular cancer this week, I realized that no matter what cancer you are experiencing or are attempting to halt or prevent, good nutrition is required to set your cells straight and give them the best chance to heal and grow properly.Eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables are the best defense in fighting these diseases. Also by getting plenty of good, clean water along with adequate sleep and decreasing your stress level, you will be giving yourself the best chance to heal.

Eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables are the best defense in fighting these diseases. Also by getting plenty of good, clean water along with adequate sleep and decreasing your stress level, you will be giving yourself the best chance to heal.When choosing what fuel to put into your body, think of yourself as a thoroughbred race horse. You wouldn’t put chemically laden food, or all the other things that are allowed in all of

When choosing what fuel to put into your body, think of yourself as a thoroughbred race horse. You wouldn’t put chemically laden food, or all the other things that are allowed in all of processed foods out there into that race horse for it to function at it’s best. You would give that horse the best nutritional fuel for it to win the race.

We have to begin to associate what we’re eating with how our bodies are reacting to it and always keep in mind whether our food choices are serving us.

Following the 80/20 rule, choose 80% of the best whole foods you can to nourish your cells. For the other 20 %, choose wisely but slightly more indulgent foods to satisfy your likes, but that won’t overwhelm your system. This is a great rule to eat by and I encourage you to try it.

I wish you Happy and Healthy Eating!

An article from Cancer Treatment Centers of America Website:

Receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is considered a grave diagnosis. Many patients having Pancreatic cancer don’t present for diagnosis until in later stages of the disease, mainly because there are usually few symptoms affecting the patient.

Development of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer develops in the tissues of the pancreas, an organ located behind the lower portion of the stomach. The pancreas aids in digestion, metabolism and insulin production. Cancer may develop in either the exocrine glands or the endocrine glands of the pancreas. About 95 percent of pancreatic cancers begin in the exocrine glands (the cells that produce the enzymes or “digestive juices” that help break down proteins, fats and starches).

Pancreatic cancer affects the body’s ability to digest and absorb vital nutrients from food. This may cause nausea, taste changes, weight loss, fatigue, decreased appetite, fullness, pain, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Over time, these symptoms may put patients at risk for malnutrition.

Having good nutrition is so important during treatment for pancreatic cancer, no matter the stage of the diagnosis.

Because part of the pancreas is removed during surgery, the part that remains after surgery may not be able to produce enough enzymes to properly aid with the digestion of food, and patients may not be able to digest or absorb the fat from the food they eat. When undigested fat remains in the stool, it causes diarrhea and poor nutrition. Patients may also experience bloating, excessive gas production and abdominal cramping. Consequently, the goal for these patients is to eliminate or reduce diarrhea, restore adequate nutrition, prevent weight loss and manage bloating, cramping and gas.
Patients who have had a Whipple surgery are more likely than those who have had a distal pancreatectomy (another type of pancreatic surgery) to have insufficient enzyme production.

General recommendations following pancreatic surgery

• Take the prescribed amount of pancreatic enzyme replacement products with all meals and snacks.
• Gradually start adding solid foods. The timing of this varies from individual to individual.
• Avoid high-fat, greasy or fried foods.
• Eat 6-8 small meals and snacks daily to prevent feeling overly full. Small meals are easier to digest. Space meals 2-3 hours apart.
• Drink at least 6-12 cups of fluids each day. Lack of fluids may lead to fatigue, light-headedness and nausea.
• Take small sips of liquids with meals. Drinking too much fluid at mealtime may cause the patient to feel full quicker or increase nausea. Drink liquids an hour before or after eating to avoid feeling full.
• Drink beverages that contain calories, nutrients and protein, such as juices, smoothies or nutritional supplement drinks. It is acceptable to drink small amounts of these at mealtimes or to use nutritional supplement drinks or protein smoothies as meal/snack replacements.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages.
• If the patient is nauseated and has an empty stomach, small bites of dry foods are often better tolerated than liquids.
• Avoid eating concentrated refined/simple carbohydrates if symptoms of glucose intolerance or dumping are present. Glucose intolerance symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision and fatigue. Dumping symptoms usually occur within 2 hours after eating and include flushed skin, dizziness/lightheadedness, weakness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
• Discuss with your doctor or dietitian the use of a multivitamin or individual vitamin supplements. Calcium and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K may be necessary if malabsorption-induced diarrhea is present. Ask a healthcare professional for a proper dosage of individual vitamin supplements.
• If anemia occurs, ask the doctor whether iron supplements or injections of vitamin B12 may be helpful.

