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Insure Your Long Term Good Health by Adding the Following Foods to Your Diet

Many common foods are known to have cancer fighting properties. Numerous medical sources list the ones they feel have the most protective benefit. The experts aren't in total agreement here, but there is a great deal of overlap amongst these lists. Here are the ten foods most doctors believe will protect you:

Seafood: Fish, shellfish and seaweed or kelp all contain every known mineral.

Flax: Contains two cancer fighters, omega 3 fatty acids and lignans. Omega 3s support immune function while lignans are phytoestrogens, similar to but weaker than the natural hormone. They are believed to bind to a woman's estrogen receptors and block excessive estrogen activity in the cells, reducing the risk of hormone driven cancers (breast and uterine). Lots of plants contain lignans; but flaxseed is, by far, the richest source.

Green Tea: Studies have shown that the catechins in green tea suppress the growth of cancer cells. It also contains the strongest known antioxidant, EGCC.

Cruciferous Vegetables: This group is comprised of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kale and all their kin. All are rich in anti-cancer flavonoids, but the richest source in the lot is red cabbage. All of the aforementioned are also great sources of calcium which is believed to prevent the growth of precancerous polyps that can lead to colon cancer.

Spinach: Several studies have found that folk who eat spinach twice a week or more have lower lung and breast cancer rates.

Tomatoes: One of the richest sources of lycopene, a flavonoid proven to defend against cancers of the lung, cervix, mouth and prostate. The nutrient only becomes biologically available when the fruit is cooked, so raw tomatoes (though they provide other benefits) will not work.

Organic Peppers: Better source of vitamin C than citrus fruit. Scientist have discovered that animals whose bodies produce vitamin C rarely develop cancer. As the human body does not produce this nutrient, we must ingest it. The prevailing wisdom is that 500-1,000 milligrams per day in a divided dose should produce the protective benefit. Peppers, particularly the red, orange and yellow varieties, also contain high levels of bioflavonoids. Be sure to buy organic as the others are sprayed with a pesticide which is a potent neurotoxin.

Citrus: Oranges contain more than 170 phytochemicals, many, potent cancer fighters. In addition, a bitter-tasting compound in citrus pith appears to be a highly active anti-cancer agent. Grapefruit is high in fiber at 18 grams per large fruit. This fiber binds with carcinogens in the intestine and carries them out of the body before they can cause harm.

Berries: A Harvard School of Health study found that people who eat lots of strawberries enjoy a greatly reduced incidence of cancer. Many other studies have drawn the same conclusion about cranberries, blueberries and raspberries.

Beans: Protease inhibitors are compounds that make it difficult for cancer cells to invade healthy tissue. Beans are loaded with them. They are also loaded with fiber which blocks cancer in the digestive tract.

Unfortunately, there's no way to guarantee you won't develop cancer at some point in your life, but increasing your intake of at least a few of these super-foods should greatly reduce your risk