Saturday, November 19, 2011

Limit Cancer Development with Your Diet, by Leroy Templeton, Guest Contributor

Limit Cancer Development with Your Diet
By: Leroy Templeton

We have all heard of a number of diets. Take your pick, carb-free, low-cal, Atkins, vegan; we’ve all know of them and some have even worked to varying degree. While these various diets have their benefits; I maintain, that another diet, one that gets much less press, may be the most important one to take on. This is the Cancer-free diet.
I’m sure many of you are wondering how much your diet even impacts your chances for getting cancer. While not as publicized as some vices such as smoking, what you eat plays a large role in the likelihood of you getting cancer. One study estimates that 30% of cancer cases are due to poor or uninformed dietary decisions. However, it’s not all gloom and doom. While many overly processed foods can promote cancer development, there are a number of foods that not only do not promote cancer, but actually help fight and inhibit its growth. With such a big swing between helping and hurting, diet is one of the most important elements in cancer prevention.
Those foods that you should avoid are those of the unnatural variety. According to a number of studies, diets high in things such as pesticides and food additives are known health risks. Though they can help preserve foods and intensify flavors, there can be health issues with processing such unnatural ingredients in the body. Many of these also contain carcinogens which are very harmful and promote the development of cancerous cells. It is important to make sure that the foods in your diet are natural.
Another way to make sure your diet is healthy and cancer free is to cut out red meat. Red meat is, by nature, very high in animal fat. This is an issue because animal fat naturally contains a high number of carcinogens. This contributed to a number of studies which show that red meat is explicitly linked to colon cancer development and even complicated forms of cancer such as pleural mesothelioma. As it takes longer to breakdown and process, red meat may end up leaving harmful bacteria in the body longer than other forms of food, which can cause an increase in cancer rates. It is beneficial to limit red meat consumption and replace it with lean white meats and nuts.
As mentioned above, there are those foods which help to fight cancer. By detoxifying the body antioxidants and flavonoids help fight cancer. Citrus fruits such as oranges along with many bitter foods such as coffee and dark chocolate contain these antioxidants and flavonoids along with vitamins. The safest bet is to have a high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables to help keep the body in its best shape.
When you are able to eat healthier, the benefits are countless. You will not only look and feel better, but now we know you will even live longer. Eating healthy is the way to go. It’s a no brainer!

Thanks to our guest blogger, Leroy Templeton, for his contribution.  If you have any questions or comments, we are happy to send them to Leroy.

Friday, June 10, 2011

South End Women’s Wellness Walk, Seattle

Risk factors of death and disability due to heart disease and stroke are four times greater for African American and Latino women.   Being overweight increases the risk factor for heart disease and many other conditions (stroke, gallbladder disease, arthritis and some cancers). Reducing your weight and adopting a healthy lower calorie eating plan lowers this risk.

Health care professionals recommend moderate intensity exercise for as little as 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk every day is suggested. If necessary, this walk can be divided into three 10 minute sessions initially. Set a goal of reducing weight gradually-about one-half to two pounds per week.
As a result of walking and eating a healthier diet, one of our walkers no longer requires insulin daily.
Join us in South Seattle for the daily South End Women’s Wellness Walk.  Walk with other South Seattle women of color as many times per week as you can.  Call Patt at 206-424-4573 or patt@pearllegacy.org for information.  FREE.