Thirty years of research reveals 10 of the best food phytonutrients to ingest to protect against and even treat the root cause of most cancers.

A new medical model is fast emerging in line with ancient wisdom: one that aims to strike to the root cause of disease and resolve it permanently, and which some call “functional medicine.” In cancer treatment, this highly rational approach involves targeting the cancer stem cells (CSCs) at the root of cancer malignancy. Because we now know that CSCs are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and may even increase in number and invasveness when exposed to these outdated therapies, it is no longer ethical to continue with the conventional oncologist’s “standard of care.” Clearly, unless a cancer treatment is capable of selectively killing and/or inducing suicide programs (apoptosis) within cancer cells without harming non-cancerous cells, it is not going to produce a cure.

In light of this, we are excited to report on a new review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences titled, “Phytochemicals as Innovative Therapeutic Tools against Cancer Stem Cells,” which evaluated the evidence for what natural compounds within various foods and spices make for the most compelling treatments for targeting CSCs.

According to the review of 30 years worth of literature on the topic, the following 10 natural substances have been demonstrated to be the most effective chemopreventive dietary agents against CSCs:

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): A green tea extract

Curcumin: The primary polyphenol in turmeric root

Resveratrol: A phytochemical found in grapes, peanuts, Japanese knotweed

Lycopene: A red carotenoid found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes

Pomegranate extracts

Luteolin: A flavonoid found in peppers and various green vegetables

Genistein: A phytochemical found in soy, red clover, and coffee

Piperine: A phytochemicals found in black pepper

β-carotene: An orange carotenoid found in various vegetables

Sulforaphane: A sulfurous phytochemical found in Cruciferous vegetables

The researchers described the discovery that phytochemicals can selectively target CSCs as “a milestone in the improvement of cancer treatment because the synthetic anticancer drugs that are currently used are often highly toxic for healthy organs and weakens the patient’s immune system.”

They also pointed out that the phytochemicals or extracts identified above, due to their “low levels of toxicity for normal cells,” can be used in combination with other phytochemicals, “yielding powerful synergistic effects.”

They identified several key areas of focus for the future:

Finding a way to combine these compounds into “very active cocktails of phytochemicals” to address the multiple areas of treatment resistance often found in CSCs.

Compare the effects of natural phytochemicals with synthetic drugs, the latter of which they anticipate will be found to be less efficient.

Further research should be performed on CSCs to better understand the signaling pathways that govern their self-renewal and survival.

The authors concluded, “[T]he use of phytochemicals may be a true therapeutic strategy for eradicating cancer through the elimination of CSCs.”

A couple of follow-up resources rom Ocean Robbins, Food Revolution Network CEO

1) The Truth About Cancer has produced a 9-part 60-Minutes-style docu-series in which Ty Bollinger interviews more than 100 doctors, scientists, leaders and survivors in a global quest to understand the truth about cancer prevention and treatment. Click here to join in and watch it now.

2) Many of our members have been asking how much curcumin to take, how to take it in a bioavailable form, and where to get curcumin from a source they can trust. The challenge with taking full advantage of the curcumin in turmeric is low bioavailability. But now Quantum Wellness Botanical Institute has developed a curcumin supplement that includes a potent delivery enhancer (made using organic lecithin and organic turmeric oil) which they say has been found to increase bioavailability by 500%. Their supplement is 100% vegetarian, organic, soy-free and non-GMO. Click here if you’d like to find out more.

