Courage and Tea

It takes a lot of courage to fight cancer.  It also takes a lot of courage to help someone through cancer.  Frankly, there is nothing good about cancer at all, but I like the expression "Have lemons? Make lemonade" and so maybe we can look at it as an opportunity to let things that we love help heal us.

In my family's case, that is definitely tea.  I always say "Tea helps everything" and I truly believe that it does.  Tea is your warm little friend in your chilly hands.  Tea is an opportunity to chat with your friend, or mother, or cousin, or child.  Tea is simply wonderful.

Recently in our lives, in order to reduce sugar, we have all replaced the sugar in our tea with honey. That is a good start towards letting what we love heal us.  My mom and I still put a splash of milk in our black tea, and I figure the pleasure outweighs the negative effects of the dairy.  I personally love Tulsi Green Tea.  Or white tea.  Or peppermint tea. 

The following recipe is one I adapted from my dear friend Ingrid.  Every time you go into her house she has something fragrant and delicious on the stove.   This chai has true health benefits, especially for cancer. The anti-inflammatory benefits of the spices help cancer cells repair themselves.

So, back to courage.  You can do it!  Sit down with a friend and a cup of chai, and let both the companionship and the tea make you stronger.  "The trick is not to rid your stomach of butterflies, but to make them fly in formation."

Holiday Chai

There is nothing better in the winter than a fragrant pot of home-made chai on your stove! The whole house smells of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and general holiday goodness.  Made without sugar or dairy, this is also a very healthy and nutritionally-beneficial treat!

Makes 8 small cups of tea

Ingredients:

6 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cardamom pods

1 heaping Tbsp. peppercorns

2 vanilla beans, sliced open length-wise

grated nutmeg

10 whole cloves

2 inch piece of ginger, in slices (skin on)

1/3 cup honey

1 Tbsp. agave nectar

4 decaf black tea bags 

2 cups oat milk

(I like the deep flavor of the tea, but including the tea bags is actually optional. If you'd like to go tea-free, it is a milder but delicious treat without it! )

-In a large pan, bring the water and all spices to a boil. 

-Reduce to a simmer and add sweeteners. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes.

-Turn off stove and add tea bags. Let tea and spice flavors meld for several minutes.

-Strain the ingredients into a smaller pot.

-Return smaller pot to stove, add the oat milk, and heat to desired temperature for serving!

Enjoy!

A few nutritional highlights: 

Cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves are all digestion aids, anti-inflammatories, antimicrobials, and antibacterials. Nutmeg also contains a compound called myristicin, which prompts a tumor-fighting ability in the body!

Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and it also reduces nausea. 

Honey has anti-cancer properties and aids liver function.

Black tea contains relatively high amounts of vitamins C, D, and K, as well as a number of important minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and more.

Creating an Environment That Cancer Dislikes

I was fotunately reminded recently that there is SO much we can do to create an environment that cancer dislikes.  There is so much evidence & science supporting this.  Once again, we are what we eat.  There is so much we can do to choke and starve cancer.

We can increase the amount of foods we eat that fight & reduce cancer cells.

We can eliminate foods that feed cancer.

In a nutshell, we are talking, eat:
-greens
-onions/garlic
-mushrooms
-berries
-beans
-seeds

And eliminate:
-SUGAR
-animal proteins

These are the major cancer-fighting and cancer-feeding foods above.  Even moving in the direction slowly of emphasizing these foods can make a difference. It doesn't have to be 100%. Maybe 80%. Or whatever works for you, to make the change in your diet in a way that fits into your lifestyle/likes/cravings.

Here is a rocking awesome salad that you can throw together in minutes. It could be your dinner. Tonight. And it will fill you up and make your body so happy.

I always have a glass container of brown rice in my fridge. Getting into that habit changed my life for the better. When it runs out, I pour a cup or two in a bowl soaking in water while I'm at work.  When I get home, I cook it. It keeps in your fridge for a few days, and you can have it for breakfast, throw it in salads or stir fries, etc.  Soaking rice separates the phytic acid from the whole grains (phytic acid makes brown rice hard to digest & absorb--removing it turns brown rice into a wonder food.)

Everything Salad

The amount of the following ingredients isn't really important. What matters is that you use a great variety of foods which makes you and your family happy!

-mixed greens (from your CSA or Farmer's Market is best!)
-brown rice (one ice-cream scoop on top of each serving)
-garbanzo beans (pre-soaked and cooked; or from a can)
-blueberries
-walnuts
-green olives (from the salad bar area of your market, marinated in herbs)
-pepitas
-Gomasio*, shake on top of scoop of brown rice

Cover with dressing, below, and enjoy! This really fills you up because of the brown rice.

*Gomasio contains sesame seeds, seaweed, and sea salt, and can be obtained

Apple Cider Dressing
1/4 cup Braggs Raw Apple Cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. raw honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a small jar, add the ingredients in the order above, adding the olive oil last and shaking it up a lot.

Sesame Seeds are high in protein, fiber, vitamins B1 and B2, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium.  They have amazing antioxidant properties, aid in digestion, stimulate blood circulation, and benefit the nervous system.

Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds) supply minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorous.   They are a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, protein and more.

Things I Love

In the vein of good health and overall holistic wellness, and in this time of gift giving, I thought I would share a few of my favorite things...things you can give your loved one and feel really good about.  Both because they are good-for-you, but also because the artistic, visionary people who have created them are good for our planet, and good to support.

