But then, because of circumstance, we had to start asking questions. The more we asked the more we uncovered, and the more things began to make sense. We saw patterns developing. It turns out that cancer is not as random or unpredictable as it first seemed to be. We started to see the bigger picture and begin to demystify the mystery that is cancer.

WHAT IS CANCER?

Firstly, cancer has been around for ages. Hippocrates identified and labelled it about 2,400 years ago. He used the terms carcinos and carcinoma, which are greek for crab, as that is what a breast tumour looked like. Later it was translated to cancer, which is the Latin word for crab.

Since then, a lot more research has been done and observations have been made on this subject. We know cancer is a cellular disease of molecules and genes, and we even know many of the molecules and genes involved. We know what the triggers are, and we also know different things we can do in order to protect ourselves and even help fight off cancerous cells.

But before we get to that, there are a few important things to understand…

Let’s start with cells…

Cells in the human body generally have the same basic structure. In the center of the cell is the nucleus, which is the control center, and this is where the DNA is kept. DNA is a chain of connected genes which contain the instructions for building and maintaining our bodies. Genes control how each cell functions, including how quickly it grows, how often it divides, and how long it lives. Every cell in a particular organism has exactly the same DNA and it is super important that, when that cell divides, the two new cells have an exact copy of the DNA that was in the old cell.

Cancer is a result of damaged or mutated DNA turning the cell into a mutant cell…

A CANCER CELL

A normal cell is programmed to go through a cycle – growth, division and death. When a tissue or organ is fully grown, the cells making up that tissue or organ know when to stop dividing because it is in the blueprint of our DNA. But the DNA in that cancer cell has been reprogrammed to have the death button switched off so it doesn’t die or stop dividing. This non-stop cell division becomes a malignant mass of tissue. A tumour. Tumours threaten a person’s life when their growth disrupts the tissues and organs needed for survival.

Although cancer can develop in virtually any of the body’s tissues, and each type of cancer has its unique features, the basic processes that happen to bring about cancer are quite similar in all forms of the disease.

Everyone one of us has the potential to get cancer. In fact cancer cells are forming in your body all the time through natural metabolic processes. That’s why our immune system is so important, because it recognises these abnormal cells and destroys them.

BUT WHY IS CANCER BECOME SO PROLIFIC?

Cancer has been on the rise over the last 100 years. Why is there a higher percentage of people suffering from caner in our recent times? Well if you look around you’ll notice the environment in which most of us live has been contaminated. In our modern world we are exposed to endless amounts of toxic, man-made chemicals that have been introduced into our environment and lifestyles. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.

Substances, exposures and viruses that can change our DNA and lead to cancer are called carcinogens (remember Hippocrates called cancer carcinos). Carcinogenesis means the ‘creation of cancer’ and is a process whereby a normal cell’s DNA is damaged or changed by the carcinogen to become a mutant, cancer cell. Carcinogens fall into 3 broad categories: chemical, radiation or viral.

An important observation made about cancer in the early days was that it wasn’t as random as we first thought – but rather is incidental. In the late 1700’s, a large number of men who worked as chimney sweeps as boys were diagnosed with scrotal cancer. In the 1800s, a large number of uranium miners in Germany were diagnosed with lung cancer. And by the end of the 19th century, using snuff and cigars was thought to be closely associated with cancers of the mouth and throat. These clues helped scientists to discover patterns in the development of cancer. There always seemed to be an instance, or event, that turned a healthy cell into a cancerous cell. In a tumour, there will always be a single ancestral cell that was once one of your own healthy cells. A cell mutated and then multiplied uncontrollably.

We know now that certain types of jobs carry a higher risk of cancer development than others. Cancer of the bladder is associated with rubber, dyestuffs and electric cable industry workers. Leukaemia is associated with excess exposure to ionizing radiation (X rays). Cancer of the tissue lining the lungs (mesothelioma) is associated with asbestos workers. Liver cancer is associated with vinyl chloride workers (vinyl chloride is used to make PVC) and lung cancer is associated with uranium mining, and of course, cigarette smoking.

There can also be a long dormant period between the carcinogenic exposure and the appearance of cancer. There are cases of people who had been born near asbestos mines and left the area as children but developed mesothelioma much later on in life. A rare type of vaginal cancer was found in young women whose mothers had been treated with synthetic female sex hormone 20 years before, while they were still foetuses.

There is a big difference between a developing system such as the foetus and a more robust mature system. The recent rise in childhood leukaemia is thought to be caused by prenatal exposure to pesticides or petrol additives that disrupt the foetuses endocrine systems (the endocrine system is a collection of glands that release hormones directly into the blood ie the pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid glands etc). Leukaemia can be produced by very small doses of certain chemicals if exposed at a critical time during pregnancy. These chemicals program the developing foetuses for cancer in early life.