Excerpted from The Food Revolution Network article by Sayer Ji, founder of Greenmedinfo.com

There is a new study which shows that ginger contains a compound that could be 10,000 times more effective in targeting cancer stem cells which are at the root of cancer malignancy.
A new study published in PLoS reveals a pungent compound in ginger known as 6-shogaol, which is superior to conventional chemotherapy in targeting the root cause of breast cancer malignancy, the breast cancer stem cells.
Cancer stem cells are at the root of a wide range of cancers, not just breast cancer, and are sometimes referred to as “mother cells”, because they are responsible for producing all the “daughter” cell types that make up the tumor colony. Cancer stem cells constitute 1% or less the number of cells within any tumor, they have the ability to self renew, are capable of continuous differentiation, are resistant to conventional chemotherapy, and are tumorigenic, that is capable of splitting off to create new tumor colonies. Cancer stem cells within a tumor must be destroyed if the cancer treatment is to have a lasting cure.
The new study identified powerful anti-cancer stem cell activity in 6-shaogaol, a constituent of ginger produced when the root is dried or cooked. The cancer destroying effects occurred at concentrations that were non-toxic to non-cancerous cells, a crucial difference from conventional cancer treatments, that do not exhibit this kind of selective cytotoxicity and therefore can do great harm to the patient.
Ultimately, this new study adds to a growing body of research indicating that cancer stem cell targeting approaches using natural substances present in the human diet for thousands of years are far superior to chemotherapy and radiation, both of which actually increases the relative populations of cancer stem cells versus non-tumorigenic ones. There is a ginger research database for further reading on ginger’s anti-cancer properties.You can also use the cancer research health guide for thousands of studies and articles about natural healing approaches for cancer

Inflammation is the body’s own defensive way of healing itself. When you have an injury or illness with an infection your body sends fresh blood to the infected area. The area usually swells, is warm, and may be red. This is a signal to us that we have an infection and should watch and safeguard the area. Sometimes, and especially if the body is in a weakened state of immunity, this inflammatory process can become chronic which can lead to permanent changes such as arthritis. Auto-immune diseases and their treatments can also increase your risk for developing cancers since auto-immune diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation.

Inflammation is something that cancer cells love having around; all that extra blood and oxygen are two things that cancer cells thrive and grow on. Chronic inflammation can also affect your immune system taking away your ability to fight inflammation.

Armed with this knowledge there are things we can do as individuals to help reduce chronic inflammation. Eating a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, containing phytonutrients, leafy greens, fatty fish containing Omega 3 fatty acids, healthy fats from nuts and seeds and spices like turmeric, and ginger.

Keeping ourselves calm and getting adequate sleep can also help.

Arm yourself whenever you visit the grocers and select foods that are your body can use to help fight chronic inflammation. Be aware of all the foods that can cause inflammation such as wheat products and dairy and additives in processed foods.

This is a little off the subject of cancer but I felt compelled to share this with you…

I live in New Orleans and have attended the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for many years. Everyone goes to the festival for the music of course, but they also go for the food. I can remember years ago how I too loved the food at Jazz Fest. Most of the dishes are loaded with flavor and spice, the standards that have made New Orleans cuisine loved by so many. Over the years though, and especially when the weather is hot I have had a difficult time eating festival food. I think the reason is, oddly enough, the same reason it tastes so good…it’s fried, or breaded, is saucy and spicy. That food no longer sits well in my stomach, specially when the weather is hot, and its hard to find healthy options at the festival.

In my style of eating I practice the 80/20 rule. I eat 80% really healthy food and 20% thoughtfully chosen but a bit more indulgent foods. I decided to employ that rule at the festival and over the course of the weekend, thinking that I could keep things balanced. Ha, who was I kidding? To be fair I also attended a couple of parties that weekend and there was lots around to eat and drink. By the time the weekend was over I had gained 5 pounds.

Lucky for me, I did not see this as a disaster. I have learned through studying nutrition how to dial things back and I don’t see a 5 pound gain as something I can’t easily overcome anymore. If I get the right nutrients into my body, change can literally happen in a couple of days. Plus, I know that a lot of what is going on is probably fluid related, due to the high salt content in the food, so I’ll also be sure to drink lots of water in the next few days to help flush the toxins out.

That said, I’d like to encourage you to also adopt the 80/20 rule for eating. It will make a huge difference in how you look and more importantly, how you feel.

Fast-forward to 1 week later.
So…my plan was to drink fresh juices and smoothies to flush my body of any toxins that may be present. Eat small but nutrient dense foods and drink about 2 quarts of water each day.

