Food For Life: Nourish to Flourish: Cancer-Fighting Compounds and Immune-Boosting Foods

This class is a part of a series that will guide participants to make the critical connection between diet and the risk of developing various forms of cancer. With a focus on low-fat plant-based nutrition, participants develop an understanding of specific foods and nutrients that either promote or discourage cancer development. Each class features a cooking demonstration of delicious, health-promoting dishes, along with handouts of easy and affordable recipes participants can prepare at home. The program offers optional bonus content addressing breast cancer and prostate cancer specifically.

This session description:  Antioxidants and the body's immune system are both critically important in fighting cancer. Cancer-fighting compounds such as antioxidants, mainly found in fruits and vegetables, assist in halting free-radical damage, which can otherwise lead to cancer development. This class will explore foods that are rich in protective compounds and immune-boosting nutrients such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, and zinc. It is important to be generous with a variety of vegetables and fruits as you plan your menu. Studies have demonstrated the ability of diets rich in vegetables and fruits to boost immunity and to reduce the likelihood that cancer will develop in the first place. Based on scientific research, vegetarians have approximately double the natural killer cell activity (natural killer cells engulf and destroy cancer cells), compared with nonvegetarians. Enjoy a colorful, scrumptious, immune-boosting meal.
 

The intended audience for this series includes cancer survivors and their family and friends as well as individuals looking to prevent cancer. Classes are not meant for individuals currently undergoing cancer treatment.