The scary thing is that chemicals and hormones that have recently been introduced into our food and the environment are subtle and unpredictable. Man has not been exposed to many of these chemicals for long periods of time and the effects these pollutants may not surface for many years. So we need to act now.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

The American Cancer Association for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer are currently recommending a plant-based diet. This includes heaps of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains with some lean protein, such as fish or chicken. It limits red meats, processed meats and refined foods.

Continuous studies show that vegetables (including legumes) and fruits contain numerous vitamins, minerals, fibre, carotenoids, flavonoids and various other phytonutrients that may help prevent cancer. There is probable evidence that the more you eat non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, green beans, and squash) and fruits is associated with lower risk of mouth, esophageal, bowel, throat, lung and some types of stomach cancers.

Other observational studies have shown the cancer preventative effect that eating Brassicas (the cabbage family including broccoli and cauliflower) can have. Just 3 servings per week can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 40%. One or more servings of cabbage per week reduced risk of pancreatic cancer by 38% and eating Brassicas can reduce the risk of breast cancer by over 50%. This potent veggie group contains special compounds called glucosinolates which are responsible for the plants pungent aroma and bitter flavour, as well as their preventative effects on cancer.

Garlic also has a number of powerful compounds including sulfur-based phytonutrients that attack cancer cells. Garlic’s special compounds have also been found to stop carcinogens doing their dirty work in the stomach and in the intestines. Garlic has been found to be protective against colon, lung, breast and prostate cancers, but most effective against stomach and colorectal cancers.

Grains such as wheat, rice, oats, and barley, and the foods made from them, are an important part of a healthful diet. Wholegrain foods (made from the entire grain seed) are relatively low in caloric density and higher in fiber, certain vitamins, and minerals compared to refined flour products. Although evidence of the association between whole-grain foods and different types of cancer is limited, studies support a role for a diet high in fiber in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer.

On the other hand, studies show people who eat a lot of red  (beef, lamb, pork)or processed meats (lunch meats, bacon, hot dogs) have a shorter life span with an increased risk of cancer and heart disease, especial the risk of colorectal cancer. Substances used to preserve processed meats such as nitrates or nitrites can contribute to the formation of nitrosamines, which are involved in carcinogenesis (the creation of cancer). The British Heart Foundation says eating oily fish can help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve your chances of survival following a heart attack. Replacing one serving of red meat with an equivalent serving of fish reduced mortality risk by 7 per cent.

Alcohol is a well established cause of cancer (it has been classified as a carcinogen since 1988) and can be responsible for 7 different types, including breast, liver, mouth and bowel cancers.

Experts believe that smoking is the single biggest avoidable cause of cancer in the world. It causes about a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK, and 90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking.

Cancer prevention requires a strong immune system, and your immune system gets a boost from regular physical activity. Studies have shown that moderate levels of exercise can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 50 percent and the risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women by at least 20 percent. Regular exercise has also been strongly associated with lower rates of lung and endometrial cancers, as well as heart disease.

Many studies have been done on the benefits of plant-based food and exercise as well as the others on the dangers of certain substances and lifestyles. Some involved tens of thousands participants, and others just hundreds. And even if you don’t think the statistics are 100% accurate there is still a trend, and the trend is that a plant-based wholefood diet and exercise offers protection from chronic diseases, and the latter leaves you open to it.

NOW WHAT?

Sometimes what tends to happen is people don’t relate to a single statistic. It’s easy to put a single statistic out your mind. But when you see those stats and studies together, the puzzle starts piecing itself together. You begin to see the bigger picture and it starts to make a lot more sense.

Humans need plant-based food to survive. Our cells need to be fed what they have evolved to be fed and our immune system needs the support of the phytonutrients found in plant-based food. You wouldn’t put rubbish fuel into a sports car and expect it to function at it’s peak. Processed food and refined sugars are not what our bodies need and it’s not what they are made for. Our cells rely on compounds in plants to get them through the day.

HOW RANDOM IS CANCER?

Anyone has the potential for cancer, but there are ways to arm ourselves and better our chances for a healthy, disease-free life. I think cancer does discriminate a little bit. It discriminates against unhealthy lifestyles, obesity, processed and non-organic food, and toxic jobs (both mentally and physically).

I sometimes heard people say that cancer and heart disease runs in the family. Does cancer and heart disease run in the family or does red meat, fried foods, sweets, butter and twinkies run in the family? Almost in a way it’s easier to just tell ourselves it’s out of our hands, which then takes responsibility away from ourselves.

Cancer research scientists have been concentrating on seeking a cure. Is it just possible that for many of the forms of cancer there will be no magic cure and the most practical approach is to find means of prevention. Educating on the importance of diet and wellbeing. Acting now rather than waiting for something dire to happen.

A healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk of developing certain cancers – you’ve heard that before haven’t you? A balanced diet, drink less alcohol, stop smoking and protect your skin from sun damage. That’s old and boring news. But it’s very important old and boring news that we tend to forget sometimes. We think the solution to a long, happy, healthy life is a long, happy, healthy lifestyle.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has 10 recommendations for cancer prevention.

