Cancer-Here's How Nutrition Does

Before I get going: I learned something the other day on public radio. It's hard to see the expression on a mosquito's face.


Well I haven't made it yet but I haven't had to resort to chemotherapy or radiation treatments. I'm 2 1/2 years past the surgery for appendix cancer. I am and have been trying nutrition. Boring! I know it is but it's cheaper and less traumatic than some other Stage 3 treatments. I don't dismiss the standard treatments lightly. Mom and Dad both had good old chemo or some such thing. Their lifespan after drastic treatments was 2 years each. AND THE FACT IS WHEN CANCER COMES BACK AFTER TWO YEARS IT IS UNSTOPPABLE USUALLY. Well then you may be offered palliative chemo-not so unpleasant.
Some may find my diet very unappealing. I find chemo unappealing.
Here's a typical dinner for me so that you know how nasty I have to live:
Three (organic) Bean Chili
Garlic & Cheese Breads
Organic Lettuce With Extra Virgin Olive Oil & (organic) Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Quart Water Boiled & Chilled
1500 milligrams Chinese herbs (mushroom immunity formula)
2 Squares (70% (I love Lindt) cocoa) Chocolate
and vitamins: zinc (dosage 50), vitamin E (400), folic acid (400), time release vitamin C (500), selenium (200), multi-vitamin w/o iron, calcium & vitamin D supplement
Yep, boring. Everything I eat here is aimed at reducing inflammation. DID YOU KNOW THAT CANCER IS INFLAMMATION? I DIDN'T. MEAT CAUSES INFLAMMATION. Chemotherapy is not inflammation control either. I still can have a pizza or baby back rib occasionally. (At least I have been.)

Admittedly, I still haven't made it the standard 5 years. And why is that the standard? Does the health care system figure a person is broke enough at that point? Why not 4 years and 300 days? What a load.
A friend of mine had relapse after 7 years. 5 years as the standard did her wrong.

Okay, here's the biggest tragedy: A discussion between the oncologist and the patient about nutritional advantages and disadvantages vis-a-vis cancer almost never happens. As a matter of fact, I asked my doctor if I would see a nutritionalist. I like him but he acted like I wasn't speaking English. No nutritionalist I guess.
So I had to research all of  the dietary stuff myself while trying to manage the other traumatic things too.
So why do we have to go to an "alternative care" practitioner for nutritional guidance? (This will not usually be insurance covered either.) BECAUSE THE $ IS IN DRASTIC TREATMENTS. There is no money for mainstream medicine in good diet.

Almost every medical person I have talked to is baffled as to why I didn't get chemo. Like I missed something and I just must try it. They seem to think that my oncologist must have been asleep at the wheel. Well I like him because he said that chemo has side effects. I didn't tell him "Duh, I knew that". I just thought that chemo/cancer was like bacon/eggs. Didn't we all think that?

Don't just sit there. Look at these!
nutritiondata.self.com 
edibleevolution.blogspot.com/2009/06/anti-inflammatory-recipes-and-foods.html

I get my blood tests soon and I'll see if I'm full of it or not.

Antiangiogenesis Food-Soup's On

Delicious Mexican Soup

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
3 cups organic vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup organic corn, cooked
1 cup mild or medium salsa (taste preference)
8 oz tomato sauce (organic hard to find)
2 cups (organic preferred of course) cooked dry black beans
cilantro garnish
Organic not necessary for sweet potato and onion but always preferred, cost being a factor.

Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion for 3 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Add sweet potato, broth, and cumin; cover and reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes or until sweet potato is tender. Process soup in blender in two batches until smooth after letting cool 10 minutes.
Stir in corn, salsa, tomato sauce and beans. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes to blend flavors. Cilantro is your antioxidant garnish.

IBS NOTE: Blend also the corn and most of the beans in the mixture and you are all set to make the best of the soluble fiber inside the bean. Corn is hard to digest so why not puree?

Sweet Split Pea Soup
FOUR SERVINGS

4 cups organic vegetable broth
3 organic carrots, diced
1 cup split peas (organic preferred)
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp minced rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 oz sourdough bread, cubed NO HYDROGENATED FAT OR H.F.C. SYRUP
parsley
Organic not necessary for garlic.

In a large saucepan combine broth, carrots, peas, onions, minced garlic, rosemary & salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered, stirring as needed, until the peas have disintegrated. (1-1 1/4 hrs)
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine the oil & crushed garlic. Brush one side of the bread cubes with  this mixture. Bake cubes on baking sheet about 10 minutes or until crisp. Divide the soup into bowls. Add sourdough croutons and parsley to taste.
322 calories, 5 grams fat, 56 grams carbs., 16 grams fiber, 16 grams protein, 75 mg. calcium & IBS friendly

One of the hardest things do is balance an antioxidant diet with an IBS diet. The antioxidant diet uses so much insoluble fiber for health. Soups and purees are a great answer for the tough balancing act.

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Against Cancer

Yes, I am against cancer.