Love and Tea
 Beautiful tea and art; grown on a farm in Vermont. Happy in every way.
Navitas Raw Cacao
 The source of chocolate. This is a true superfood.  So decadent & delicious and true health properties.
Cold Country Salmon
 Wild salmon fished by a DC resident every summer in Alaska & flash frozen on deck. Incredible!
Super Natural Every Day Cookbook
 Healthy, inspiring recipes to entice your tastebuds and enrich your health.
Tiny Devotions
 Sacred Mala Beads strung together with a precious stone of your choosing. Powerful & beautiful!
Cypress Sun Jewelry
 Gorgeous hand-made necklaces & earrings that will sparkle your way through the holidays.
Organic India Tulsi Tea
 Tulsi (Holy Basil) green tea is stress-relieveing & energizing, with healing properties.
Larabars
 Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, non-GMO, Vegan, Kosher, no added sugar, and all raw fruit & nuts! The best "energy" bar on the market, by a long shot.
Rapunzel Vegetable Broth Boullion
 This is the best stuff ever. Actually delicious vegetable broth. We are head over heels. Avail. at Whole Foods (a great stocking stuffer!)
Lotta Jansdotter
 Beautiful, hand-crafted fabric & small pieces, craft books, and more.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
 Heirloom seeds raised by a small Missouri Family. Your garden really will boom and your taste buds smile with the abundance and flavor of these rare varieties.

Eating Organic!

You are what you eat.  It is up to you to choose what food is going to sustain you day after day.  You prepare it; you eat it; you digest and absorb it; it becomes your blood, your cells, your tissues.

When I shop at an organic market and buy a diverse collection of vegetables, fruits, grains, seaweed noodles, kombucha, fresh fish....it makes me SO HAPPY.  I love knowing that my family is putting truly good food into our bodies.

The more I learn, the more I understand how critical it is that we all eat organic whenever possible.  This is important for cancer prevention and especially if you are living with cancer.  For your body to fight the cancer cells, it has to be at its absolute best.  That means digesting food easily and not battling free radicals, toxins, and chemicals that make your body and your liver have to work hard to flush them out.  If you have cancer, you want your body to have an easy job of digesting and using food to its benefit, so that it has energy to fight the tumor and heal.  Organic food will absolutely make that process more likely.

"Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases...if we pollute the last clean air and dirty the last clean streams...so that never again will Americans be free from noise, the exhausts, the stinks of human and automotive waste.  And so that never again can we have the chance to see ourselves as...part of the environment of trees and rocks and soil, brother to the other animals, part of the natural world and competent to belong in it."

-Wallace Stegner

Having less pesticides on our growing food is also, obviously, better for our planet.  The cleaner our planet, the cleaner we will be.  Eating organic supports a cleaner water supply; agricultural run-off is poisoning our water, which affects each of us with the water we drink.  If we support organic, there will eventually be less toxins on the land.

In addition to organic food being less toxic and polluting of our bodies and our planet, Rutgers University recently conducted a study comparing organic produce with conventional, and the study showed that organic has a (much) higher nutritional count.  So not only are we getting fewer toxins, chemicals, and genetically engineered ingredients in our body when we eat organic, but we are also getting simply better nutritional value.

Yes, organic is more expensive. But it is worth it.  Think about the long-term health costs you may accrue from eating food grown with pesticides or antibiotics.  Also consider that we only spend 13.8% of our income on food today, compared with 29.7% in 1950.  Food is cheaper, and the quality is less.  And our chronic disease and health problems have increased dramatically along with cheaper production costs.  If affording organic is hard on your wallet, refer to the chart below, which lists the "dirtiest foods," which are the most important to buy organic, and the "cleanest," which you can buy conventionally if you need to.

I love this recipe because, to me, lentils feel filling and delicious, without ever bogging you down.  The addition of the bright, colorful, juicy fruit and vegetables makes this dish a delight. And it is fast and easy, too.  Put on the lentils while you're unloading the dishwasher, chop the veggies, and...voila!  Be sure to use all organic, of course. 

Fruity, Crunchy Lentil Salad

1 lb black lentils or french lentils

1/2 hothouse cucumber, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 green onions, diced

1/2 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

1-2 cup red grapes, halved

2 slices celery, diced

lemon zest from 2 lemons

juice from 2 lemons

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

-Cook lentils, by covering them by 2 inches with water in a large pan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 22 minutes on a simmer

-Meanwhile, dice and chop all vegetables, grapes & almonds

-Pour veggies/grapes in a large bowl, and cover with lemon zest, salt and pepper

-Add in lentils once cooked & drained, and add olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.

-Enjoy at room temperature or cold!

I like black lentils for their pretty, delicate shape and firm texture.

The mixture before adding the lentils.

Joy, Happiness, Hope = Healing & Health

What can you give to someone who is living with cancer? You can give them joy, laughter, hope and happiness.

Friendship, family, and happiness help us lead longer, healthier lives.

More and more studies are coming out that show that people who have joy & happiness in their life live longer.  Relevant to this blog, people with cancer who have laughter in their lives live longer, too.


Dr. Bernie Siegel, who has worked with thousands of people with chronic illnesses and helped them live healthier, longer lives says, "You can't separate thoughts and beliefs from your body.  What you think, and what you believe, literally change your body chemistry.  If you have a pessimistic, hopeless outlook, you'll change your body, your immune function..."

I have heard numerous stories through Institute of Integrative Nutrition of people willing away their cancers with deep thought, meditation, or simply strong hope.  Visits from friends or family, happy letters, family stories, music...all these things can bring great joy to any of us, but especially if you are living in the scary shadow of chronic disease.

