Cancer can strike anyone. But by eating whole natural foods, we can give ourselves a fighting chance against cancer.
Cancer can strike anyone. But by eating whole natural foods, we can give ourselves a fighting chance against cancer.
Today most of us are affected by cancer one way or another. Be it personal, or through friends or family, it’s a disease that hits close to home at some point and can topple even the healthiest individual.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with an unusual form of cancer. As an alternative thinker and a nutritionist with no history of cancer in my family, this came as quite a shock. According to statistics I was the least likely to be hit with cancer. Why me? I lived a healthy life, was fit and strong, and had no symptoms.
Through my journey I came to learn that cancer is a disease that can strike anyone. I learned that it’s not always what we do that causes cancer. After all, many of us can cite at least someone we know who’s lived to be a centenarian after a lifetime of unhealthy living.
Being alternatively focused I balked at conventional treatment and for three months researched every piece of information I could find on my type of cancer. I met with cancer experts, InspireHealth, naturopaths, and even chemo drug sales representatives.
Meanwhile, I cleansed. I eliminated all gluten, dairy, sugar, and red meat from my diet. I upped my hiking and went for weekly vitamin C and ozone IV infusions. I confess to never being more fit.
There’s endless information out there regarding diets for cancer. From vegan to vegetarian, eating for your blood type, organic, wheat free, dairy free, sugar free, GI friendly—it’s a mind-boggling journey filled with contradictory advice topped by an already frightening diagnosis.
The bottom line is that good eating habits and steady exercise can add life to your years, whatever the disease. Most health advocates will profess organic where available, gluten free, sugar free, and dairy free to be a healthy solution to many illnesses. Given my personal experiences, it’s been good advice. It may not lead to full recovery but will certainly help people with cancer feel better. And in feeling better they are given hope and strength.
The following recipes have been developed using fresh organic ingredients where available.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
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