Green Tea & Chocolate: The Cancer Slayer Chronicles

The Cruciforms: Immune-Stimulating, Anticancer Warriors

"The Cruciforms"? New boy band? Not so much. 

Rather they are winter's shining stars of the veggie world: Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc -- and we eat them as much as we can each week, at least 3 times.

Three times a week is the magic number researchers at the Cancer Research Center of the University of Pittsburgh discovered. Vegetables containing sulforaphane (our cruciform heroes) were shown to considerably increase the action of the immune system against tumors when consumed three times a week. Second, "tumor-carrying rats that consumed sulforaphane were shown to have half as much risk of developing metastases as those that did not." (Servan-Screiber, Anticancer, pg. 135)

Note, however, that boiling cabbage and broccoli kills their sulfaoraphane molecules.

This week I discovered a new Brussels sprouts recipe that we liked so much I cooked it twice already. It's from anticancer rock star, Kris Carr's, cookbook Crazy Sexy Kitchen and she writes this intro to the recipe:

Are you ready to become a Brussels sprouts addict? This dish is redic! Whether it's a Tuesday night dinner or a holiday celebration, everyone will want a heaping serving of this stupendous side-dish. (pg. 208)

So, there you have it. Kris & I agree -- you've got to make this dish this week!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios and Cipollini Onions (from Crazy Sexy Kitchen; serves 4)

Cancer-fighting powers:

Brussels sprouts ~ Cruciform vegetables contain sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinols, which are powerful anticancer molecules. They are capable of detoxifying certain carcinogenic substances. They prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors. They also promote the suicide of cancer cells and block angiogenesis. Consume 3 times a week.

Onions ~ The sulfur compounds in the alliaceous family (garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives) reduce the carcinogenic effects of nitrosamines and N-nitroso compounds, which are created in over-grilled meat and during tobacco combustion. They promote cell death in colon, breast, lunch, and prostate cancer, as well as in leukemia. All the herbs in this family also help to regulate blood sugar levels.

Olive oil ~ The green tea of the Mediterranean diet. Olives and olive oil contain particularly high concentrations of phenolic antioxidants. Olive oil is richer in antioxidants if it is cold-pressed, extra-virgin oil. Researchers have found that the consumption of olive oil by women taking Herceptin may increase the efficacy of the medication because the polyphenols and oleic acid in olive oil can inhibit expression of the HER2 gene.*

3 cups Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

1 cup cipollini onions or shallots, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup raw pistachios

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 TBSP olive oil

3 TBSP sherry vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Give it a good mixing.

Roast the Brussels sprouts mixture on a sheet pan for 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan about halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Serve hot. 

 *Cancer-fighting nutritional info comes from David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD: Anticancer: A New Way of Life.

 

Eating the Rainbow: Green (Chilling Out With Kale, 3 Ways)

We all need to chill out. Seriously.

Our bodies are currently in a state of hyper inflammation. Inflammation in and of itself is a good and necessary thing. It is how our bodies heal when we are hurt or sick: Specialized cells and proteins respond to the injured area, sealing it off, destroying damaged tissue, killing invading bacteria.

But an over-active inflammatory system can cause damage, like an out of control fire. 

Our immune systems are charged with keeping everything in balance: Knowing when to bring on the heat, and when to cool things off. 

Some foods promote inflammation (sugar, omega-6-heavy cooking oils, dairy, processed meats, alcohol) while others help to cool the body, like kelp, turmeric, almonds, wild salmon, shiitake mushrooms, green tea, papaya, blueberries, olive oil, sweet potatoes, and your dark leafy greens.

Chronic inflammation plays a role in many types of cancer. 

Just like immune cells gearing up to repair lesions, cancer cells need to produce inflammation to sustain their growth. To this end, they begin an abundant production of the same highly inflammatory substances seen in the natural reparation of woods. They act as chemical fertilizers promoting cell reproduction -- in this case, cancer cell reproduction. Growing tumors use these substances to help themselves develop and to make the barriers surrounding them more permeable. The very process that enables the immune system to repair lesions and pursue enemies in all the body's recesses is diverted for the benefit of the cancer cells. They exploit it to spread and reproduce.

The overproduction of inflammatory factors throws neighboring white blood cells into disarray. The natural killer cells and other white blood cells are neutralized. They don't even try to fight the tumor, which prospers and grows in plain sight. ~ Servan-Schrieber, David; Anticancer. pg. 43-44 

To this end, we eat a lot of kale around here.

Kale and other green fruits (honeydew!) and vegetables are also full of Vitamins C & K, calcium, folate and potassium. Good things in these veggies (sulforaphane, isothiocyanate, and indoles) fight numerous diseases by eliminating toxic waste from the body.  

I used to simply dunk kale in boiling water for a minute or two, and then stir it around in some hot olive oil, garlic & salt and call it good, which is great, but a little boring every night. So lately I've been experimenting with kale recipes and I've found some winners (one with coconut and another that doesn't require any cooking!). 

Kale Method #1: Massage It ~

Kale Salad (serves 6, large portions; from EatingWell Magazine, September 2012)

2 bunches of kale

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 minced garlic cloves

1 TBSP soy sauce

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Strip the kale. Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. 

Add the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, soy sauce, pepper and salt to the greens.

With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens until the volume is reduced by about half (1-2 minutes). They should look a little darker and somewhat shiny and have a silky, soft texture.

Serve.

Kale Method #2: Roast It ~

Kale Salad (serves 4; from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 TBSP soy sauce

1 bunch of kale, chopped, stems trimmed, large ribs removed

1 1/2 cups unsweetened large-flake coconut

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with two racks in the top third of the oven.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake together the olive oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Put the kale and coconut in a large bowl and toss well with about two-thirds of te olive oil mixture.