We have amazing control of our minds and bodies, but sometimes we don't access it all. Without being conscious of it, we tell our bodies to stand up and to walk from here to there.  It's worth a try to tell our bodies to eradicate our cancer tumors every day.  Why not give it a shot, right?  Studies have shown that our DNA may be programmed in to our bodies, but our choices relating to exercise, nutrition, relationships, and the happiness levels in our days can alter that DNA.

There is an incredible woman, in my view a leader in the holistic health movement, named Hannah Marcotti, who runs a health practice called Hannah's Harvest.  She is leading a program starting on November 26th called The Holiday Joy Up.  Take a look.  Have your friend who is going through a hard time take a look.  Even tell your friend with a lot of joy in her life to take a look! It is a simple, joyful, 10-day gift in your email that brings extra joy to your day...and reminds us that joy is a choice and can enhance EVERYTHING.

So, in honor of Hannah and her amazing program, I am featuring a recipe today that she came up with, and called "Squash and Olive Goddess Bowl."  I have altered it a little, and have even exchanged the squash, so I'll change the name here, too.

Noodle and Olive Joy Bowl
by Hannah Marcotti

1 package rice thins (noodles found in Asian section of the market)

olive oil 


1 pint cherry tomatoes

diced 
2 cloves garlic 


1 can white beans (you can also get them marinated in the section of the store where you buy olives)


1/4 cup diced queso fresco


1/2 cup green olives, sliced

splash tamari soy sauce 


squeeze of lemon juice

-Put white beans in a bowl with some olive oil and one of the minced garlic cloves, to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
-Prepare rice noodles from package instructions. Usually you boil water, and pour over your rice thins in a ceramic, glass, or metal bowl to soften for 10 minutes, then drain.
-Saute cherry tomatoes in oil, until tender. Add garlic for one more minute then remove pan from heat.
-Chop the olives and the queso fresco.
-In a large bowl, add noodles, tomatoes, beans, cheese, and olives. Splash the tamari and lemon juice, toss and enjoy.

*Olives are a source of healthy fat, needed by our bodies to digest and absorb many micro and macro nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.  Olives also lower systematic inflammation, which can reduce your risk of cancer, asthma, and arthritis.  The oleic acid in olives also significantly reduces your risk of breast cancer, by cutting the levels of a cancer-promoting gene by up to 46%.


**Beans are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber.  They have a lot of folic acid, phosphorous, iron, protein, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.  Beans not only lower cholesterol, but their high fiber content prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them an excellent choice for someone with diabetes or hypoglycemia.  Beans & lentils also are preventative against cancer and the Nurses Health Study II showed that eating beans twice a week reduced your risk of breast cancer by 24%.

Approaching Someone with Cancer

My mom asked me to write this entry, because it is a recurring issue for people fighting cancer.

It is an inevitability....you find out someone you know has cancer, and you want to express your support and ask them how they are doing.  Undoubtedly, your intentions are kind, thoughtful, and sympathetic.  It is important to remember, however, that cancer, like any issue with one's body, is a very private matter.

There are a number of people, such as close friends or family, that you would run right up to and ask how they are doing.  Many people who have just gotten this news about their health reach out to others immediately.  They send emails.  They blog.  They tell you all their ups and downs when you run into them at the farmer's market.

Others, however, don't want to talk about it one little bit.  And that is their right, their deserved privacy.

It is a good idea to find out if you can, from someone close to the person, whether they are open about it, or private.  If they are private, you can give them an extra big hug and say, "I have been thinking about you a lot and sending you a lot of love."  Or "I heard from your son what you are going through and I just wanted you to know that I am sending you lots of get-well-quickly vibes."  In this case, statements are better than questions.  If someone asks my mom a question about her health, she says "Fine" in a way that makes you wonder if you had actually said, "I'm going to torture you here for a little while, and there's nothing you can do about it."

If you want to reach out to this person, you can offer help through a letter, or through someone close to them.  You can arrange meals through this confidante, as well.  It will still be incredibly meaningful to the person dealing with the disease, but they will feel like their boundaries were kept intact.

For someone more open about their cancer, you can approach them with equal openness: "I have heard what you are going through and I would love to be helpful.  What can I do?  I hope you have felt alright through your treatments."  If they want to elaborate about their health, you have given them an opening.  If they don't, you haven't asked a question that puts them on the spot.  They may add you to their email list.  They may need an ear.  Chances are they will let you know how you can help.

I like the following recipe for this blog, because it is both bold and snuggled-in at the same time.  It is also delicious.  A perfect, tiny, nutrition-filled meal for someone with a tiny appetite, or a great appetizer for someone throwing a party.

Veggie Mushroom Cozy

24 white mushroom caps, with stems cut-out
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
1 fresh roma tomatoes
1/4 fennel bulb
1/2 cup white beans
olive oil for roasting

Vinaigrette

In a small jar place:
1 part balsamic vinegar
a squeeze of yellow mustard
a big squeeze of honey
a pinch of sea salt
1 clove or garlic, minced
-Put the lid on and SHAKE until combined.
-Then add:
2 parts good olive oil
-SHAKE again until well combined

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Drizzle & rub olive oil over the mushroom caps (with stems cut out), sprinkle with salt, and roast them, open side up, in the oven for 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, very finely dice the celery, carrot, tomatoes, and fennel.
4. Mix in a large bowl with the white beans and vinaigrette.  Stir well.
5. Once the mushrooms are golden and cooked, stuff each one with the mixture and serve!

If you have leftover veggie mixture, either have it tomorrow for a salad at lunch, or make additional mushrooms!