I’m back down to where I was before Jazz Fest and I feel great.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers contracted in the United States. 90-95% of all colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas. This cancer begins in cells that make and secrete mucus. These cells are contained in glandular tissue. Hence the root name, adeno which means gland and the word, carcinoma, refers to a malignant tumor. Most of these cancers begin in small skin-like protrusions known as polyps. Usually, these are not cancerous however the more they are ignored and allowed to grow they can become overgrown and become cancerous. 25% of people over the age of 50 have polyps.
As your body’s cells die off they are supposed to be replaced by fresh new cells. Sometimes when old cells die off they don’t leave the body but remain and form a tissue mass or tumor of malformed cells. If these masses begin to grow they can cause obstructions and or get into the blood stream and lymphatic system and spread.
Once a diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer is made it is important to know what stage or degree of severity it is.
Stage 1 is an early stage. Cancerous cells are found in the muscular layer of the colon wall but has not spread beyond that.

Stage 2 means that the cancer has spread through the entire colon wall and can be found on the outer wall of the colon.

Stage 3 means that the cancer has spread to some of the nearby lymph nodes but can’t be found in other parts of the body

Stage 4 means that the cancer has spread beyond the colon to other parts of the body, most often the liver and lungs. This is an advanced stage.

Depending on the stage of colorectal cancer the most common surgery is a colon resection. A resection means to remove the damaged portion of colon and then either reconnect the remaining ends. If the damaged portion of your colon is too extensive the surgeon may choose to bring the colon to the surface of the abdomen to empty into a bag and that is called a colostomy.
If you have a colon resection or a colostomy it is important to rest your gut and give your colon time to heal before beginning a regular diet. It is extremely important to introduce foods beginning with clear liquids like clear broth and jello and progressing to full liquids, which would include soups, pudding, milk shakes, and thinned hot cereals. It is also a very good idea to keep a food diary to track how your body reacts to certain foods and how well you tolerate them. You many want to avoid dairy products at first as they can cause bloating and gas.
Avoid high fiber foods such as raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid nuts and seeds, chunky peanut butter, tough meat and fried foods, beans and peas, raisins and desserts that contain nuts or seeds.

Remember to introduce foods slowly, one at a time and wait one to two hours to see how you feel and how your body digests the food.
Try to establish a regular eating schedule and eat 4-6 small meals per day, or about every 3 hours.
Drink plenty to liquid, preferably water to stay hydrated.
After the gut heals from a colon resection you can begin a more regular diet. It is still important to follow the guidelines for a normal diet but it is still important to eat small frequent meals and to track how your body reacts to foods.

If you have a colostomy it’s important to eat a soft diet and your health care professional can assist you with guidelines on what to eat

It is not uncommon to be nervous about eating after a colon resection or colostomy placement. Not knowing how your body will react can be unsettling but staying hydrated and introducing foods slowly and in the right order will help insure an easier transition to helping keep your body nourished and on the road to healing.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men. In simple terms, cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal cells growing and invading normal cells in the body. Prostate cancer is an overgrowth of abnormal cells in the prostate gland. It usually grows at a slow pace but in some cases can grow rapidly. In early stages, men usually have no symptoms. One in seven men or about 14% of men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Thankfully new treatments have been developed to fight this disease therefore only 1 in 38 will die from this cancer.
Nutrition can play an important role in both preventing and fighting prostate cancer. Research has been done and there are foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals that are said to reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Tomatoes are high in Lycopene which could have a protective effect against developing prostate cancer. Many studies have shown that high levels of Lycopene in the blood are linked with a lower risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene is most effective when consumed in it’s natural form, meaning in food rather than supplements. It is especially potent in cooked tomatoes. Eating a diet rich in tomatoes may give you a good chance at preventing prostate cancer.

Plant-based diets have been shown to protect our cells. Fruits that contain rich levels of Lycopene include papaya, watermelon and guava to name a few. Also pectin, a substance found in some fruits, such as apples, citrus and stone fruits and that are used as thickeners were found to reduce the number of cancer cells by 40%.

A high-fiber diet of fruits and vegetables may also aid in preventing prostate cancer. Asian men have a very low incidence of prostate cancer and it is thought that it is due to eating this type of diet.
Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Try eating fatty fish like salmon and adding nuts especially ground flax to your diet several times a week.

On the reverse side, foods that increase your risk of developing prostate cancer should be discussed as they are foods that are consumed on a regular basis and are frequently eaten in the United States.
Barbecued and grilled meats in studies were linked to aggressive forms of prostate cancer, especially the charred parts. Other meats and especially processed meats, containing many additives and nitrites are known to increase the risk of prostate cancer. Get your protein from small amounts of lean meat, and beans or legumes.

