Posts Tagged ‘healthy eating’

Mango effects on breast and colon cancers shouldn’t come as any surprise, since all colorful fruits and vegetable have an effect on cell proliferation. What is surprising is that some of the most delicious plant foods can protect and help reverse this condition. What is even more unbelievable is that this easy and enjoyable way of preventing these conditions is not being utilized.

Mango

Mango has been found to prevent or stop certain colon and breast cancer cells in the lab. That’s according to a new study by Texas AgriLife Research food scientists, Kent, Francine, Ataulfo, Tommy/Atkins and Haden, who examined the five mango varieties most common in the U.S.
 
“If you look at what people currently perceive as a superfood, people think of high antioxidant capacity, and mango is not quite there,” said Dr. Susanne Talcott, who with her husband, Dr. Steve Talcott, conducted the study on cancer cells. “In comparison with antioxidants in blueberry, acai and pomegranate, it’s not even close.”

“It has about four to five times less antioxidant capacity than an average wine grape, and it still holds up fairly well in anticancer activity. If you look at it from the physiological and nutritional standpoint, taking everything together, it would be a high-ranking super food,” she said. “It would be good to include mangoes as part of the regular diet.”

Mighty Mango

This is neither modern technology coming to the rescue, or fiction. It is a plan everyday fact that whole foods are the exclusive property of nature. There is nothing that will come out of a lab that will create better health.

The Talcotts tested mango polyphenol extracts in vitro on colon, breast, lung, leukemia and prostate cancers. Polyphenols are natural substances in plants and are associated with a variety of compounds known to promote good health.

Mango showed some impact on lung, leukemia and prostate cancers but was most effective on the most common breast and colon cancers.

“What we found is that not all cell lines are sensitive to the same extent to an anticancer agent,” she said. “But the breast and colon cancer lines underwent apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Additionally, we found that when we tested normal colon cells side by side with the colon cancer cells, that the mango polyphenolics did not harm the normal cells.”

Arsenal

The mango should be added to the arsenal of anti-cancer plants. We get sucked into the concept that if it isn’t from a lab it isn’t effective. Ratcheting up our consumption of plant food will create health. Also, it will help reverse many serious conditions.

The point to remember they will do more trials to see if this is relevant, and proceed to do human tests. That will usually be with a version that comes from a lab, in isolated forms, with higher concentrations.

We don’t need more pharmaceuticals. What we need is to consume more fruits and vegetables.

Which is the best diet for you? There are so many diets that are being touted, slogging through them will be labor intense. Food ideas seem to have religious undertones. The believers in each food system are sometimes overzealous.

Pitch

Food is not food anymore it is a philosophy. A critical review of each way of eating shows they all get results. They seem to be effective and explain their philosophy with clarity. They spreads by word of mouth. People adhering to the eating plan tout the benefits.

The pitch can be strident, and in your face. These are generic plans that at best work because of the adulterated foods that you have given up.

Types

They range from the fruitarian diet, vegetarian diet, low carbohydrate diet, macrobiotic, and high protein.

The reality is they all work to some degree, because of what you are giving up.  

Fruitarian

This is not a diet that everyone should blindly embrace. On this diet you have to be alert to see the down side. This is a high sugar diet, even thought it is in a natural form. It supplys vitamins and minerals, but it is high in fructose. For many people it has some critical nutritional elements missing.

What happens many people get caught up in trust and theater; they do not employ deep and critical thinking when embarking on this way of eating. It without a doubt can set some people up for problems in the long haul.

Yes, many people seem to do well at the beginning, what happens is that health issues appear later that don’t always attribute to the diet.

Vegetarian Diet

This can be a good diet for some, and others can’t figure out how to do a really good version. So vegetarian diets can become either a high end or low end junk food diet. In the vegetarian diet there is a lot of latitude, and pre-packaged food, which is high in sugar and sodium, can be a good part of the food supply.

Some of the best sources of iron, vitamins, and omega 3 fats come from grass fed animals. Everyone’s needs are different so it does matter when you leave out a food group.

Low Carb Diet

This has a lot going for it, but again you need to roll up your sleeves, and be prepared to figure out how to do it. Most of the today’s diets are too high in carbohydrates.

This is what matters where are your carbohydrates coming from. Vegetables are a good source, some whole grain works. Mankind started on a low carbohydrate diet and that is what our system is designed for. This diet includes some fruits. It is not neccesarily a high fat diet. Many people use low fat protein sources.

All the diets that work are a variation of cutting out the empty calories, and that means fabricated foods.

Macrobiotics

This is an unusual diet for most of the public, even thought it can be a healthy diet.

This diet is a high whole grain diet, with plenty of vegetables, including sea vegetables. What it has going for it is there are none of the standard pre-packaged foods that have become a staple in the American diet. People do eat animal protein in small amounts.

The draw back is that many people get so drawn in to the principal that they can overload on carbohydrates. This diet needs to be individualized to create a diet that works on a long term basis.

Individualized

Diets must suit lifestyles, genetic predisposition, and current health status.

Children’s health programs that presents the healthiest diet are a challenge. For this to work the whole family has to change their lifestyle. It is one that consists of the highest quality of food, the optimal activity level, and an optimistic outlook on life. Referring to the consequential damages of a poor lifestyle it is easy to show the link between diet and health. 

What to Eat

Diets rich in Omega-fats are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease. When we refine oils from plants, we are consuming a high omega-6 diet. Refined vegetable oils, high in Omega-6 fatty acids changed the way our bodies function. It causes our body to malfunction, and causes inflammation, poor skin quality, such as dry skin, increased oxidation.

Omega-3 fatty acids are an immune-enhancer. Whole foods are the source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It is found in small amounts in plant foods. The most abundant forms come from fish, but also from grass fed beef.

The colorful fruit and vegetables contain for vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. Low glycemic foods are better in controlling sugar levels.

Exclusions

What seems like limitations are what will provide lifelong health. By reducing these substances you avoid most chronic conditions. At the same time you slow down the aging process. This is a bold defense strategy that works. By eliminating most pre-packaged foods you are cutting down on most of the elements that shouldn’t be in our diet.

This includes the artificial colors and flavors, sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, high percentage of omega-6 fatty acids, and preservatives.

Program

There are very creative and helpful programs that understand that learning, behavior, energy, attitude, health and happiness are tied to food and physical activity.

Once your habits are ingrained it is harder to change. However, it is a responsibility to both yourself and your family.

The L.E.A.N program that Kathy Bee will be talking about is one of the best places to start. It is a program developed by Dr. William Sears America’s pediatrician. This program realizes that a children’s health program begins with the parent. 

“The best gift you can give a child is the gift of health” Dr. Sears