***Did you know that mushrooms are one of the top-six cancer-fighting foods?  There is a great acronym in nutrition that refers to the best cancer-fighting diet: GOMBBS (Greens, Onions, Mushrooms,  Berries, Beans, and Seeds.)

Mushrooms are an important part of the human immune system.  They stop cancer from metastasizing.  If you ate mushrooms every day you would reduce your risk of breast cancer by 64%.  And that's any type of mushroom: button, oyster, shiitake, although a mix is best.  All mushrooms contain poly-saccharide and beta-glucan components which are anti-cancer properties.  They are also an excellent source of phytochemicals, B-vitamins, zinc, and many needed-minerals.

Bringing Nature In

"Now I see the secret of making the best persons.  It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."

-Walt Whitman

Although my hydrangea flowers outside have waned, it brings 

joy to the human body to look at--or create!--art.

I love the concept (and the reality) of bringing nature into your life.  There are so many ways to do this...from being out amidst nature to bringing cut flowers in for your table.  Years ago after surgery, my brother brought my mom a bird feeder for her bedroom window, so that she could rest in her room, but still see the joys of the outdoors right there.  Nature is beauty, and beauty brings us people so much joy. And joy....well, it is proven that people with an abundance of joy in their lives live longer, happier lives!

House plants also clear the air of toxins.  If your loved one is stuck indoors at the moment, bring them a plant to reduce indoor air pollution, and a dose of joy on top of it.  Some of the best plants for cleaning indoor air are: Gerbera Daisy, Aloe Vera, Bamboo, Palm, Spider Plant, Mum, Ficus, Peace plant.  You can read more at: www.thenaturalhealthplace.com.

A great way to be a part of nature is to eat seasonally.  In past eras, when chronic disease, weight, and general poor health weren't as much of a problem, people ate seasonally and locally.  Perhaps nature has a way of telling us what we need to eat and when?  In the spring and summer, berries and vegetables and juicy tomatoes.  In the fall, apples and squashes. In the winter, dried fruits and seeds, root vegetables, grains.  Obviously there are variations and deviations on this theme, but it is a good concept to think about for good health.

Today I want to share with you a new favorite of mine, which am so excited about!  I have always been an apple crisp fan.  My favorite recipe had loads of sugar, but a lot of other good things, like apples and oats.  I have adapted and changed recipes until I came up with this.  I hope it is a delicious, fall-pleasurable, and not-so-bad-for-you treat that you and someone trying to stick to a healthy diet while undergoing treatment can enjoy.  Really, the only thing in this that isn't PERFECT for your diet is 1 Tbsp. butter per person, which really isn't bad, and the pleasure it brings....is worth far more than any damage done!

Mini Apple Crisps

(Makes two. Double as necessary for larger groups.)

For Apples:
2 apples, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp. orange juice
lemon zest from 1/4 lemon
squeeze of lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. coconut crystals
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

For Topping:
2 Tbsp. spelt flour
2 Tbsp. coconut crystals
1/8 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. oats
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. honey

Apples in the ramekin before adding the topping.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter two ramekins.
2. Slice apple, and then cut slices cross-wise so you have half-crescents.
3. Mix apple with zest, juice, crystals, and spices. Divide into the two ramekins.
4. Make the topping: whisk together flour, crystals, salt, and oats.
5. Cut the butter into tiny pieces. Mix into the dry mixture with your fingers, pinching butter into the mixture until there is no dry powder remaining, and the mixture is moist and all stuck-together.
6. Drizzle honey over now-moist flour mixture and mix with a fork until well-blended.
7. Spread out topping over apples in the two ramekins, and press down well.
8. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Variety

Before I open this blog, I want to send out my thanks to my dear friend Lauren, who named my new blog.  Thank you, Lauren!  A new name was needed, and she provided.  And thanks to the rest of you who followed me here to this new name.

Now onto variety...

I cannot emphasize enough the notion of variety having a positive effect on your health.  Sometimes when I visit the Farmer's Market on Sunday, I want to buy a little of everything offered, knowing that each color, variety, texture, and type of vegetable has something beneficial for my body. I have to remind myself that the market will be there next week, and I can buy something different then.  You can't eat everything good for you in one day, so think of each week as a blank canvas for building your optimum health!

If you like white rice, try brown. If couscous floats your boat, try millet. Crave pasta?  Try rice sticks.  Consider carrots your staple?  Try parsnips. Potatoes, try yams.  Reaching for something different at the farmer's market or supermarket means that your body will benefit from new (possibly deprived) nutrients and vitamins.  This is good for everyone, but especially if you are fighting disease.  A wide variety of  proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals will strengthen your body and make you better equipped to fight disease.

In order to not let things go to waste by buying a large amount of a large variety, buy small amounts.  Grab two loose leeks instead of the bundle.  Use the bulk food bins to buy small amounts of interesting grains. Store your grains, nuts, dried fruits and seeds in jars to keep them fresh.

When I find myself with too many veggies that are on the edge of not being so fresh anymore, I make a gigantic salad for dinner.  Last night: mixed greens, alfalfa sprouts, black olives, an avocado, a handful of broccoli, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, a delicious balsamic vinaigrette, and sesame seeds and seaweed flakes (Gomasio) on top.

A staple in our house over the years is what we call "Japanese Soba Noodle Soup." My friend Rebecca introduced me to some derivation of it probably 16 years ago.  It is very simple to make, delicious, and oh-so healthy, too!

Joining us for lunch, my cousin Lily told me today that this soup reminded her exactly like chicken noodle soup, only more interesting (and healthy!)  That is exactly the point of variety and diversity in your diet: mixing it up with something different.