In a study of over 30,000 women over 6 years they found that the risk of breast cancer was reduced by 60% in women who met at least 5 of the recommendations than those who met none.

The 10 Recommendations are:

1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. Limit sedentary habits.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods.
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day.
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
8. Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer.
9. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods.
10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

Then, of course, don’t smoke and or chew tobacco.

The trick is to be mindful of what we put in our bodies. Not obsessed. That then becomes unhealthy again. Try have a healthy relationship with food, understand what’s going into your body and know the consequences of the substances you exposed yourself to. Your body is your responsibility. You are the master but you don’t need to become a dictator. You can still have the bad stuff, but only in moderation, and as long as you are also having most of the good stuff.

So, when thinking about food choices we shouldn’t be focused on the calorie count or fat content –  we should rather ask ourselves, is my food natural or processed? Raw or cooked? Sprayed or organic? Does it contain saturated fats or unsaturated fats? Does it deliver its own enzymes? Is it digestible or indigestible? Does it contain fiber? These are the questions that will keep your body healthy and your waistline naturally trim.

We say go crazy on the veggies and fruit, nuts, seeds, mushrooms and oily fish. As much as you like. Then moderation with whole grains and very sugary fruit like watermelons and dates.

Then heaps of moderation on red meat (once a week is a lot) and try avoid refined sugars and processed food altogether. That is the real bad stuff that will get you into trouble.

Then, of course, go organic as much as possible. Drink filtered water. Stay out of sun between 11am and 3pm.

Other things are more complicated to do. London has one of the highest rates of lung cancer and lung disease and this is directly related to the quality of air in the city. The solution – don’t live in ‘The Big Smoke’ too long?

Many specialists in the field of cancer control research now believe that chemicals present in food and the environment in general are responsible for 70 to 80 per cent of all cancers in humans; the remainder are believed to be caused by radiations, viruses or genetics. We have control over the dietary factors and staying on top of this means stronger cells and a stronger immune system, which then means your body can fight off the environmental cancer-causing free radicals much more effectively. All in all, the right diet means the chance of cancer and other chronic illnesses is reduced, which is a very good thing.

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It centres around one main ingredient – the sweet potato. The sweetness of this tuber, together with the curry powder, delivers an explosion of flavour as well as providing some amazing health benefits along the way.

Curcumin is the magical phytonutrient in turmeric, which is the main ingredient in curry powder and is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralise harmful cancer-causing free radicals, reduce inflammation, slow the growth of tumours and helps build up our immunity.

I like doubling this recipe so that I can freeze the left overs (which lasts well for up to 3 weeks). Enjoy!

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Taste wise, this creamy dish has an explosion of flavour thanks to the coconut milk, vegetable stock, smoked paprika and garlic. The spinach works as a good base with both the selenium-rich mushrooms and red onion whilst the walnuts add a real crunch to the dish. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, please feel free to leave out (but I think they really add something here). We love to serve this with cauliflower rice (but we add smoked paprika to the rice as it really gives it flavour).

Final tip: please ensure that you use good quality coconut milk (at least 75 percent coconut) and don’t forget to include our good friend the chia seed – as these bad boys help thicken the dish – just a little

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It is flavoursome, filling and you can adjust the spice according to your taste buds. Bursting with goodness, the courgette, carrot and cucumber are best spiralised, but if you do not have a spiraliser, just julienne them instead. Amazing on the digestive system and wonderful on the palette – enjoy!

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We are all about ‘good fats’ here at Haleo and thanks to the avo and the nuts we are ensuring that you get these too! In small sauce pan with 1 tsp. of coconut oil on a low heat, we gently toast the nuts for a few minutes which gives the dish a lovely crunch.

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But as the early years of 1900s passed, refined sugar became more accessible to the masses (at one stage white sugar was referred to as white gold because it was so rare). White flour was introduced as a cheaper way to feed the people, but detrimentally it replaced millet and spelt and other such “ancient grains”, which are high in fibre and packed with minerals. White flour, at its core, is an empty filler as its main purpose is to provide bulk and kill bugs.

During the First World War the need to supply loads of food to the troops on the front line without it going bad spawned the canning industry. Scientists at the time proposed that food could be made to last longer by removing it’s enzymes. They tried this and it worked, and and a very profitable idea came about – shelf life. What they didn’t realise at the time was that the enzymes they were removing played a key role in the digestive process in our bodies.

Shelf life is the driving force behind the food processing industry. The longer food lasts, the more profitable it is. Supermarkets caught onto this idea and food processing became more advanced. New ways of removing enzymes were discovered and the shelf life increased. Pasteurisation, chemical additives, bleaching, and other very naughty processes that devitaminise the food we put in our digestive system, were all refined to increase profits and maximise convenience – not for the good of our bodies.

ENZYMES

So what is an enzyme? The life functions of cells are controlled by enzymes and they are present in all living animal and plant cells. Enzymes are responsible for making seeds sprout, for turning leaves brown, and for keeping you alive. They are essential for every chemical reaction that happens in a cell and no living cell can exist without enzymes.

