• Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Cancer Dietitian

Lifestyle tips for prevention and survivorship. Keeping you well beyond cancer!

  • About
    • Meet Julie
    • Speaking & Awards
    • Privacy and Disclosure Policy
  • Blog Articles
    • Recipes
    • Recent Articles
    • Hot Topics
      • GMO Foods Debate
      • Does Sugar Feed Cancer?
      • Organic Foods Discussion
      • Julie’s Favorite Resources
      • Cancer Diets
      • Cancer Prevention
      • Meal Planning
  • Podcast
  • Webinars & Videos
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Contact
    • Ask Julie a Question
    • Media Inquiries
    • Request a Speaker
  • Resources
    • Store – Resources for Dietitians – PDF Downloads
    • Julie’s Recommended Books
    • Julie’s Recommended Kitchen Tools
    • Julie’s Favorite Foods

Foods to Support Immunity and Cut Cancer Risk

January 27, 2009 By Julie Lanford MPH, RD, CSO, LDN

I often hear people say that there’s nothing they can do about getting cancer because it’s all genetic anyway.  While some cancers are solely based on genetics, most aren’t! (Click here to read how your personal choices interact with your genetics)

Cancer and Genetics

Only 5-10% of all cancers are associated with having a family history of cancer. That’s it! The rest of cancers are related to things our body is exposed to during our lifetime. That’s why most people develop cancer when they are older as their bodies have had more time to accumulate damage.

In the last post I talked about smoking and the damage that it has on the body. Today I want to remind you about ways that you can reverse or slow down damage.

Factors That Affect Immunity

The more you are exposed to unhealthy factors that may potentially spark the cancer process (like cigarettes, alcohol, sun damage and certain viruses) the more your cells are likely to sustain damage that could eventually lead to cancer.

You can protect yourself from this damage and support your immune system by eating a healthy diet, getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily and maintaining a healthy weight.

Foods to Improve Immunity

Many substances in plant foods can support your body’s immune system, repair and prevent damage to your cells. Phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber all have potential anti-cancer effects. Most of these substances work together to protect your health when you digest them from whole foods.

These compounds also act together to provide the best protection against cancer. Each type of vegetable or fruit contains different beneficial compounds. Eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruits is likely to be your best defense against cancer.

It’s best to have at 3-4 cups of vegetables and fruits of different colors every day, including red, green, yellow, purple, white and orange. Here is a recipe that I made this week. It incorporates chickpeas (contains the phytochemicals isoflavones and protease inhibitors), curry, onions (contains flavanoids and quercetins) as well as brown rice. You get a variety of colors as well as dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Enjoy!!

Recipe:  Chickpea and Vegetable Curry on Brown Rice

Chicken and Vegetable Curry on Brown Rice

  • Olive or canola oil
  • 1 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 chopped pepper
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 T curry
  • 1 t salt
  • 6 oz. bag of baby spinach
  • Roasted peanuts
  1. Start brown rice before cooking the curry
  2. Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat
  3. When hot, add chopped onions and cook for 3 minutes
  4. Add peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas, water, curry and salt and simmer for 20 minutes
  5. Put bag of spinach in with curry and cook for 10 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste
  7. Serve over brown rice, top with roasted peanuts and enjoy!

– Julie

Truth or Myth: Superfoods Prevent Cancer.
Obama Smokes?? The Effects of Smoking on Health and Cancer

Filed Under: Cancer Diets, Cancer Prevention, Education, Recipes Tagged With: anti-cancer, cancer, foods, immune system, immunity

This post may contain affiliate links for products I recommend. This means if you click on a link and purchase a product, Cancer Services, Inc. will receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. We use these proceeds to support cancer patient direct services and community education in the Triad area of North Carolina. For more information, view our disclosure policy.

Brought to you by:

Search Recipes & Articles

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Whether you've been diagnosed with cancer or not, we will provide you with the most up-to-date and evidence based information regarding lifestyle choices and cancer risk. Sign up HERE.

Podcast Episodes

Topics

Recent Articles:

  • [WEBINAR RECORDING] Protein: Everything You Need to Know!
  • Protein Webinar, Survivorship Nutrition/Cooking Class & Movement Program!
  • Eat the Rainbow: Graduation – Winter Edition!
  • Eat the Rainbow Winter Week 12-Final Week!
  • Eat the Rainbow Winter Week 11-Satisfying Snacks

Archives

Featured Recipes

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Whether you've been diagnosed with cancer or not, we will provide you with the most up-to-date and evidence based information regarding lifestyle choices and cancer risk. Sign up HERE.

SEARCH RECIPES & ARTICLES

Copyright © 2023 · Cancer Dietitian · Evidence based lifestyle tips for cancer prevention and survivorship · Privacy Policy