Japanese Soba Noodle Soup
Serves 4-5

1 package soba noodles
1 strip kombu
6 cups water
3 cups vegetable broth
splashes of tamari (or soy sauce)
1 package extra firm tofu
2 carrots
2 green onions

-In a medium sized pot, bring water to a boil and cook one package of soba noodles, according to package. When finished, drain, and divide into 4 separate bowls.
-In a large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Add one strip of kombu and boil for an additional 5 minutes; remove kombu.  Add the vegetable broth and simmer.
-Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cut up the tofu in 3/4 inch squares, drain well,  and pour tamari over it, tossing occasionally to soak in the flavor.
-Wash, peel and chop carrots at an angle. Cut up green onions into 1 inch pieces. Add to the large pot of boiling broth, along with the tofu and tamari.  Cook vegetables in the broth for only about 3 minutes.
-Add additional tamari to broth to taste.
-Divide broth, veggies, and tofu evenly among the 4 bowls, and serve, along with chopsticks and soup spoons.

Good Snacks

Let me open this blog by saying that a lot of these nutrition ideas really work well across the board...meaning, they will build the strength of and help combat tumors for someone who is fighting disease, but they also are good for general health and for preventing disease.  I mention this now because EVERYONE likes to snack.  So what better time than to say: This blog is for YOU!

I can't resist posting another image of avocado, with 

celtic sea salt and olive oil. Goodness, goodness, goodness.

Avocados are amazing.  They are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as potassium, vitamin E, B, and fiber.  They can reduce cholesterol levels because of their oleic acid and linoleic acid content.

I just love crackers and cheese.  Why not take this favorite and make it just a little bit healthier?  This recipe for Almond Curry Biscuits is adapted from Hannah Marcotti over at Hannah's Harvest and from Nourishing Days. They are SO easy and tasty and delicious. Spread them with Boursin cheese and a dab of fig chutney.  Or hummus.  Or raspberry jam at tea time.  What a treat!

Almond Curry Biscuits

2 cups almond meal

1/2 tsp. sea salt

3/4 tsp. curry powder

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 egg

1 TBSP olive oil

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-Mix the meal, salt and spices together.

-Make a hole in center and add garlic, egg and oil.

-Scramble egg and mix all together until even.

-Roll tablespoon sized balls in your hand and press down.

-Place on baking sheet lined with oiled parchment paper, and press down until crackers/biscuits are quite flat (thin edges are ok.)

-Bake for 13-15 minutes or golden.

Almonds are packed full of nutrition!  They are an excellent source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils, protein, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin E.  They are considered an "anti-cancer" food because they are high in an antioxidant flavonoid called laetrile.

Now onto COCONUTS!  One of my family's favorite foods at the moment.  Coconuts have so many components and adaptations, all which you can eat....coconut milk, coconut flakes, coconut water, coconut oil, coconut crystals, coconut flour.  Try them all out and you will be amazed.  

You can consider this a dessert or, well, a snack. Why not?!

Cardamom Maple Mini Macaroons
from "The Cancer Fighting Kitchen," by Rebecca Katz

2 organic egg whites
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 TBSP brown rice syrup (or honey)
pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 TBSP brown rice flour, or spelt flour, or all-purpose white flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
handful of dark chocolate

-preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
-combine egg whites, maple syrup, brown rice syrup and salt in saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until just warm, about 1 minute.
-Add the coconut, flour, vanilla, and cardamom and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to sizzle and is slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
-using a teaspoon and your fingers, form the dough into 24 small mounds on the prepared pan.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely.
-Serve as is, or else prepare the chocolate. Simmer hot water in a pan. In a heat-proof bowl, set over the water, melt chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
-Dip macaroons in melted chocolate and place on plate lined with wax or parchment paper.
-Chill in fridge until chocolate hardens, and enjoy!
-Store in airtight container for 5-7 days.

Coconuts are a great source of manganese, molybdenum, copper, zinc, and selenium.  It is a healthy saturated fat called lauric acid, which is health-promoting and only found as abundantly in human breast milk!  In the body, lauric acid becomes a compound (called monolaurin), which is anti-viral, antibacterial, and destroys a wide variety of disease-causing organisms!

Protein: Gathering Energy

I think many of us in our everyday lives long for more energy.  This is especially true, however, when you are undergoing chemo.  Don't we all really long to feel like we have the energy and lightness of a bird, as if we can fly? It certainly is a good goal!

"Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs

Whisper’d it to the woods, and from their wings

Flung rose..."

-John Milton

Having energy is complicated as it comes from so many sources: sleep, exercise, hydration, mental health, connections with others, physical health, nutrition.  Getting a good dose of protein every meal of the day is a good start.

Americans tend to have a bit of an obsession with protein, though, and it's important to know that there are many vegetables (kale, leafy greens) and grains (quinoa) and excellent supplements for smoothies and such (spirulina) that have sufficient protein to keep us at our best.  It's also critical to not bog our systems down with too many energy-draining foods, such as dairy, red meat, and processed foods.

Nuts make great snacks.  And did you know that a handful of cashews has the same effect on your mental health as taking a Prozac?  Eating real, good food is just great for you in every way.

Tilapia with pistachio "breading," over greens with vinaigrette, 

and roasted butternut squash crescents.

Tilapia with Pistachio "Breading"
(serves two)

Handful of pistachio nuts, shelled
1 Tbs. almond meal (or corn meal will do, too)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Half a lemon
2 Tilapia filet*
1 tsp. coconut oil

*On Tilapia: The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch considers U.S. farmed tilapia to be a "best choice" fish. It is a good candidate for farming because it provides more protein than it takes to raise it (in contrast to farmed fish such as tuna and salmon.) Tilapia can also invade many natural habitats so is a good candidate for farming.

