My cancer diagnosis prompted me to look deeper and change many things. My diet was one of those things that changed the most. I started looking at foods that prevent cancer and foods that promote cancer. I’m now a little over seven years past my aggressive breast cancer diagnosis, and these are the eight foods this cancer survivor eats daily:
Blueberries.
These gifts of nature not only cut off blood supply to cancer tumors, but they also prevent heart disease and dementia by enhancing the health of your endothelial lining in your blood vessels while building the immune system. All berries do these things, but blueberries are the most powerful.
Blueberries are small, but they deliver a powerful punch to your health.
Dark, leafy greens.
These leafy greens which contain chlorophyll support healthy aging and bone health, balance blood sugar, improve inflammation response, protect brain health, and boost the immune system. I’m not talking about iceberg lettuce. Dark leafy greens are spinach, kale, arugula, romaine, Swiss chard, etc.
Dark, leafy greens alkalize your body while also preventing cancer.
Cruciferous vegetables.
This family of vegetables helps to prevent cancers, especially estrogen-driven cancers. They contain sulforaphane—a powerful cancer fighter and estrogen reducer. I eat 1-2 servings a day of these gems. These include kale, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts (the most nutrient-dense), cauliflower, and arugula. The American Cancer Society began promoting the benefits of cruciferous vegetables for cancer patients back in 1984. The natural chemicals in these plants are extracted and sold to reduce estrogen in those with high estrogen levels.
Avocadoes.
Not a day goes by that I don’t eat at least one half of an avocado. They’re one of the healthy fats that is a superstar fruit. It’s also known to prevent cancer and contains 20 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s great in guacamole and on salads, but in a smoothie, it helps you to absorb the vitamins and minerals.
Avocadoes are nutrient-dense, but also carry the lowest pesticide residue.
Fiber from seeds.
Seeds are some of the most nutrient-dense foods and they provide healthy fiber. The three I use the most are flax, chia, and hemp seeds. Flaxseeds help lower estrogen and are great for estrogen-fed cancer patients. These three seeds are the superstars for providing fiber for the gut and plant protein. In the next few weeks, we will examine the benefits of flax, chia and hemp seeds and you’ll discover why I eat a combination of all three seeds each day.
Probiotic foods.
These fermented foods are good for our gut lining—which is where 70 percent of our immune system cells are located. I’m talking about yogurt, fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar, kefir, kimchi (although I can’t tolerate this one), sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, kombucha tea, and sourdough bread. These foods provide good bacteria which feed off the leafy greens, seeds with fiber, and fruit and vegetable fiber.
Nuts.
Walnuts have the most cancer-fighting power, but nuts such as cashews, almonds, pecans, etc. all fight cancer while providing healthy fats and plant-based proteins. I use these as snacks or a quick breakfast when I’m on the run. I’m just nuts about nuts.
I try to eat a few nuts every day.
Mushrooms.
After hearing an interview with medical doctor and nutritionist, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, on the benefits of eating mushrooms daily, I’m now adding this to my daily food intake. I’m now including mushrooms in my salads, soups, casseroles, and in my daily smoothie in powder form. Mushrooms reduce inflammation, lower LDL cholesterol, improve the health of blood vessels, increase insulin sensitivity, boost the immune system, and prevent cancer, especially breast and prostate cancers.
It’s not hard to eat these foods daily when you drink a smoothie each day as a meal replacement. My smoothie contains dark, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, avocado, blueberries, probiotics such as sauerkraut and yogurt, and a mixture of flax, chia, and hemp seeds. Some days I add a powdered mushroom to my smoothie. Now you know why I drink a smoothie each day that contains 8 superfoods. And it’s easy to do and clean up after making. These foods help prevent my cancer from coming back while keeping my immune system strong. And whatever prevents cancer also benefits my heart, lungs, brain, and the rest of my body!
What foods do you eat daily to enhance your health and prevent cancer?
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com.
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