In a new book “Anticancer: A New Way of Life” the author David Servan-Schreiber talks about his journey with cancer. At the age of 31 he was told he only had six months to live, so he underwent operations and chemotherapy. After treatment he asked his oncologist if there were any dietary changes he should make to prevent the cancer from coming back. The doctor said he could eat whatever he liked because it wouldn’t make any difference.

The truth is hundreds of studies suggest that the Standard American Diet (SAD) can promote cancer growth, while fruits, vegetables, herbs and teas along with regular physical exercise and stress management can ward off cancer. But doctors aren’t trained to give lifestyle recommendations. Medications and operations are the pillars of our healthcare system.

While there’s no guarantee that a healthier diet will prevent anyone from getting cancer, it’s a strong preventative measure that everyone can consider. Hospitals like the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Ill. now include nutrition and lifestyle modifications as part of their treatment plans. As hospitals face rising healthcare costs, we’ll probably see more centers follow their lead. 

Take a look at your own diet and lifestyle. How much movement do you incorporate into your day? Are you eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains than you are processed foods? What steps are you taking to balance your body’s natural defenses?

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More young people are switching to a vegetarian or pescetarian diet (vegetarians who eat fish) for health and ethical reasons. Some adolescents recognize that a diet consisting mostly of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is better for their health and others choose a vegetarian lifestyle because they are alarmed by factory farming or other animal rights issues.

While many parents want to support their child’s dietary decisions, some find it difficult to satisfy the whole family at mealtimes. Some parents order takeout most nights so they don’t have to cook multiple meals for the each person in the family. But takeout is not the only way to fulfill everyone’s dietary needs.

Instead of making two main dishes, you can make a vegetarian dish that would also be good with meat added later. Try making this vegetarian chili and set aside some for the vegetarians in your family before you add the meat.

Chili for Everyone

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 carrot, cut into quarter moons
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups cooked or canned red, black or kidney beans
1 cup water
2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound organic ground turkey 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pan and sauté onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, carrots, chili powder and cumin and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Slowly add beans, water, tomato paste and salt.
4. Cook on low to medium heat for 20 minutes.
5. Serve chili to the non-meat eaters.
6. Cook the ground turkey in olive oil until brown and toss into the rest of the chili.

Click here for more delicious recipes for vegetarians, pescetarians and meat eaters.

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The majority of Americans flock to foods or products that claim to have anti-aging properties. Why is that?

It seems that people fear the process of getting older because they associate it with losing independence or losing pleasure in life. This fear often leads people to take unhealthy actions that do not support their body’s capabilities. It’s important to recognize that aging is a natural process and rather than fighting it, embrace it. By tuning into where you are in life, it will be that much more enjoyable.

According to this interview with Andrew Weil MD, here are some ways to live healthier and happier.

Keep Learning. By challenging yourself with new ideas, studies suggest that you can keep the neurons in your brain pliable and flexible to ward off degenerative diseases.

Live in a peaceful and healthy environment. Target those people in your life who make you happy and find ways to spend more time with them. Introduce fresh flowers into your house and listen to music that elevates your spirits.

Healthy Eating. Continue to eat those fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Introduce more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet like fish and nuts. Studies suggest they help ward off certain degenerative diseases.  

Stress Management. It’s pretty hard to avoid stress, but you can alter how you cope with it. The more relaxed you are when a stressful situation comes up the less likely your body will react negatively to it. Some people find that meditation or yoga helps with stress management.

Get Moving. No matter what your age, exercise or some form of movement should be a part of your life. This will help your body stay flexible and strong throughout the years.

The next time someone asks how old you are you can say, “I am X years young.”

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Last year Americans spent over $200 billion dollars on prescription drugs. That’s a lot of money. And it’s only a small percentage of what we spend on healthcare. With an uncertain economy, people are looking to cut back expenses and they’re starting with their medicine cabinet.

It’s great that people are assessing where they spend their money, but if more people are cutting back on prescription drug expenses are they also compromising their health by spending less on other things, like exercise and food?

Many people say they don’t buy high-quality food because it’s more expensive. But cheaper junk foods are not the answer. In fact, they can cause many of the preventable health problems that put us on medications in the first place. Good health starts with good food. It’s really that simple.

Save for your future by investing in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Even as you start to incorporate high-quality food into your diet, you’ll still want to check with your doctor before you stop taking any meds.