There are three very broad types of enzymes:

PLANT ENZYMES are responsible for the life cycle of the plant, including the decomposition process. They can be found in raw food from plants and it’s very important to include these foods in your diet so you’re not relying on only your own digestive enzymes to do all the work. With the natural plant enzymes contributing to your digestive processes, more of your own enzymes are free to perform other vital tasks within your body.

DIGESTIVE ENZYMES are found in your saliva, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. They break food down into particles that the body can use to produce energy. These particles are also broken down to make them small enough to be carried across your gut wall and used throughout your body.

METABOLIC ENZYMES keep the cells functioning around the clock. They speed up the chemical reactions that take place in our cells, making them run at their optimum best. They are responsible for our breathing, seeing, walking, thinking, our nerve transmission, brain signals, oxygen exchange, liver function, pH balance in the blood, and even for levelling out our hormones. Everything that happens in your body happens because enzymes are working to make it happen.

The molecule an enzyme reacts with is called a “substrate”. After the reaction the new substance is called a “product”. Enzymes can turn vitamins and minerals from the food we eat into energy the cells need to function at their peak.

Certain enzymes only work with certain substrates. Enzymes are very specific and usually only complete a certain task.

Plant enzymes are the major difference between living, natural, nutritious, wholesome food and dead, vitamin deprived, processed food.

Take a banana. Leave it in the fruit bowl for 4 weeks and what happens? It turns from green to yellow to black. It ripens, then it rots. Now take McDonalds fries and leave it out for a year. Guess what happens? That’s right, nothing. It doesn’t decompose, because it doesn’t have any enzymes in it.

The Happy Meal Project by Sally Davis. Left: The Happy Meal the day it was bought. Right:  The same Happy Meal 6 months later.

Photo: Sally Davis Photography

So when we eat processed food, like those McDonalds fries, the body has to rely solely on it’s own digestive enzymes to break that ‘food’ down into useable forms (even if those forms may not be that useable or useful). No matter how greasy, no matter how much extra cheese, or how much white sugar, or chemicals, no matter how indigestible a food is, your body’s enzymes will try to break it down. But, with hard to digest foods, this can put a lot of unnecessary demands on your natural digestive processes and your body’s resources.

Natural foods like fruits and vegetables are very easy on the body. These foods have their own enzymes which break down the food for you. The body doesn’t need to waste precious energy or produce powerful digestive acids to break these foods down and turn them into a useable form.

Our digestive enzymes can cope with a balanced diet, but if there is a constant flow of manmade, indigestible foods going into our system day after day, month after month, year after year, it begins to accumulate and overrun the system. Remember, our bodies aren’t used to our modern diets. Our ancestors never had to deal with crisps, chocolates, chicken nuggets, ice cream, canned food, pasta, pizza, biscuits, white bread, croissants, beer and all those other manmade indigestibles. The more enzymes we use for digestion, the less are available for the thousands of other tasks which the metabolic enzymes have to perform in our bodies. Think of people who are grossly overweight – they don’t function at their peak. In fact, some even battle to walk or even breathe. All their enzyme energy is spent trying to digest all the indigestible food that they keep sending down into their gut.

Our digestive system has developed from hundreds of thousands of years of animal evolution, originally for the purpose of breaking down plant-based food and the occasional animal protein. This new way of life is merely a blip on our digestive systems’ timeline. The cells lining the digestive system come into direct contact with the foods we eat and the substances contained in our food can affect those cells. Eventually, after years of our systems being subjected to this bombardment of unnatural rubbish, they can’t deal with all the muck and the undigested bits begin to rot, creating hundreds of toxins and free radicals. Then the rotting, undigested debris gets absorbed through the gut wall into the bloodstream and this is where the problems start. From there, these toxins can go anywhere in the body.

The first thing that happens once your system is overrun by toxins is your red blood cells start sticking together. This means they can’t circulate as freely as they normally would so they can’t carry oxygen to the rest of the body as easily anymore. They get stuck going through small blood vessels and block the flow – this leads to the tissues in your body becoming oxygen-deprived.

OXYGEN

Oxygen is absolutely vital to our survival, and in turn, our cells can’t function without it. Normal cells generate energy to grow and thrive inside tiny power stations called mitochondria, and they use oxygen to fuel the chemical reactions that take place there.

Cancer cells, on the other hand, don’t like oxygen very much and most cancers cannot exist well in an oxygen-rich environment. That is why you will never get cancer of the heart – the blood is too well oxygenated for cancer cells to grow.