I’ve highlighted briefly how nutrition can play a role in preventing and fighting prostate cancer. Be aware of what you are putting into your body and always think in terms of fresh food, lean protein, and lots of fresh water.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has a beautiful website that contains all sorts of amazing information about the foods you should consume to fight cancer both directly and indirectly. It’s amazing but even today with a diagnosis of cancer many physicians don’t believe that what we eat directly affects the way our bodies react to these substances. How can an intelligent doctor not see the correlation between what we consume and how our bodies react? It truly baffles the mind.

There is, however, a new breed of physician that realizes the importance of what we consume and how these foods directly affect our ability to fight the everyday bombardment we encounter in the form of chemicals, air pollution, drugs, and other factors in our environment that make us vulnerable to cancer.

There’s a section on how to reduce your risk of cancer by making small but permanent changes to your lifestyle. The site also shares the latest research on cancer treatment and prevention for specific types of cancer.

I highly recommend this website for breaking down these foods and what they do to help prevent and arrest the development of cancer cells from forming.

[gdlr_button href=”http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/” target=”_blank” size=”medium” background=”#000000″ color=”#ffffff”]AICR’S FOODS THAT FIGHT CANCER™[/gdlr_button]

To have glowing skin, strong nails and shiny hair, don’t necessarily think of beauty products for the answer. Think about the health of your skin, nails and hair from the inside out. There are some delicious foods that contain substances that support the health of your skin, nails and hair and you should know what they are…

Strawberries and Kale
Both high in Vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects skin from oxidative damage. It also speeds up the healing of bruises and wounds. Other good sources of Vitamin C are papaya, peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and pineapple.

Almonds are rich in Biotin, a B-complex vitamin that helps prevent hair loss and keeps hair shiny and strong. Balancing intake of biotin with foods hight in pantothenic acid, (Vitamin B5) is thought to be especially helpful to hair, skin and nails. Other foods that contain biotin are mushrooms, avocado, sweet potato, lentils and chicken.

Brown Seaweed is rich in a compound called fucoxanthin, which protects the skin from cellular damage and wrinkle formation and may prevent sun-induced skin cancer. Seaweed is also rich in minerals and vitamins that encourage hair growth and health. Fucoxanthin is also found in seaweeds such as kombu, arame and wakame.

Green Tea contains a substance called epigallocatechin gallate (ECCG), a powerful antioxidant that may prevent skin tumors, protect the skin for aging and potentially repair existing damage, especially if applied topically.

Pomegranates are rich in polyphenol antioxidants including ellagic acid, which acts as a free radical scavenger to ward off sun damage and slow skin aging, and it may help prevent skin cancer. This fruit also helps reduce inflammation an speed wound healing. Other good sources of ellagic acid are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, walnuts and pecans.

Parsley is rich in chlorophyll, which has long been used to purify blood and heal skin conditions like eczema, rashes, wounds and acne. Other foods rich in chlorophyll include beet greens, spinach, bok choy, broccoli, green cabbage, collard greens and turnip greens.

Pumpkin Seeds, called Pepitas, are high in copper, a mineral that helps develop collagen and elastin to keep skin strong and supple. Collagen is a lubricating substance that makes skin look fuller and plumper. Other good sources of copper are sesame seeds, cashews, soybeans, mushrooms, and tempeh.
Supplements to improve the condition of your skin, hair and nails

Skin Elasticity
Supplementing with collagen can have a big impact on improving the elasticity of your skin.

Hair, Skin and Nails

Cynatine HNS (Keratin) Taking Keratin can have a positive benefit to both hair and nails. It also improved moisture content of the skin, elasticity, wrinkle reduction and skin compactness.

Clear Complexion

Probiotics may help treat acne and rosacea. Probiotics contain Lactobacilli and or Bifidobacterium which could positively affect what is called the gut-brain-skin axis by helping good bacteria outweigh the bad. Lining the gut with good bacteria helps create a barrier against the inflammation that leads to acne

Turmeric, when taken internally shows significant improvement in skin conditions including acne and eczema. More studies are needed to confirm the potential as a skin aid. Early research suggests it reduces inflammation.