-In a Cuisinart, chop up the shelled pistachios until they are finely ground (about a minute). Add the almond meal and sea salt and pulse a few more times.
-Press the "breading" mixture into the Tilapia filets, on both sides. Cover well.
-Heat a large cast iron pan and add the tsp. of coconut oil.
-Saute the Tilapia in the pan, about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  About halfway through cooking on each side, squeeze a little lemon on each piece of fish.
-Put a bed of mixed greens with a splash of vinaigrette on 2 plates. Lay fish on top and serve!

My Favorite Vinaigrette

In a small jar place:
1 part balsamic vinegar
a squeeze of yellow mustard
a big squeeze of honey
a pinch of sea salt
-Put the lid on and SHAKE until combined.
-Then add:
2 parts good olive oil
-SHAKE again until well combined

Raw Foods

Many nutritionists and food researchers believe that going on a raw foods diet can decrease the size of and even eliminate cancer tumors. This requires a radical shift to your diet, and even way of life.

I am looking forward to participating in a 7-day raw foods workshop in January. At that point, I will weigh in on my thoughts on the topic. In the meantime, however, it is hard for me to imagine that it cannot help to be eating an abundance of raw foods. If raw foods consist of 80% of your diet, it will make a huge difference in both fighting and preventing cancer, not to mention making you feel fresh, energetic, and healthy.

Vegetables in their raw form are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. Live food also contains enzymes, which both help your body absorb nutrients (instead of turning to your body's enzyme reserve), and are catalysts for detoxification.  Cooking food decreases the nutritional value of most foods, and also has a more depleting effect on the body as it uses the body's existing (and finite) enzyme reserve.

Here are some raw foods that you probably already eat, and can increase in your diet!

-Salads: greens, an abundance of cut vegetables and fruits on top

-Pesto, with basil and raw nuts and olive oil

-Crudité: a platter of cut carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or peppers with a vinaigrette

-Massaged Kale Salad: Remove kale from stems and chop, massage for a few minutes with olive oil and salt.
-Smoothies!
-Bowl of raw nuts, covered in spices
-Sprouts!
-Add raw veggies as a side to an already healthy dinner

Sliced avocado, garden cherry tomatoes, and basil & almond pesto are tasty raw additions 

to a home-cooked dinner of pasta and roasted acorn squash.

Many dishes and meals can be enhanced by adding raw ingredients, and there are also thousands of recipes out there for preparing purely raw foods. A few great links include Raw Guru and Gone Raw.  Both have recipes, sources for ingredients, and helpful information.

(Almost) Raw Pad Thai
Adapted from "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
There is no cooking with this! Simply roast the peanuts in your toaster oven. Otherwise, it just involves chopping and your food processor.

First, prepare the easy dressing:

Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp. chopped shallot
-Pulse in food processor until well chopped

Then add the following, and pulse until smooth (4 minutes; scrape down sides a few times)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. Agave nectar
2 Tbsp. Tamari (soy sauce)
1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno or Sriracha pepper

-Add 2 Tbsp more peanuts and pulse until chopped, not finely blended

(dressing can last 5 days in fridge in sealed glass container, if you don't use it for the pad thai.)

Pad Thai Salad
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
4 cups bean sprouts
1 small red onion, or a green onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
half a bag of Rice Sticks (found in the Asian section of Whole Foods)--Optional
1 recipe Peanut-lime Dragon Dressing
-Soak the Rice Sticks in hot water for 10 minutes (if you choose to use them)
-Combine above ingredients

Serve with:
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Water!

Our bodies are made up of 75% water. Our brains are 85% water. Too often health symptoms we have are a result of not having enough water in our bodies. Headaches, nausea, low energy....before you panic, drink a tall glass of water.

For your cancer patient, I can not emphasize this enough. Many of the symptoms from chemotherapy can be aided by drinking more water. Choosing water as your form of hydration is one of the best choices you can make. Most fruit juices contain more sugar than anything else, and coffee and tea dehydrate you.

Water replenishes your body, and it cleanses you.

We start every morning in our house with a glass of lemon water.

This is an Ayurvedic practice, which emphasizes cleansing the body first thing in the morning, before you have put any food into your body. If you can, drink your lemon water an hour before eating. This gives your liver a little "squeeze" and gives your body the ability to absorb nutrients, and combat the effects of chemo, all day.  I squeeze one whole lemon into filtered water. Your water can be lukewarm, or slightly heated.

Another cleansing way to drink your water is to add a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice. I am talking 100% pure cranberry, no sugar. This is not tasty on its own, my friends, it is bitter. But if you put literally a splash in your water, it adds interest, and also vitamin C, fiber, manganese and copper.  Cranberry is also one of the richest sources of anthocyanidins, which is an antioxidant that prevents infections and has been shown to inhibit the development of cancer, among other degenerative diseases. In fact, it is the fruit that demonstrates the highest level of this compound.

Finally, when your patient is longing for that glass of wine, but just feeling like that probably won't be best right now, it's amazing what a slice of lime and a strawberry can do with water in a wine glass...it just FEELS special.

Reducing Dairy

I love good cheese. And, I admit, I love a tall glass of milk every now and again. But I must say, my love for these things diminish the more I learn about the harms of dairy, especially in relation to cancer. I have delved deeper into the world of vegan cooking the more I cook for my mom and even for my own children.  Some dairy in moderation is ok, but the ideal is to move towards reducing or removing it from your patient's diet.