So how do cancer cells get their energy if they don’t like oxygen? There are two ways for cells to harvest energy from food: cellular respiration and fermentation, which both start with a process called glycolysis, which very simply means turning glucose (sugar) into cell energy (HTP). Normal cells use mainly cellular respiration to harvest energy and this involves oxygen to fuel the reactions. But cancer cells are reprogrammed to change the way the cell functions, including how it harvests its energy. They go about powering the cell by a process called fermentation, which does not require any oxygen. In fact, the fermentation process actually removes oxygen. When you make alcohol, the sugars ferment, and when they ferment they bubble. Those bubbles are the oxygen leaving the party.

So sugar is a type of carbohydrate. Remember all that undigested processed food piling up in your digestive system and then making its way into the bloodstream? Most of that food was carbohydrate – corn flakes, crisps, cookies, cakes, white bread, pizza, french fries, candy and sugary drinks. All these half-digested carbohydrates that were sitting in your digestive system eventually get absorbed into your bloodstream and are circulated around the rest of your body, eventually finding a nice resting spot to settle and ferment. As this fermentation takes place, oxygen is burnt off, creating the kind of environment that cancer cells prefer.

On top of that, the white blood cells, which are supposed to circulate as the immune system, become trapped in all this debris. They are meant to be protecting your system from foreign invaders, as well as preventing the formation of cancer cells. This is when slip-ups happen, as your system simply can’t cope with the assault on the natural balance of things.

Poor oxygenation comes from a buildup of carcinogens and other toxins in the blood, which blocks and damages the cells’ oxygen respiration mechanism. Clumping up of red blood cells slows down the bloodstream and restricts the flow of oxygen to the rest of the body. This then allows fermentation in other parts of the body which creates an acidic, oxygen-free environment in which cancer cells thrive.

ACID vs ALKALINE

Processed food makes the blood more acidic. The lower the pH, the more acidic the blood is and the less oxygen it contains, and the faster a person ages and their cells degenerate. Human blood pH must be in the range of 7.3 – 7.45 – anything outside of that range and we’re dead. The difference between pH 7.3 and pH 7.45 is 70% less oxygen in the blood and, as we’ve just learnt, less oxygen is a very bad thing.

Acidic foods, as you might be able to guess by now, include meat, sugar, alcohol, dairy, white bread and other processed foods. Even emotional stress can raise the acidity in your body. If the body is too acidic it will try to naturally balance itself out, and if their aren’t enough minerals available in your food for it to do so, it will take the essential minerals from its own cells. This leaves the cells weak and vulnerable.

So, it’s important to try and keep our pH level as close to 7.45 as possible and we can do this by ensuring we eat plenty of alkaline foods. These are live, raw foods, especially green vegetables. Even a lemon which is very acidic outside your body becomes alkaline when fully metabolised in your body. You should also drink alkalised water to keep your pH levels balanced.

PLANT-BASED FOOD

This is where the real action is when it comes to providing your body with the fuel it needs to stay healthy. Natural, plant-based food is what humans have been eating for the last 200,000 years. They are packed with the nutrients and minerals the body and cells need to function at their peak. They don’t clog the system as their own enzymes help to break them down. Eating a diet made up primarily of these types of foods goes a long way towards helping you lead a healthy, disease-free life.

For a long time we thought fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals were all the nutrients our bodies required for growth and health, but now we know that there is a new group of nutrients, only found in plants, that hold very exciting prospects for our health and our immune systems. These nutrients are called Phytonutrients (or Phytochemicals). “Phyto” meaning plant and “nutrients” meaning nutrients.

PHYTONUTRIENTS

Phytonutrients occur naturally in plants and act as the plant’s own defence system. They protect the plant from it’s environment by stopping free radical attacks on its cells from ultraviolet radiation, toxins, pollution, viruses (similar to what that causes free radicals in humans) and of course natural predators. Phytonutrients are often concentrated in the skins of fruits and vegetables, and are responsible for their colour, scent and flavour. While our bodies can’t produce their own phytonutrients because they are unique to plants, we can still benefit from the incredible health and defensive properties of these plant nutrients. When we eat plants, their phytonutrients (along with all the good antioxidants in the plant) enter our bodies and strengthen our own immune system to protect our cells from harmful cancer-causing free radicals. The plant’s immune system becomes our immune system!

The Brassica (broccoli, kale and cabbage) and Allium (garlic, onion and leeks) vegetable families especially contain powerful phytonutrients that have shown an ability to kill cancer cells. There are numerous other types of whole foods that contain phytonutrients that are loaded with antioxidants that strengthen our immune system, keeping our cells strong which helps prevent cancer cells forming in the first place. Other foods clean out our digestive system by detoxing the liver and clearing the digestive tract. So the answer doesn’t lie in eating one special “superfood”, like broccoli or beetroot, but rather in many whole foods. An all-round diet of veggies, fruit, seeds and nuts, beans and lentils, mushrooms and oily fish is the key to maintaining this complicated balancing act, and all of these foods offer different benefits.

The estimated breakdown of causes of cancer is mostly environmental, partly diet related, and is hardly ever a result of genetics. We have control over the dietary influences and staying on top of this means stronger cells and a stronger immune system, which then means your body can fight off the environmental cancer-causing free radicals much more effectively. All in all, the right diet means a reduced risk of cancer, which is a very good thing.

