From a Western nutritional perspective, we know that consuming an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats helps boost our overall health, improve cardiovascular health, and create a strong immune system.
A Chinese perspective on nutrition embraces these ideals and expands the role of food as medicine by acknowledging that certain types of food have specific resonances with the energies of the immune system and our ability to release cancer-causing pathogens and to aid the body in recovery from surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
beets
This remarkable but widely used healing food works on all 12 meridians (energy channels in the body) to help us flush out pathogens and detoxify the body.
Beets in the diet may support people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or for those who need to detoxify stress chemicals that form when we react to everyday life.
In Asian countries, soups made from beets, carrots and cabbage are used to strengthen the immune system and heal from viruses, bacterial infections and other pathogens. A cup or two of this type of soup 4-7 times a week can strengthen the internal organs and promote a vibrant flow of energy throughout the body. When our energy flows smoothly and without obstacles, there can be no disease.
You can easily make this soup using a base of 4 cups organic chicken stock (low sodium or organic vegetable stock), 3 large diced beets, 3 large diced carrots, and 1/2 cup cabbage. Add 1-2 tsp roasted garlic, 1 small purple onion, 2 tsp fennel seeds, and 2 stalks finely chopped organic celery for flavor.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour.
Foods rich in lycopene
Lycopene is similar to beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent cancer. Lycopene occurs naturally in the prostate and decreases with age. However, we can help support healthy lycopene levels through diet.
Foods high in lycopene include red vegetables and fruits, especially cooked or processed tomatoes. Other foods include pink grapefruit (check for drug interactions with certain cancer and other drugs), watermelon, apricots, and pink guava.
However, before you rush to buy lycopene supplements, you should also be aware that the effectiveness of lycopene supplements and high consumption of lycopene-rich foods has been questioned by the FDA after data from 107 observational studies and 23 Studies involving blood analysis were examined.
The FDA stated that consuming lycopene supplements or high amounts of lycopene-rich foods has no significant impact on prostate health and cancer. The FDA’s position on this issue was published in the July 10, 2007 issue of the Journal of Cancer Institute.
However, there is anecdotal clinical evidence that clients improve their PSA (scores that indicate prostate health) levels by adding lycopene-rich foods to their diet.
From a Chinese diet perspective, lycopene and other antioxidants are not magic bullets. Instead, it is believed that the presence of antioxidants such as lycopene, combined with other nutritional and energetic properties in foods, can be a powerful tool to help the body detoxify and protect against cancer. It is therefore important to have a balanced approach and to integrate a variety of foods into your diet.
Similarly, the American Cancer Society advocates a diet consisting of a variety of foods, as opposed to overeating on any single food or ingesting high amounts of antioxidants.
pumpkin seeds
This simple diet appears to reduce the triggering of prostate cell proliferation by testosterone and DHT (dihydrotestosterone – a metabolite of testosterone). Therefore, pumpkin seeds can help prevent enlargement of the prostate.
Pumpkin seeds contribute to healthier cholesterol levels and protect bones by providing a source of zinc (low levels are associated with more hip fractures and osteoporosis).
Sprinkle raw pumpkin seeds over salads, soups and other favorite foods. You may want to roast the seeds for added flavor, but the nutritional value is higher when eaten raw.
organic chicken
In the Chinese nutritional system, chicken helps strengthen the internal organs of the kidneys, which are said to govern our reproductive organs on an energy level. Free from hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, organic chicken helps to detoxify the body. Chicken is also a lean source of protein.
Add other lean organic meats and fresh produce to further reduce toxins in the diet.
Affordable sources of organic produce and some meats are available at local farmers’ markets. You may also want to join a community garden to economically maintain the freshest sources and help others partake in organic food.
Drink healing drinks
Decaffeinated Green Tea, Chrysanthemum Tea, Barley Tea, Red Clover, and Saw Palmetto Tea: All of these natural teas are rich in antioxidants and have detoxifying properties.
Chrysanthemum has a cooling, detoxifying effect. When combined with a small amount of decaffeinated green tea, cinnamon, and ginger, chrysanthemum can help suppress nausea caused by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Trained Chinese herbalists often combine chrysanthemum with other herbs to make a brew or tea that helps cure prostate cancer.
to avoid foods
Reduce the amount of sugar, caffeine and fat in your diet, especially trans fats. read labels. If you see the word “hydrogenated,” that’s an indication that trans fats are present. All of these foods generate excessive heat in the body on an energetic level. Since the energy of cancer is hot, reducing foods that add heat can also protect our body from cancer.
Likewise, chemotherapy and radiation are hot in nature. By reducing spicy foods in our diet, we can empower ourselves to minimize the side effects of these types of treatments and detoxify the body.
Eliminate sugar substitutes like sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame (Nutrasweet). Although many studies have produced data to suggest that these sugar substitutes are safe for regular human consumption, these products do not contain properties that heal the internal organs.
Also, avoid sweeteners that contain saccharin, which studies have linked to certain health risks like birth defects and cancer.
Stevia is an all natural sweetener suitable for diabetics or others trying to eliminate sugar. Stevia rebaudiana is an herb in the chrysanthemum family that provides natural sweetness in diabetics without raising blood sugar levels and contains properties said to help balance high blood pressure, balance the pancreas and reduce stomach acid.
Please note that the information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any new diet changes when recovering from prostate health challenges.
Thanks to Kay Hutchinson
