16 Things You Should Know About Cancer

In 2004 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. (the Lance Armstrong one) I was lucky and it was treated early enough that it didn't spread. After a surgery and some radiation treatments I was cleared.  Knowing what I know now, I am sure that the whole thing could have been avoided. I was reckless as a younger man. I drank heavily, smoked cigarettes and my nutrition was abominable. I lived a high stress life with no rest. When I say stress I mean stress in the way that I never stopped. It was one big party...and then it wasn't. 

Too many people in my family have had cancer. One is too many as far as I'm concerned. At the moment my brother is recovering from his 2nd surgery in 6 months to remove cancerous tumors from his body. I won't go into detail about it because it isn't the time or the place here.  I mention it because I have high hopes for my brother's recovery. He is plant focused now and will be putting the right things in his body from here on out to make sure that cancerous growth doesn't have an environment where it can manifest itself any longer. I love my brother...well...like a brother. I'm happy he is getting better today.

The internet is FULL of information and misinformation. The 16 things I list here are from my own reading. I fully concur with each and every last one. It's nothing new...Eat plants, drink water, exercise, love yourself and let go of negative stress in your life.  And if you haven't yet... Read "The China Study" (link HERE)

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, a plant based diet will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiply such as animal proteins and acidic foods.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note:Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Raw organic  honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt is chemically treated to make  it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos (link HERE) or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By eliminating dairy and substituting with unsweetened plant based milk, cancer cells will be starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat a whole food plant based diet.  Meat also contains antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water–best to drink purified water.  Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health. Whole plant foods always provide optimum bio-availability meaning the body will use them more readily and efficiently.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A positive spirit will help those affected be a survivor. Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Strive to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising just 30 minutes daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. 

Eat Carbs!!

The energy we need for life is obtained through the foods we eat and the fluids we drink. They are broken down into 3 categories; carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is absolutely necessary that we get enough from each category. Carbohydrates are the very thing that the body (including your central nervous system) uses for fuel. When we ingest carbs they're stored in our muscles and liver as sugars (glucose, fructose and galactose). Glucose (aka glycogen) is how carbs are mainly stored.  It is the same principle as fuel in the tank of your car. Carbs=Energy > More energy=More endurance. Any carbs that can't be stored in the muscles and liver or used right away get stored as fat which is also used for energy.

Want the perfect pre/post workout food? Eat bananas. Eat lots and lots of bananas. One medium sized banana has a generous 26 grams of carbs for just 105 calories. It has 10% of your recommended daily fiber, 15% recommended potassium, 17% daily requirement of vitamin C and 22% of vitamin B6. B6 is critical in helping carry oxygen through the body. I don't usually like to get into breaking down individual foods and micromanaging nutrients like that but some people like to see numbers and I really like bananas and want you to eat them. So there you have it. Bananas are the ultimate workout fuel.

Fats are also used as a secondary fuel source during long and slow (aerobic zone) workouts but in order for the fat to be facilitated it requires the aid of glycogen (carbs) to help break it down for use. Adequate carbohydrate intake also helps prevent protein from being used as energy. If the body is short on carbohydrate intake then it will turn to breaking down protein to make glucose for energy. That doesn't sound like a big deal but it is.

Protein's primary role is to work as the building blocks for muscles, bones, skin, hair, nails and all other tissues. By falling short on carbohydrate intake and relying on proteins for energy you are limiting  the body's ability to build and maintain tissues. Additionally you will be putting undue stress on your kidneys as they work harder to eliminate byproduct of protein breakdown. Protein is not a very good source of energy... so save that protein blast for after your workout if you feel you must add extraneous protein. (more on that later)

Now let's talk a bit more about fat in our food. All fats eaten are directly stored as fat. Plain and simple. The fat you eat is the fat you wear. The amount of naturally occurring fats in whole plant foods is all we need ever. There is a TON of misinformation out there about fat being good and carbs the enemy. It is bad information. Terribly mislguided and dangerous information. Eating bacon instead of fruit or putting butter in your coffee sounds like a really bad idea because IT IS! The caveman diet (I won't even say the "P" word) is a plan for people looking for good news about bad habits and is also nothing more than a fad. As if any of this matters...Cave men lived to be 25-30 yrs old, likely ate plant foods more than animal due to availability and lastly I'm pretty sure they didn't have bacon, coffee or butter. How a caveman became the yardstick by which some are measuring fitness (never mind wellness) is beneath my thinking.