So, when thinking about food choices we shouldn’t be focused on the calorie count or fat content –  we should rather ask ourselves, is my food natural or processed? Raw or cooked? Sprayed or organic? Does it contain saturated fats or unsaturated fats? Does it deliver its own enzymes? is it digestible or indigestible? These are the questions that will keep your body healthy and your waistline naturally trim.

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Moderate levels of stress make us alert by heightening our senses. This helps us perform better in certain circumstances such as public speaking or working to a tight deadline. Athletes use stress to run faster, jump higher and respond quicker. In the workplace, stress motivates productivity and the pressures we put on ourselves inspires progress and innovation to making things better and move things forward. So stress can be very useful and healthy.

However, stress can only be good if it doesn’t last long. Chronic stress can lead to headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, digestive problems, chronic low back pain, weight gain and a weakened immune system, which then opens the body up to many other illnesses and diseases. According to the American Institute of Stress, it’s the basic cause of 60% of all human illnesses and diseases which includes cancer and heart disease.

This is a human performance curve. The Yerkes–Dodson law dictates that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal (tension or stress), but only up to a point. When levels of stress become too high, performance drops and sickness follows.

BUT HOW CAN STRESS PHYSICALLY HARM THE BODY – ISN’T IT ALL IN THE MIND?

Harvard professor, Dr Walter Cannon, first suggested the flight or fight theory which is that, in times of perceived danger, the brain releases a cocktail of hormones into the bloodstream. This surge of hormones includes adrenaline and cortisol which help the body deal with the immediate perceived danger. Adrenaline raises the heart rate and increases blood pressure which helps with reaction time. Cortisol, a steroid hormone, releases glucose into the bloodstream which increases the amount of energy available to the muscles. All so you can either fight for your life or run for your life.

These stress hormones also shut down metabolic processes such as digestion, reproduction, growth and immunity. A good trade off, as your body’s attention is better served trying not be to killed than growing, digesting or ovulating.

Think about this, if a hunter shoots a deer and doesn’t kill it outright, the animal panics and tries to escape. If the hunter does eventually kill the deer, the stress hormones released into the animal’s body ruins the meat. Those are some powerful chemicals.

But, in today’s modern lifestyle, our stresses are a far cry from those of our ancestors. We are not dealing with attacks from savage warriors or having to run away from saber-toothed tigers.

We have everyday stresses like getting stuck in traffic, dealing with a nasty co-worker, worrying about an upcoming exam, not being able to pay a bill on time, or just being concerned about what other people are thinking of you. These situations trigger a negative emotion which our brains perceive as a threat and, unfortunately, we still react in the same way by secreting stress hormones into the body. On top of that, we don’t use up these hormones fighting or flighting, instead we are stuck in our cars in a traffic jam or trying to be as professional as possible at work, or we are clinging onto our grudges or grievances.

Over time these hormones build up and change the body’s biochemistry, interfering with sleep patterns, digestion, reproduction and, most importantly, disrupting the immune system, leaving the body unable to heal or defend itself.

We feel that one of the causes of Jon’s stomach cancer was the result of the stress he put himself under. Running his own law firm and keeping his finances in order. Making sure his staff were happy and they received their pay checks at the end of each month. Dealing with clients and their emotions that were projected onto him. All these things can trigger the stress response which then in turn leads to physical stress on the body.

THE RELAXATION RESPONSE

However, on the flip side to the ‘fight or flight’ stress response, is the relaxation response. When our beliefs are hopeful and optimistic, the brain releases health-inducing chemicals called endorphins which counter stress hormones. Endorphins interact with receptors in the brain reducing our perception of pain which is similar to the way in which morphine and codeine work. As well as being natural painkillers, they help with appetite, digestion, sleep and they boost the immune system. It is only in this rested, relaxed state that the body repairs itself, digests, reproduces and also grows. So changing your thoughts also changes the way your brain communicates with the rest of your body, altering the body’s biochemistry.

THE PLACEBO EFFECT

Tricking the mind into thinking the body is healing itself which leads to the body physically healing itself, is called the placebo effect. It is the belief you are getting the right treatment, and then expecting to get well from it. Placebos have been known to decrease blood pressure, heal ulcers, reduce inflammation, drop cholesterol levels, shrink tumours and even hair has been known to grow on a bald man’s head.

Sugar pills, saline injections and fake surgery used in clinical trials have all demonstrated that the mind has the power to heal, if it’s given the right intention or belief. Around 40% of people with an headache will find relief with a placebo sugar pill. Believing you feel differently can make you feel different.

Our bodies are self healing mechanisms. When we cut ourselves, our body will stop the bleeding, fight the infection and our skin will eventually repair itself. This works inside the body too. We are naturally wired to heal ourselves, we just need the right tools to keep everything under control… and by tools we mean ingesting essential nutrients from a healthy diet, regular exercise, maintaining a good body weight, getting enough sleep and having healthy, positive thoughts.

