This weekend, as you head out to the grocery stores to stock up on Thanksgiving delights, your shopping list will most likely contain the traditional provisions: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, creamy green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie...
By all means, Thanksgiving is about the traditions we’ve formed around the table. Don’t get me wrong, I always look forward to splurging on my aunt Minnie’s chocolate chip cookies and helping myself to seconds (let's be real, even thirds) helpings of the thanksgiving feast.
This year, I wanted to share some new ideas for how we can celebrate the holidays with a healthy spin as we continue to fuel our bodies and steel them against breast cancer!
First, let’s look at the science behind a healthy diet:
Data is emerging from the American Institute for Cancer Research that a plant-based diet can lower the risk of breast cancer, particularly for those tumors that are not fueled by hormones.
The big winners of a plant based diet are fruits and veggies high in beta-carotene like
-Yams
-Tomatoes,
-Bell peppers,
-Grapefruit and
-Cantaloupe
as well as cruciferous vegetables which are nutrient rich in vitamins
C, E, K, minerals and offer good fiber such as
-Cauliflower,
-Collard greens,
-Kale,
-Turnips,
-Rutabaga, and
-Radishes.
But can food really be thy medicine?
YES! And that is because of the magic that happens inside our bodies after we enjoy a meal. For example these cruciferous vegetables provide sulfur-containing compounds, called glucosinolates. During the digestion process (i.e., the magic) the glucosinolates become active compounds that not only prevent the growth of cancerous cells but can encourage the body to destroy cancer cells!
According to the NCI, these compounds help prevent cancer in the following ways:
They help protect cells from DNA damage.
They help inactivate carcinogens.
They have antiviral and antibacterial effects.
They have anti-inflammatory effects.
They induce cell death (apoptosis).
They inhibit tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and tumor cell migration (needed for metastasis).
Ok, so now onto the yummy stuff!
This Thanksgiving should definitely be the one where you have fun and play around with some delicious plant-based entrees and sides, not only because of the salmonella outbreak in turkey this year, but reaping all of the benefits from a whole-food plant based diet to assist in kicking cancer's butt. Imagine after your thanksgiving meal being refreshed and energized instead of cozying up on the couch for a nap and football!
After clicking through Pinterest and some of my favorite blogs, I am excited to share with you what William and I will be cooking up:
Click on the links below for recipes: