List Cancer Fighting Foods

Wouldn’t it be great if you could do something every day to prevent cancer in your body? Well, there is an easy way to do just that by consuming one cancer fighting food each day. According to research, these 10 foods can help protect against a variety of cancers says author Dave Grotto, RD, LDN, who wrote 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Here are the ten foods that help to prevent cancer:

Canned Beans - The have lots of fiber, which helps protect against colon and stomach cancer. Research also show they may help reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in post menopausal women.

Broccoli – It is high in a phytochemical called sulforaphane, which helps fight carcinogens, and is rich in the anitoxidant indole-3-carbinol, which has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Carrots - Carrots are high in antioxidants that have been associated with a lower risk of bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx and esophageal cancer, as well as postmenopausal breast cancer. Cooked carrots provide better absorption better than raw.

Coffee – Some studies indicate that one cup a day may help protect against liver cancer.

FDA on Red Yeast Rice

My friend who suffers from high cholesterol was recently prescribed red yeast rice supplements by her doctor. She is very happy to be taking a natural supplement as opposed to a drug.

Historically, red yeast rice has been used in China as both for food and a medicine. The use of red yeast rice in China was first documented in the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D. It is made by fermenting a type of yeast called Monascus purpureus over red rice. In Chinese medicine, red yeast rice is used to lower cholesterol, promote blood circulation and aid digestive problems.

People with high cholesterol are usually given statin medication to help lower their levels of bad cholesterol or LDL. Research indicates that red yeast rice contains substances that are similar to prescription statin medications. One of these substances, called monacolin K, has the same makeup as the drug lovastatin.

The University of Maryland Medical Center cites several studies that support the ability of red yeast rice to lower cholesterol:

Best Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Blueberry Power Muffins with Almond Streusel

Here is a great recipe for “power” muffins from Cooking Light magazine. The muffin are loaded with B vitamins from whole wheat flour, calcium from milk and yogurt, antioxidants from the blueberries, and heart-friendly monounsaturated fat from almonds and canola oil. You can freeze the muffins for up to a month, then thaw them at room temperature, or microwave each muffin at High 15 to 20 seconds. I tested the recipe using greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt and the muffins came out great, very tender and tasty. When I made the recipe it actually made almost 60 mini-muffins so I had to make additional streusel topping.

Muffins:

1 and ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt (I used Greek yogurt which is a bit thicker than regular yogurt)
½ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 and ½ cup fresh blueberries (I used frozen and did not defrost them)
Cooking spray