I have a new vegan cookbook that I absolutely LOVE. It is glorious, inspiring, delicious. I am cooking each and every recipe, page by page. I highly recommend it for anyone fighting cancer, wanting to prevent cancer, or simply searching for healthy, enticing recipes. I find it so very exciting!

Why do we need to reduce dairy? I have been delving into this topic lately, and even studying the report "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective," researched and published by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research. Their studies show that diets rich in dairy increase the risk of prostate cancer, and possibly other cancers as well.

One of the lecturers in my nutrition program, Dr. Walter Willett, MD, who is Chairman of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, addresses the fact that most of the world is lactose intolerant. Westerners are the only people drinking milk. Hormone levels are very high in dairy, even in organic milk (because the cows are often pregnant, and even if not, they are lactating!) and increased hormone intake in a healthy body can cause free-radicals in the body, which can cause cancer cells to grow.

Specifically, these studies show that the hormone IGF-1 has been found to increase your risk of cancer, and accelerate cancer growth. Animal protein is the most significant factor in increasing IGF-1. In your bloodstream, it doubles your risk of breast, cancer, and promotes prostate and colon cancer.  Dairy intake also causes inflammation, which prevents the body from fighting free radicals and unhealthy cancer-promoting cells.  Reducing, or eliminating, dairy decreases the hormones in your blood dramatically, and also keeps your body in optimum shape to fight disease.

So! Let's talk about some fantastic dairy-free meals then!

This creamy quinoa and chickpea recipe will really fool you. 

The creaminess comes from pureed cashews!

Everyday Chickpea-Quinoa Salad, with Balsamic Vinaigrette

In a large mixing bowl, combine all these ingredients:

2 cups cooked, cooled quinoa

1 small red onion, diced, or several diced green onions as a milder alternative

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 recipe balsamic vinaigrette (follows), tossed to coat

-keeps in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Balsamic Vinaigrette

If you have the time, before making this recipe, soak the cashews in water for an hour. Then drain and use as directed. It makes blending smoother and easier.

-In a food processesor add:

1/4 cup cashew pieces

-Puree until chopped up. Then add the rest of the ingredients:

2 Tbsp. chopped shallots

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. agave nectar

3/4 tsp. seal salt

a few pinches of freshly ground black pepper

-Blend for at LEAST 5 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides often, until completely smooth. Make sure you blend the full time, to prevent grainy dressing!

-Store in glass jar with lid, or use for recipe above.

-Dressing will thicken as it chills in the fridge.

Next time...pistachio encrusted tilapia!  Oooh so tasty...

The Glory of Dark Leafy Greens!

I spent my weekend in New York at a nutrition conference, listening to renowned doctors and researchers talking about health, food, and wellness, and the resounding message was simple: we should all be eating vastly more dark leafy greens.

Dark leafy greens are the most missing ingredient in the western diet, and they are the food with the highest nutritional value. Unveiling a recent in-depth study on the nutrient value of foods per calorie, Dr. Joel Fuhrman revealed that greens such as kale and swiss chard rate 100 on a nutrient-to-calorie scale, while fruits are at 45, and refined grains, such as pasta, are a 2.

Our bodies are designed to combat disease, not permit disease. Eating green vegetables repairs DNA and lowers the risk of cancer. In fact, studies have shown that if you eat dark green leafy vegetables, mushrooms (any variety, including white button) and green tea EVERY day, you reduce your risk of breast cancer by 89%. Add in onions, berries, beans, and seeds, and you have achieved the most across the board cancer-fighting diet. 

If they are cancer-fighting, that means they are also cancer COMBATTING for your cancer patient. From the cabbage family, leafy greens increase antioxidant defense mechanisms in the body, and improve the body's ability to detoxify and eliminate harmful chemicals and hormones. Good for fighting cancer, and for fighting your chemo, too!

Today, a few simple ideas, and a recipe, for how to add more dark green leafy vegetables to your diet every day.

-Here's a great way to eat kale raw. Cut it into a chiffonade or thin slices, pour over a little olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, and massage for a minute. It turns the kale soft and delicate, and makes it much more delicious raw!

Add a few sprouts and dressing, and, voila! Delicious health on a plate!

-Take your massaged kale, sprinkle with a little dressing, and serve it under a bed of eggs for breakfast.

-Add your massaged kale to a salad with mixed greens, spinach, romaine.

-Throw your massaged kale into a bean salad, or a frittata.

-Another idea, for the un-massaged version: green smoothies galore! See the green smoothie recipe from the first blog (August 2011)

A delicious, green & musroomy recipe, from "Appetite for Reduction" by Isa Chandra-Moscowitz.

Garlicky Mushrooms & Kale

1 tsp. olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. sea salt

8 ounces ANY mushroom (crimini & button are both good)

1 pound kale, course stems removed, leaves sliced or torn

a few pinches of pepper

-Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

-Sauté garlic in olive oil, 2 min.

-Add mushrooms and sprinkle on salt, cook 5-7 min, stirring often.

-Add kale and pepper, sauté for 10 more min. Add splashed of water if pan is too dry.

-Enjoy immediately!

Alternatives

I am posting this blog for and sending heaps of love out to my friends Krista and Bill.

There are so many cancer treatment alternatives out there....sometimes chemo and/or surgery are the right choice. But that doesn't mean it is the only choice. In my years of research about this topic, I've found a few people that I think are very interesting. I've not worked with all of them. But I know that in certain instances, they work.  I am posting about a very small number of them here. This is no endorsement of their services, just another avenue that can be explored.

