If this sounds intriguing to you, pick up Li’s book “Eat to Beat Disease” for lots more information on food for cancer fighting. For now, here are some other foods that we can incorporate into our diet today in order of preference and frequency: avocados, blueberries; pineapples; leafy greens (kale/spinach); dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa).
So Below 15 are best food for cancer fighting
- Coffee for disease-fighting flavanols
- Green tea for polyphenols like EGCG
- Mango
- Fresh berries
- Kiwi fruit for vitamin C and antioxidants
- Oatmeal
- Sourdough bread for its effect on the microbiome
- Hard cheeses such as Gouda, Muenster, or Camembert for vitamin K2
- Leafy greens like kale, spinach, arugula, or radicchio
- Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and beans for protein, fiber, iron, and vitamins and minerals
- Small tinned fish like sardines, mackerel, or anchovies for omega-3 fatty acids
- Tomato sauce for the antioxidant lycopene
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Walnuts for omega-3 fats, B vitamins and magnesium
- Dark chocolate
So if you are interested in learning more about Li’s advice, read her book. It has plenty of information for those who want to achieve optimal health and avoid disease. Here is a sampling of other foods Li recommends adding to your diet every day as well as Food For Cancer Fighting.
• Apples
• Carrots
• Black beans
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cauliflower
7 Foods That Will Boost Your Mood & Immunity, Keeps You Away from Cancer, According to Science
1. Salmon and Albacore Tuna
Fatty fish, like salmon and tuna are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart and your mind. “The abundance of omega-3 fatty acids in fish like salmon and albacore tuna may contribute to improved mood and mitigation of depression through the impact of omega-3 fats as anti-inflammatory signaling molecules, and in their structural role in the brain,” explains Casey Means, MD, a Stanford-trained physician and associate editor of the International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention. “It’s important to remember that 60 percent of our brain tissue is made of fat, so the choices of fat we incorporate into our diet have a large impact on both the structure and function of our brains.”
Two specific omega-3s—docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—have been associated with lower levels of depression. According to a 2016 review of scientific data, DHA and EPA help modulate the mechanisms of brain cell signaling, including the dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways. In other words, they can boost your mood. If you’re not a fan of salmon or tuna, get your omega-3 fatty acids from foods like flaxseeds or tofu. So salmon, tuna are highly rated food for cancer fighting.
2. Dark Chocolate
Yes, another food for cancer fighting, a chocolate bar can really help improve your mood! “Studies have shown that dark chocolate consumption is associated with lower odds of clinical relevant depressive symptoms, with individuals consuming the highest amount of dark chocolate having 57 percent lower odds of depressive symptoms than those who reported no dark chocolate consumption,” says Dr. Means. “This may be related to chemicals in dark chocolate called cocoa polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants, and may improve inflammatory profiles. There are also psychoactive ingredients in chocolate, which may produce positive feelings.”
However, when shopping for your mood-boosting chocolate, Dr. Means points out that the cocoa content is key. “It’s ideal to get the darkest chocolate you can find, as this will have the least sugar and the most cocoa mass (excess sugar and subsequent spikes and crashes can lead to mood lability),” she explains. “I opt for 85 percent or above, and like organic brands such as Alter Eco and Green & Black’s.”
3. Fermented Foods
In addition to supporting good gut health, fermented foods, like sauerkraut, yogurt, and kimchi, may also have a positive impact on your mood. These foods contain probiotics, which, according to numerous studies, may boost serotonin levels. This is especially important because serotonin—sometimes called the “happy hormone”—is responsible for lifting your mood.
“The positive impact of fermented foods on mood may be related to the close relationship between gut function and brain health, with a fascinating bidirectional relationship existing between the two,” Dr. Means shares. “One study showed that individuals with the highest intake of probiotic foods had significantly lower odds of depression severity and self-reported clinical depression. These effects were stronger in men.”
Dr. Means adds: “There are several proposed mechanisms of why this might be the case, including the impact of fermented foods on blood sugar control and metabolic health, which impacts mood and the brain. Additionally, the enriched chemicals in fermented foods—unique flavonoids—may positively impact the microbiome to mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can negatively impact the brain.” Make fermented food a regular diet as food for cancer fighting.
4. Brazil Nuts
“Brazil nuts are one of the most potent sources of selenium, which has several functional roles in the body, including in the generation of key immune and antioxidant proteins called selenoproteins, as well as in the healthy production of thyroid hormones,” says Dr. Means. Per a 2021 study, high selenium intake is associated with a lower prevalence of depression, even after adjusting for several variables. The inverse is also true, as selenium deficiencies are common in people with depression.
“Healthy thyroid function is closely implicated in mood, as both hyper and hypothyroidism can have significant mood effects,” Dr. Means continues. “Optimal antioxidant and immune function is fundamental to mood status by ameliorating oxidative stress (which the brain is very sensitive to) and chronic inflammation, both of which can have negative effects on the brain.”
5. Kale and Spinach
Ready to kick those lingering winter blues? Eat your greens! According to Stacie J. Stephenson, CNS, a board member of The American Nutrition Association, dark leafy greens in particular (think kale, spinach, and Swiss chard) are rich in B vitamins. According to the Mayo Clinic, these vitamins play a role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions.
Additionally, low levels of B12 and other B vitamins, such as B6 and folate, may be related to depression. If you’re not a fan of dark leafy greens, you can get your fill of B vitamins by eating foods like bananas and eggs. That is why, kale, spinach are food for cancer fighting.
6. Coffee
Though it may seem counterintuitive, drinking a cup of coffee can help pull you out of a funk. While caffeine might make some people feel jittery or anxious, it can also stop a naturally occurring compound called adenosine from attaching to brain receptors that encourage tiredness. This, in turn, increases alertness and attention, thus having a positive effect on your mood. Coffee is a good drink for cancer fighting
Caffeine has also been scientifically proven to increase the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, but there’s evidence to suggest that coffee’s mood-boosting properties extend beyond the stimulant. In fact, a 2018 study of 72 adults found that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee significantly improved people’s mood, compared with a placebo beverage. This suggests that coffee may have other compounds that positively influence mood as well.
7. Beans and Lentils
Stephenson points out that beans, legumes, and other complex carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed by the body can reduce cravings for less healthy carbs that can often lead to volatile blood sugar spikes, which, as Dr. Means points out, can cause moodiness and irritability. These complex carbs also provide microbiome-enhancing fiber and resistant starch, which helps keep your blood sugar stable and limits the likelihood of mood swings.
Need another reason to stock up on beans and lentils? Both foods are also good sources of tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin. Especially lentils soaked in water, which have sprouts growing are even better food for cancer fighting.