Spread the kale evenly across two baking sheets. Bake for 12-18 minutes, until the coconut is deeply golden brown, tossing once or twice along the way. If the kale mixture on the top baking sheet begins to get too browned, move it to the lower rack.

Remove from the oven and transfer to the kale mixture to a medium bowl. Taste. Add more dressing as needed. Serve warm.

(Coconut is pretty amazing in it's own right.)

Kale Method #3: Boil & Saute It ~

Young Kale with Lemon and Garlic (serves 2 as a side dish; from Nigel Slater's Tender) (This is the version my kiddo likes best.)

2 large handfuls of torn kale

2 TBSP butter

a little olive oil

2 cloves garlic

a little lemon zest

the juice of half a lemon

Directions: 

Wash the greens and set them aside. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Salt it lightly, and cook the greens for no longer than a minute or two. They must retain their crispness and vigor. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, warm the butter and oil in a shallow pan, peel and crush the garlic, and soften it in the butter and oil. Add a little grated lemon zest (a couple of teaspoons should suffice), then, as the butter starts to froth, squeeze in the lemon juice. Lower in the greens and toss them gently in the hot, lemony garlic butter. Correct the seasoning and serve immediately. 

 

 

Eat Like a Rainbow ~ Red & Orange ~ Bring on the Carotenoids

The produce section of the grocery store -- or the stalls at the Farmers' Market -- are such colorful places. A literal rainbow of food choices.

Color matters. Each color represents particular phytonutrients, vitamins & minerals -- each with specific life-saving benefits. 

Many of us eat "5 a day" as the FDA recommends, but we eat 5 of the same pale-colored fruits and vegetables. Apples, bananas, celery...

While apples & bananas are very good and rock in the portability department, I've taken up a new challenge lately: to eat the entire rainbow each day: Red, orange, yellow, green, purple. Tomatoes, carrots, pineapple, yellow bell pepper, kale, nori, blue-berries, grapes... 

I find the foods on the "warm" side of the color spectrum particularly attractive, and for good reason. Red, orange, yellow/green vegetables are rich carotenoids. Carotenoids are chemical compounds that absorb light and determine the color in fruits and vegetables. In our bodies they make their way to specific tissues and organs, where they have been shown to protect against DNA damage, thereby preventing heart disease and certain cancers. 

Pink grapefruits are in season now. And oh so delicious! They are rich in lycopene, which is one of the most potent free radical scavengers in nature. (Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage healthy cells as they travel through the body. They are produced naturally by the body as it uses oxygen to convert digested food into energy. Liver spots, cataracts, cancer, and other degenerative diseases are all the result of free-radical damage.**)

Sweet potatoes are another richly colored food that is in season now. Sweet potatoes are full of alpha-and beta-carotene, which are carotenoids and very effective antioxidents. They protect against cancer by preventing oxidation damage, reducing the multiplication of cancer cells, and eliminating tumors. Plus, they're chock-full of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Wow!

Sweet Potato Pancakes adapted from Pam Stearns

Cancer-fighting powers:

Sweet Potato ~ Bright-colored (orange, red, yellow, green) fruits and vegetables contain vitamin A and lycopene, which have the proven capacity to inhibit the growth of cells of several cancer lines, including brain gliomas. Lycopene stimulates the growth of immune cells and increases their capacity to attack tumor cells. A study that tracked breast cancer patients for six years showed that those who consumed the most foods rich in carotenoids lived longer than those who consumed less. (Ingram, D "Diet and Subsequent Survival in Women with Breast Cancer," British Journal of Cancer 69, no 3 (1994)).

Ginger ~ Ginger root is a powerful antiinflammatory and an antioxidant (more effective than vitamin E) and has protective effects. It acts against certain cancer cells. Moreover, it helps reduce the creation of new blood vessels (needed by cancer cells to survive). *

Cinnamon ~ Like ginger, cinnamon is a powerful antiinflammatory and an antixidant, even more so than blueberries and pomagranate juice. One teaspoon helps to lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol and may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. Just half a teaspoon a day can help regulate blood sugar. (Penn State (2011, August 11). Antioxidant spices, like turmeric and cinnamon, reduce negative effects of high-fat meal. ScienceDaily)

1/2 cup: all-pupose white flour and whole wheat flour (each)

1 TBSP of your favorite sweetener (agave, honey, maple syrup, sugar...)

1/2 tsp: baking powder and salt (each)

1/4 tsp: baking soda, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and ground ginger (each)

1/2 cup roasted sweet potato puree (approx. 1/4th of a large sweet potato)

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk 

Directions:

Roast the sweet potato (wash, place on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 50-60 min). Slice the sweet potato in half length-wise and scoop the inerds into a measuring cup. Mash with a fork. Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including the sweet potato puree. 

Add the wet to the dry, adding more milk if it seems too stiff. Should not be soupy, but should not be overly thick either.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a pat of butter to greace. 

When hot, drop the batter on to the skillet. I like to make "silver dollar" pancakes using 1 TBSP-scoops of batter at a time. A skant 1/4 cup of batter would make a "regular" size pancake.

Flip when bubbles begin to break on the surface, 3-4 minutes.

Cook for only a couple minutes more on the second side. 

Adjust your heat if the outside is scorching before the inside is fully cooked. These are dense pancakes. 

Enjoy!

~~

 *Cancer-fighting nutritional info comes from David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD: Anticancer: A New Way of Life.

** Color-related health info comes from What Color is Your Diet? by David Herber, MD, Ph.D.and Susan Bowerman, and The Color Code by James A Joseph, Ph.D., Daniel A Nadeau, MD, and Anne Underwood.