Firstly, though, I want to mention 3 books that were recommended to me by numerous alternative health professionals. They are:

-"Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer" by Michael Lerner, who is the founder of Commonweal, a health and environmental research institute, and also the Commonweal Cancer Help Program, which produced a landmark study on unconventional cancer treatments. This book is incredible. It offers so many suggestions and links you to many other health professionals dealing with any given cancer.

-"The Macrobiotic Approach to Cancer" by Michio Kushi, famous for bringing the Macrobiotic Diet to the United States. Their family still runs the Kushi Institute, where you can go to learn how to adapt a Macrobiotic lifestyle.

-"Knockout" by Suzanne Somers, who interviews 4 doctors who are knocking out cancer successfully with alternative treatments, and 7 other doctors who have effective methods for preventing recurrences or cancer in the first place. It is a real eye-opener, and very worth the read.

These books will give you many ideas. Some of the specific practices I mention below come out of these books, others from health professionals.

Doctors:
Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski at the Burzynski Clinic They have had consistent success dealing with brain, breast, prostate, colon, lung, ovarian, and Hodgkin's lymphoma cancers.  His technique is to supply the body with antineoplastons (peptides), which fortifies genes to eradicate cancer.

Dr. Nicholas Gonzales, in New York City, who fortifies the body with enzymes that keep cancer at bay for up to decades. Individualized nutrition plans are also a major component of his work.

Paul Beals, MD, from National Integrative Health Associates in Washington, DC, who combines traditional therapies with alternative ones, and advocates for toxic-free cures.


Nutritionists/Diet:
The Raw Foods Institute, in Washington, D.C. teaches cancer patients how to radically change their diets with foods that have proven in countless cases to eliminate cancer, without any toxins whatsoever.

The Kushi Institute in Becket, MA, is a remarkable haven with even more remarkable outcomes. Go to their website to hear the testimonials from patient who thought chemo wouldn't work and believed that was their last chance, but are now fully recovered after adapting the Macrobiotic lifestyle. Incredible.

 Just a few ideas. To delve into completely, or to use in conjunction with "traditional" chemotherapy practices. It takes a long time to navigate these waters, so these are just a few of the pearls I have uncovered over time...

Family and Friends

Family and friends make every single thing better when you are dealing with cancer. They are a life-force, a bright light, hope, joy, support.

Friends and family can provide so much, and this is a topic I will touch on many times in this blog. They are like the ingredients in a soup. Each is completely different, but each contributes something fully unique.

There are a few obvious things family and friends can do to help when your loved one is dealing with cancer. Meals are a top priority.  It is especially great to have someone organizing the meals (this will likely fall you to, Caretaker.) Scheduling people for every-other night after surgery, for example, is better than every night--leftovers can get overwhelming.

Giving people suggestions as to what to make is also key.  Important things to note are:

-Your patient's current likes and dislikes. Sometimes chemo turns you off from certain foods.
-Is their mouth sensitive? Should the cook hold off on spices or even pepper?
-What does your patient already have in the freezer? If there are already 3 soups in there, ask people to do something else.
-What are you working on in terms of diet? If you are restricting meat and dairy, let them know.
-Remind them that small portions can sometimes be best.

There is a great website now that helps organize meals for those going through a difficult period. It is called Meal Train and it sends out a message to those on your list with date options, food suggestions, and more.

Driving to appointments or accompanying them to chemo is also critical, but this can be a personal experience, and your patient may want to reserve this one for family only.

My dear friends Rebecca and Liza once came to town for the weekend for what they called "The Sally Cook-a-thon," and they spent the weekend making about 5-6 meals for my mom that could be frozen for future enjoyment. My mom's sister comes to do Biography sessions, where the two of them read their childhood journals and work on personal biographies, bringing heaps of joy.  My friend Devon has mailed fresh coffee cake, when my mom was having coffee cake cravings, from Zingerman's, a great resource to know about when you just can't be close-by and deliver homemade food.  My friend Monisha has mailed teas galore, green teas, ginger teas, white teas.  Cousins and friends drop of delicious soups, again and again. People have been so wonderful. Their love and efforts not only make us feel rooted and loved, but their actions are so helpful during a difficult time, too.

I earlier compared the people in our lives to ingredients in a delicious soup, so I will include a recipe today for Green Soup with Sweet Potato and Sage, from a lovely cookbook which will inspire you, "Love Soup" (which also has dozens of non-soup recipes), by Anna Thomas. This is a nourishing, delicious, but gentle recipe that I really think almost any cancer patient would love. And, like almost all of the recipes I will post here, it is organic, vegan, and sugar-free. As one of our IIN teachers, raw-foodist David Wolfe says, "the highest quality, best ingredients, in your body, ALL the time!"

Green Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Sage

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2-3 TBSP fresh sage, chopped
1 bunch kale
1 bunch swiss chard
8 cloves garlic
water
3 cups vegetable broth
2 onions
2 TBSP olive oil, plus more for serving

-Combine diced sweet potatoes with 3 1/2 cups water in a large stock pot. Add salt and sage, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
-Wash kale & chard, trim away tough stems, and chop coarsely. Add to soup, along with chopped garlic and vegetable broth. Simmer for 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile, chop onions and sauté with olive oil until soft & golden brown (about 20 min.) When they are ready, add them to soup. Let the soup cool slightly.
-Puree soup in blender in batches and return to a clean pot.
-To serve, drizzle a thread of fruity green olive oil on top of each steaming bowl. It wakes up the flavors of the soup and makes them sing!