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Studies suggest that certain food choices can improve your mood, but when people are feeling low or tired the last thing they want is a plate of vegetables. Think about it. When you need comfort what do you crave? Probably something sweet like a piece of chocolate cake. While this seems comforting and delicious at the time, it can actually have the opposite effect. Instead of turning to sweet desserts or fried food, try these super foods which can enhance your mood:

• Salmon

• Oatmeal

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Blueberries

• Quinoa

These superfoods can increase the feel-good hormones in the brain, stabilize blood sugar levels, help with seasonal affective disorder and keep the cell membranes pliable and flexible. As you incorporate more of these foods into your holiday meals, you’ll find that you’re able to crowd out the foods that do not contribute to feeling great like red meat, chemicalized junk foods, alcohol and caffeine. These foods have proven to promote inflammation and cause a roller coaster effect on blood sugar levels.

While foods can contribute a lot to how one feels, you may need a more integrative approach and include other remedies as well. You’ll want to incorporate more exercise, whether it’s outside or at the gym. Pinpoint those people who make you feel happy and start spending more time with them. Be sure that you are also getting enough rest.

By integrating all of these remedies you will notice a vast improvement on your mood and energy levels. Experiment, and let us know what works for you.

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During these stressful times of economic woes, fitness professionals are adding more classes in yoga, meditation and other mind-body regimens to help people release stress and maintain their health. Gyms recognize the importance of these classes, but also realize that many people may not want to pay membership fees. To encourage gym-goers to stick with the program, fitness clubs are lowering their prices.

While physical exercise is important in fighting stress, so are your diet and relationships which contribute to overall happiness.

Many people overeat when they are stressed because food is a source of comfort. Be sure to maintain a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and reduce caffeine and other chemicalized junk foods. If you crave warmth and comfort, try increasing more grounding foods like root vegetables.

It’s tempting to want to just be alone when times are tough, but this is the most important time to surround yourself with people you love. Keep the conversations alive and tell your family and friends how you are feeling. Let them know that you need their support and you are also here for them.

By balancing your physical activity, diet and relationships your stress levels will be a lot more manageable and you will be able to enjoy life.

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America made history last night by electing Barack Obama as the 44^th President of the United States of America. With new leadership comes new challenges and new possibilities.

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Gwyneth Paltrow recently launched a website, GOOP.com, her personal site about living a better life. When her dad was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, she started exploring Eastern medicine and the body’s ability to heal itself. She introduced him to the macrobiotic diet and acupuncture in an effort to heal him. While he didn’t like all aspects of macrobiotics, he loved acupuncture. Through this process she said she realized that there’s no universal plan for better health, no perfect diet or way of solving problems. Everyone’s body is different and each person must learn what works for them.

She did find a few guidelines, which are similar to the Integrative Nutrition approach.

Good sleep is integral to health. This is the time your body regenerates itself and will contribute to your energy and appetite level the next day. If you are a restless sleeper, relaxation techniques can help. Aim for at least 8 hours.

Crowd out chemicalized, junk food. Most people who reduce sugar, chemicalized, artificial junk food in their daily diet feel more energized. If you are already sick, cutting back on these foods helps your body recover its health and vitality. Add in more leafy greens, grains and fruits.

Increase your movement. Developing a regular exercise program to suit your particular body type and lifestyle will help you lose weight, alleviate stress and cut back on other aches and pains.

Many students come to our school to cure their own health problems or to help a loved one improve their health. Sometimes it takes a life-threatening disease for us to reevaluate how we take care of ourselves. Why wait? You can start making these changes today.

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Are you victim of “mind chatter?” These are the voices in your head telling you that you’re not good enough to succeed. These self-defeating voices cause people to get stopped and stressed out.

One way to overcome stress is through awareness practices, which are designed to quiet the busy mind, relax the body, and be present. By using techniques such as breathing, visual imagery and meditation to slow down and focus on the present moment you will be able to tap into a higher level of awareness. You can escape the mind chatter.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps would not have been able to achieve his gold medals had he been listening to the whistles and the cheering in the background. He is renowned for envisioning every race before he dives into the water. He focuses on the time he wants to achieve—down to the hundredth of a second—and the exact stroke count per lap he needs to achieve his goal. You can do the same.

What is your goal? Write it down and truly envision it. What will your life look like if you achieve this? What are steps you need to take to accomplish your dream?

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Live from Chicago: Integrative Nutrition at the American Dietetic Association’s National Conference. Over 12,000 people including dietitians, representatives from large food corporations and celebrity Tony the Tiger are swarming this expo picking up pamphlets on healthy eating and food samples. We had to take a picture with Tony, just for fun!

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