Wheatgrass

I was turned onto wheatgrass years ago because, in addition to being incredible for overall health, it is one of nature's best cancer fighters.  The regimen at some of the world's best cancer institutes mandate at least two glasses (2-3 ounces each) of wheatgrass a day.

Eva lurking in the wheatgrass.

I learned almost everything I know about wheatgrass from two sources.  1) The Raw Food Institute.  And 2)  The Wheatgrass Book, by the renowned expert, Ann Wigmore.

Lately I've become rather obsessed with wheatgrass again and recently re-read Ann Wigmore's book.  I'm growing several flats of it my dining room table, and let me tell you why.  Wheatgrass is filled with chlorophyll, which mimics human blood more closely on a molecular level than any other food.  This is tremendous for fighting cancer because drinking it is like getting a blood transfusion and crowding out the free-radical cells.  Wheatgrass has a tremendous anti-mutagenic effect, and also a anti-neoplastic ability, which means it fights tumors without any toxins or chemicals. It is also packed with enzymes, which results in increased circulation and better nutrition to your cells, along with more efficient removal of waste and toxins in the bloodstream.  Chlorophyll also regenerates the liver, which is the body's main detoxification organ, super important if you're fighting cancer.

And that's not even including the other health benefits of wheatgrass. It is a cleanser.  It stimulates healthy circulation.  It restores high energy levels. It bolsters the immune system. It can protect us from high and low levels of radiation.  It is a great source of iron, potassium, magnesium, and trace minerals, like selenium, which has anti-cancer properties, too.

Cut wheatgrass ready for juicing. 

You can buy wheatgrass at many health food stores and juice it at home if you have a juicer.  Some places even sell wheatgrass shots (as in: tiny glasses.)

It is also very simple and inexpensive to grow yourself.  All you need is a few trays, some organic soil, and hard wheatgrass seeds.  The steps are simple:

1. Soak a cup of hard wheatgrass seeds in a glass jar of water overnight.
2. Drain (using cheese cloth or a screen, secured to the top of the jar), for a remaining 12 hours.

3. Fill a tray with soil and scatter sprouted wheatgrass seeds evenly on top.  Water.
4. Cover for 2-3 days with another tray until shoots are about 2 inches tall.

5. Leave uncovered in indirect sun for 7-10 days, watering occasionally.
6. Harvest by cutting close to the roots, and use as soon as possible.
7. Seeds will have a second growth, though not quite as nutritious.
8. Juice your wheatgrass!

I like to bring my mom little glasses of wheatgrass in the morning.  While my husband and I truly LOVE the taste, I have to admit that my mom does not.  The taste reminds me of sitting on a picnic blanket on a warm spring evening and smelling the grass all around me.  The amazing thing about wheatgrass is that you only need a tiny bit to have incredible health benefits.  Like I always say to my mom: "It's better than chemo!"

Amazing Anticancer Foods

The power of food is so exciting to me.  Way back when our mothers made us, but now, what we put into our bodies every day becomes our new cells, our thoughts, our actions.  We have the wonderful benefit daily of having a choice to put food into our bodies that will positively affect how we operate!

In terms of cancer, and cancer prevention, there are some real winning food choices we can make.  As I've discussed in this blog before, all "real" foods have unique properties, so variety is key, but there are some stand-outs.

Ginger is a big one.  There are studies that have shown ovarian cancer cells that come into contact with ginger disappear on contact.  The aloe plant is another.  You can buy big jugs of aloe at Whole Foods and can add them to smoothies.  Lemon and tangerine peels are also powerful cancer-fighters.  A way to eat these is to either juice them, or to throw cut-up whole lemons or tangerines into smoothies.  They can be bitter, but it is an acquired taste, and it's nothing some raw honey can't fix!

Sprouts are also tremendous anti-cancer foods.  All that energy and all those enzymes that are packed into those tiny new shoots of a plant can do wonders in your body.  Toss them into salads or eat them straight with a delicious dressing on top.  You can also throw them into your juicer along with your other vegetables.

I have talked on this blog before about Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his anti-inflammatory foods. He uses the GOMBBS acronym (Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Beans, and Seeds.) There are over 200 studies showing that people with diets high in dark green leafy vegetables have 60% reduced chance of developing cancer. Dark green leafy veggies have also shown to shrink and in some cases even eliminate existing cancers.  Eating mushrooms every day (a variety of them) reduces your rate of developing breast cancer by 70%.  Mushrooms are one of the foods that have proven to be more effective cooked than raw.

This recipe incorporates lots of good cancer-fighting foods.  It's easy to make and keep in the fridge for several days, so that you can add it to your lunch or dinner at a moment's notice!

Most Delicious Massaged Kale Salad

This is a variation on massaged kale salad that I've posted before.  My friend Elin gave me the original recipe for massaged kale.

1. Take a bunch of kale, chop it into strips, sprinkle it with sea salt, drizzle on olive oil, and massage with your hands for 3-4 minutes until the kale is soft and tender. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Make a honey ginger dressing: Mix together in a blender 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 an inch ginger chopped with skin peeled off, 1/2 Tbsp. raw honey, the juice from 1/2 an orange, and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Blend until smooth. Pour over the kale and mix well.
3. Toss in an abundance of slivered almonds, raisins, unsweetened large coconut flakes, chopped apple, and pumpkin seeds.  Mix well.  Savor it!

* Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C, B6, carotenes, manganese, and fiber.  It also contains many minerals including copper, iron and calcium.  It's high phosphorous content has been proven to help prevent osteoporosis, and it has some of the highest anticancer properties of any food.
**Coconut is an excellent source of healthy medium-chain saturated fats.  It contains selenium and zinc, as well as manganese, copper, and even protein.  It increases the healthy HDL cholesterol, and provides the body with lauric acid, which is antiviral and antibacterial.  It protects against heart disease and promotes weight loss.
***Pepitas--or, pumpkin seeds--contain vitamins B1, B2, protein, vitamin A, and also contain healthy minerals like iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and phosphorous.