Our minds can make us sick, as well as heal us. Our feelings and beliefs affect every cell. We have the power to heal our body just by changing the way our mind thinks and ultimately feels – that’s such an empowering idea. Change your thoughts, change your biochemistry, change your health.

SO HOW DO WE CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK?

Well, this is the tricky bit. A lot of negative beliefs stem from childhood like being told you’re not good enough, that you’re weak or that you need to be successful before you can be happy. Your subconscious mind gets filled with false beliefs and, even by the age of 6, it’s hard to rewrite beliefs which have already been reinforced.

Stressful situations will always be there and we can’t change that. What we can change is how our brains perceive those situations and therefore, how we react to them. Recognising and understanding situations that trigger the stress response help how we consciously react to them and, eventually, rewire the brain to change how we feel about them. The operative word here is feel. The stress response will always trigger a feeling or emotion and that feeling or emotion will usually be based on fear.

Our stress triggers fall into 4 broad categories: novelty, unpredictability, loss of control and threats to the ego. In other words: something new that you haven’t experienced before, something unexpected which you had no way of knowing would happen, having no control over a situation and when your competence as a person comes into question.

If the stress response triggers, it is usually from one or more of these situations. So, the trick is to change the way our brain perceives these situations. If we can see stress in a positive light then it will become a challenge, instead of a threat.

LOVE AND FEAR

All emotions stem from either love or fear. Love centres around oneness with the universe and the understanding that everything is connected. Love is all encompassing and has no possession. Gratitude, empathy, happiness, compassion, fulfilment are all based on the emotion of love.

Fear centres around the self and the self’s own universe. Fear is based in the ego. Anger, resentment, greed, guilt and shame all come from the ego. Comparing oneself to others, feeling inadequate or hard done by, holding grudges and harbouring grievances, resenting other people’s successes, not saying no, being embarrassed about what car you drive or feeling guilty because you let someone down – all these feelings and situations centre around the self and the ego and they bring a whole lot of emotional stress along with them too.

There is a false belief that our external world can predict our happiness levels. The truth is that our main source of happiness is how the brain processes the world. We can remove a lot of these fears by reframing how we see situations and by not letting the ego take control. Comparing yourself to others, worrying about what other people think or what that horrible stranger said you on the train – that’s your ego talking.

You’ll find the lives of the people you compare yourself to aren’t the box of fluffy ducks which you see on Facebook. The person you worried about because you thought they may have a bad opinion of you, was actually not thinking about you at all. They were thinking of themselves and how they appeared to you! And that guy on the train had just had a fight with his wife and would have said what he said to anyone, you just happened to be there.

Taking things to heart will literally take them to your heart. So make sure what you are taking to your heart is worthwhile and true. The time you take to worry about threats to your ego is wasted and can be harmful to your body.

The stress caused by trying to succeed can be a killer. The idea that you need to be successful to be happy. In other words, the harder you work the more successful you’ll be and the more successful you are, the happier you’ll be. You can easily become a slave to this mantra because success is always over the horizon (along with happiness). When you achieve success, your brain just changes the goal posts as to what success looks like. You get the job you always wanted then you want a better job. Once you finally earn that salary, you’ll just want more. You’ll never be completely satisfied because the goal posts keep changing. You’re always waiting for something better to happen.

Jane and her Dad in Donegal, Ireland, circa July 2015. Visiting his great great grandfather’s family land and meeting up with old friends. Dad was so grateful he was able to come back.

The real joy in life is appreciating what you have. Beautiful relationships with family and friends, walks in nature, riding your bike down a hill with the wind blowing through your hair, having clean running water. There is a saying that goes, “comparison is the thief of all joy”. There will always be a Joe Soap next door who has more than you, but if you really want to compare your life then compare it to a family in Nepal who have lost family, friends and all their possessions to an earthquake, or Syrian refugees on Crete who have lost their country. Those are real stresses.

Syrian refugees fleeing their own country and after the Nepal earthquake

We are spiritual beings. Emotions are filters through which we see the world, they are not us nor a part of us. When you feel an emotion you don’t like, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “is this me or is this my ego talking again?”. If it’s your ego, then acknowledge the situation for what it is (it has nothing do with you, you’re just allowing yourself to take it personally), take that emotion by the scruff of it’s neck and then, as Elsa says, “let it go, let it go, don’t let your ego hold you back anymore” (or something like that).

Not being a slave to your ego is the most liberating feeling in the world. Once you lose your ego, you lose fear and then nothing can touch you. We need to get over ourselves, stop worrying about our bruised egos and stop taking everything so personally. We need to be grateful for how lucky we really are. The fact that we get to live on this earth is a privilege, a joy and everyday is a miracle to be be cherished and appreciated much more than it is. We must become positive and live in the present.

There are things we can do everyday to train our brains to become more positive. These simple things have been proven to help change the way our brains view the world.