Then we had the rage of the Atkins diet. (which is still popular but has different names now) It was a plan that eliminated carbs and focused solely on fat intake. The body, when deprived of the essential fuel of carbs (glycogen depletion), goes into a state of emergency called Ketosis. It is a survival mode that flips the switch to use fat as energy. Survival modes are meant for emergency conditions we may encounter as human animals. We are not meant to remain in a survival mode long term. Fat is poor quality energy but since it is the only option the body has then that is all it can use to survive. The result will be fat loss from your body along with clogged arteries, damaged kidneys, brain damage, nervous system damage and a destroyed metabolism to name just a few. It is the definition of a short term and unsustainable solution with "buy now pay later" consequences. Incidentally, Dr. Atkins (the mastermind behind all this) died of a massive heart attack. His family has much to gain from the fortune he built through the Atkins line of products. They have said he died from falling down a staircase. They leave out the part that he fell down said stairs after suffering massive heart failure. But I digress...

So with all that said... it leaves the question of how much of this or that should I be eating and drinking?? There are infinite answers to this eternal question which consume the internet. If you have read my blog you know by now that I will always point in the direction of eating a plant based diet. Plants, grains, legumes. seeds, etc provide the perfect blend of low glycemic carbohydrates. That is to say carbs that burn slow to provide sustained energy. If whole plant foods are eaten in a wide array then you will be getting all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) your body needs to create just the right amount of proteins that it needs for the specific load you are putting on it. All other fats and proteins will be ingested incidentally as you eat each plant based meal. It's nothing new that I am writing here... Eat Plants. 

If you don't see yourself eating 100% plant based that's okay. Maybe one day you will naturally be led in that direction but regardless of that if you are eating at least 50-75% plant foods for all of your meals then you will see a considerable difference in energy levels, weight, endurance and overall wellness. A conscious effort to cut your meat consumption by 50% is the best way at first. Start making meat a side dish and leafy greens, vegetables, fruits and grains the main part of your plate. It was my experience that as I made my way toward plant based eating I wanted less and less of that meat entree. In the end I didn't even know why I continued to put it on my plate. Old habits die hard I guess. Eventually I just laughed at myself and said "I'm done." At that point I was down to a little bit of dairy and just fish as my meat. It seemed silly to hang on to those small things. Self discipline in ridding those things completely from my diet has been very rewarding both physically and mentally. I'd also say that word "spiritually" but it causes people to run away quickly. (but that too) 

7 Easy Ways To Eat Plant Based On The Road

Traveling can be a stumbling block when it comes to  whole food plant based (WFPB) eating. If you aren't prepared when you leave the house, whether it be for a short trip or a long road trip, the chances of staying on track aren't very good. When I'm hungry... that's it.. I need to eat. If I'm not prepared I will settle for poor choices. I may even be able to technically keep the choices in the plant based category but it will most likely be junk. I find when I am within the area I live I at least know where I can find some okay options but once I am out of my space it gets trickier. Here are 7 quick tips to help you stay on track...

1. The best thing I can do is have food with me. I have heard the remark when I suggest this that "It takes too much time to have to pack all of that every time I leave the house". Yes, it does take time. So does stopping somewhere to eat. Consider the time packing the same time you would have been spending grabbing an unhealthy meal elsewhere. I have 2 coolers. One is small enough to carry like a lunch box and the other is a standard tailgate style cooler. Which one I pack and bring is determined by how far and how long I'm going to be gone. In the cooler I can put fruits like apples or bananas, veggies like cucumber slices, celery, carrots etc.., almond butter sandwiches. It varies every time and you can be as creative with it as you want.