As we know, I have touted the book "Anticancer-A New Way of Life" by David Servan-Schreiber. Alas, David died last year. But I still believe.
So my wife and I have reviewed the book again. We feel that these are the most important points in the book:
Me (the patient): NK cells, pg. 36. Wounds that don't heal, pg. 42. NF-kappa B, pg. 47. Blocking angiogenesis, pg. 54. Detoxing, pg. 94. EGCG in green tea, pg. 110. Circumin in turmeric, pg. 114. Ellagic acid in berries, pg. 117. Spices & herbs, pg. 119. Synergy of food, pg. 120. Recommended food, pg. 132. Measuring vitamin D3 & calcium, pg. 141. The breath, pg. 164. The Mantra (6 breaths per minute), pg. 166. From somewhere, 3 times weekly one should eat Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower. Parsley, mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil, and/or rosemary consume daily.
I agree with David, I will never be sorry that I changed my diet.
Her (the patience): Blood tests to measure inflammation, pg. 45. Table 4 inflammatories on pg. 70. Omega 6, pg. 73. Conjugated linoleic acid, pg. 75. Phosphate additives in food, pg. 86-87. Cosmetics etc. (avoid parabens & phthalates), pg. 98. Olives, pg. 112 & 134. Soy, pg. 113. BEST turmeric, pg. 114. Mix turmeric with olive oil, pg. 134.
But you too will still die.

D'ambrosio Gelato

I don't know why I am putting this in my recipes dealie. The DG is certainly not going to cough up the recipe for the best Gelato in the world, are they? I'm a nut for the stuff so I know this is the best. What I can't figure out is why they don't have a hundred locations instead of the 1 genius location on Ballard, Seattle. A secondary consideration for going to the area is the year-'round street market.

The second best is Gelato Junction on the 400 block of Main St. in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is so good that we had some when it was 4 degrees outside. Texture and temperature were every bit as good as D'Ambrosio. I prefer the bolder taste at Seattle's shop by a neck. G. Jct. now has a great Nepalese restaurant just a few doors from the Gelato Jct.

Soup's On Too/Pureed

Happy to announce that besides coming up with this thing, my wife found her favorite mountain bike trail in our area to date. Just above Hurricane, Ut., the J.E.M. Trail fits the bill. It reminds me of the Fruita, Colorado trails, which I miss. SW recreation site here. Also here.


Creamy Carrot Jalapeno Soup-makes 4 servings
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4-1/3 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon each: parsley and garlic salt
2 cups organic chopped carrots
1/2 cup multi-grain flour
3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup Half and Half

In a large saucepan melt the butter and saute with the onion, jalapeno, parsley and garlic salt for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and blend well. Stirring constantly, add the vegetable stock; blend well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat.  Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes. In a blender, puree the carrot mixture; return to pan.
Stir in the Half and Half and heat soup through.

Soup's On

If all of your tomatoes are ripening at once, here's a good antioxidant recipe:

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup-makes 4 servings
4 large tomatoes, peeled and cored
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/3 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional-do not use more or the basil will be overwhelmed)
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil

1) With a sharp knife, halve the tomatoes crosswise. Press the halves gently to squeeze out the seeds. Discard the seeds. Dice the tomatoes and set aside.
2) In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion (and jalapeno if using) and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are very soft.
3) Pour the cooked tomato mixture into a blender. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot.
4) Cook over medium heat, 4-5 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with garnish of fresh basil leaves and crusty bread. MMM good.

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Sweet Rice/Post-Cancer

I posted an old family favorite recipe for delicious rice pudding (or sweet rice) on my web site before my diagnosis for appendix cancer. Now this one makes more sense for my body:

MAKES 2 LARGE SERVINGS,
6 Tablespoons organic jasmine rice
1 Cup water
3-5 Cups organic vanilla soy milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1/3 Cup organic Half & Half
Additional Half & Half optional
2 Tablespoons agave nectar

Bring the rice and water to a boil, reduce to simmer. When the water is gone add 1 cup of soy milk, agave nectar and cinnamon sticks. Reduce the liquid again. Reduce or increase heat as needed, but watch carefully to not burn but keep the liquid reducing. The rest of the procedure is just add and reduce, using soy milk. At 1 hour reduce to 1/4 (dial) temperature. At 2 hours add 1/3 cup Half & Half in lieu of soy milk. Consumption of liquids may be reduced by keeping the heat at 1/4 (dial) temperature. Steaming instead of bubbling is fine. I use only 1 cup of additional soy milk in the final hour (after adding the Half & Half). At 3 hours, if thickened, transfer the mixture to a glass bowl and refrigerate. To serve,  one may drizzle 1/8" Half & Half over the top of the pudding and sprinkle with additional cinnamon as preferred. This additional Half & Half IS FATTENING!

No doubt I may (seldom)  fall off of the wagon and enjoy my sister's authentic sweet rice, but this antioxidant one is darn good too.

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