2. When we are traveling and staying in a hotel my best option is to find a grocery store for meals. (I always try to pick a hotel that has a refrigerator and microwave in the room. The info is usually on their website where they show the rooms. If not you can always call.) Whole Foods is the nicer (and priciest) option. Their salad bar is usually phenomenal and always filled with organic whole food choices. They also have really good plant based soups. If Whole Foods isn't available or you don't want get involved in a $20 salad and soup then any chain grocery (Trader Joes preferably) will usually do. Every store has a produce section, raw nuts, healthy breads, almond butter etc.. Canned organic beans are always available and the single serve brown rice or quinoa microwave packs are awesome. Pick up some avocado and you got easy bean and rice bowls with avocado.

3. If you don't have a Nutri Bullet (link HERE) it's a great investment to get one. My Nutri Bullet comes with me on every trip. It is small enough to easily pack and easy to clean. I bring my smoothie additives also...Green Vibrance(link HERE), spirulina powder, Maca powder etc. Then once I've gone to the store and bought some fresh greens, veggies and fruit, I have everything I need for smoothies throughout my trip.

4.  Another great investment is a good old fashioned Thermos. I'm pretty sure there are some fancier versions out there now that do the same job for twice the price and half the durability but I personally like a Thermos. I use mine for fresh pressed juices. It keeps it cold and if you fill it to the top so there is hardly any air in the container it will keep those live enzymes alive for up to 24 hours. It's not the same as straight out of the juicer but hey we're on the road so it's still a pretty good deal. I also use it to put green smoothies in. Same idea...fill it to the top! This can also be an idea for around town if you know you are going to be out all day, to bring to work, to take on a hike, to the beach..whatever. You get it. Here's a picture of the one I use. I think it fits about 40 ounces, so it's a nice amount..

5. So OBVIOUSLY when you travel you are going to want to eat out. For this all you need to know is http://www.happycow.net/   It's like "Veggie Yelp". Yelp is good but sometimes it's a bit sloppy and will send you places it considers to be plant based because they have a baked potato on their menu. Happy Cow will direct you to restaurants and cafes that are high quality legitimate plant based eating. Check em out!!

6.  Water! Water! Water! Drinking enough water is challenging enough but when you are traveling it can be almost impossible sometimes. Keep a gallon or two in the car for road trips. It'll save you from sugary truck stop/gas station drinks. It'll also save you a few bucks.  When you get to the hotel it's the same story. I recently stayed in a hotel that had vending machines on every floor (as usual) but no water in any of them. Besides, at a buck a small bottle and as much water as I drink, even if the machines did have water it wouldn't be a realistic option. The room had a bigger bottle (which still wouldn't have been enough) for I think $9....Take that $9 and buy 9 gallons of water at the store and bring it to your room. You'll be glad you did. I always run more than usual when I travel because it's a great way to see the cities I'm visiting so the more water I have the better. I carry my water bottle everywhere with me and just fill up whenever I can..

7. Lastly..Always! Always! Always bring some food with you whenever you leave the house.(Sound the same as #1? It is. It's important.) Even if you think you are only going to be gone an hour. Eating plant based is very satisfying but in my experience you need to eat VERY often. I like that aspect of it since I love to eat. But it was a challenge at first to plan accordingly and remember to bring enough food with me wherever I went. If you've read my blog, I'm sure you have read over and over that this a new way of eating and it takes thought and care. I write that repeatedly because it's the truth. I like that aspect of it though. There isn't much thought, care, self respect or self discipline behind junk food and fast food.  Once you've experienced the better quality of life that goes along with WFPB nutrition, all that trash really stops ever being an option. It takes some time to get crafty about all this but there is ALWAYS a healthy way. The WFPB options are usually just not visible from the freeway and don't have bright signs and convenient drive-thrus... Yet.