SHOW GRATITUDE

Keep a gratitude journal and every morning write down 5 new things that you are grateful for. Do this everyday for 21 days in a row and by the end, your brain retains a pattern scanning the world for the positive rather than the negative. Writing a down a positive memory from the day before makes your brain relive that experience. This 2 minute exercise done everyday for 3 weeks can rewire your brain, allowing your brain to work more optimistically.

PRACTISE MEDITATION

Practising mediation keeps the mind focused on the present. This quietens down the brain and gives it a break from our culture of multitasking. This brings the brain’s attention to the moment and what you are doing then and there.

REGULAR EXERCISE

Have you ever noticed in times of stress how a run or trip to the gym calms you down and helps you feel more relaxed? Well, exercise is really helpful in reducing stress in the body. Firstly it releases mood-improving endorphins into the brain which boosts the immune system, but maybe more importantly, exercise burns off the excess stress hormones in the body.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

This could be as easy as sending an email thanking or praising someone. Maybe it’s a positive comment on what a work colleague is wearing, or a small thoughtful gift. Performing random acts of kindness trains the brain to consciously think of others instead of yourself.

By doing these activities you can train your brain (just like you train your body) to think in a positive and healthier way. You can make yourself sick when the mind thinks unhealthy thoughts, but you can also repair your body with healthy thoughts.

With this knowledge you can choose health. Choose to have positive thoughts, loaded with good intention, then focus those thoughts on your goals and dreams and who knows? The mind is a powerful tool that we CAN take control of.

The filters through which your brain views the world shapes your reality. If you change the filter, you can change your happiness, and your reality. If we try live our lives through filters of love and all the great emotions that come with it, our brains will release the good stuff responsible for digesting, growing, sleeping, learning, and improving your mood, and we will live much happier, and healthier lives.

Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. This is where dad triggers his relaxation response.

Here are some natural ways to help reduce stress and keep your body healthy.

EAT REAL, WHOLE FOODS

You’ve heard this one a lot if you’ve read anything else around here, but it rings true again. Getting the right fuel into your body is vital. Poor diets full of processed foods, sugars and chemicals put a tremendous strain on the body. The wrong carbs can cause insulin levels to rise and the wrong fats can put extra stress on the heart.

Antioxidants can help counteract the damage done by free radicals and stress hormones in the body. When stressed, the body actually sheds the potent antioxidant vitamin C, weakening the immune system even more. This is why you need to take an extra dose of this vitamin in times of stress to help prevent yourself from becoming physically ill. For a stress-reducing, body nourishing diet, focus on getting your nutrients from fresh, real whole foods in as close to their natural source as possible.

AVOID TOXINS

Much easier said than done. In our modern world, toxins are everywhere. In our food, water and air which leads to a toxic build up in the body. If the body is in a state of stress, the liver and kidneys are also not functioning optimally, making toxin removal even more difficult.

Try be as organic as possible by avoiding environmental toxins like pesticides and herbicides. Soak non-organic veggies in water and 2 caps of vinegar for an hour to help rid them of their toxins.

Drinking enough filtered water to make sure toxins are being flushed out.

DRINK FILTERED WATER

Very important, drink as much filtered water as possible. Every living organism needs water in order to function properly. 70% of our body mass is water and we need it to digest food, expel waste and flush out toxins. However the tap water, even in first-world countries like the UK, is treated with a large number of chemicals in order to kill bacteria and other microorganisms. In addition, it may contain other undesirable contaminants like toxic metal salts, hormones and pesticides. Those chemicals are carcinogenic and can alter human DNA, cause brain damage, Alzheimer’s and dementia and can put a strain on our bodies.

So always try drink filtered water. A mains filter is ideal because it picks up almost all the chemicals and metals, but at the very least use a filter jug. It will pick up most of the heavy metals in the water.

SLEEP

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep can help protect your mental health, physical health and overall quality of life. During sleep, your body goes to work repairing and maintaining your physical health. Lack of or interrupted sleep disrupts the balance of serotonin and melatonin hormone levels, making you groggy during the day and restless at night. Poor sleep can also leads to fatigue, brain fog, memory troubles, and more stress on the body. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

EAT GOOD FATS

Fats are present in every cell in your body and help with hormone production and the absorption of antioxidants. There are many kinds of fats, and while your body will use whatever it has, some are certainly more beneficial than others, and some are outright dangerous. Low-fat diets can actually put more stress on the body, as they don’t contain the nutrients needed for you to function at your peak.

Essential fatty acids found in beans, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables, eggs and oily fish like salmon and tuna will leave you upbeat and smiling. The EPA and DHA associated with omega-3 fatty acids act as antidepressants and you will be eating to reduce your risk of heart disease as well.

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This vegan friendly recipe celebrates the glorious brassica – the broccoli. This green gem has so many super-nutrients and is eaten in our household at least 4 times a week!

My Gran was also one of the only people who could make me eat my broccoli when I was a kid – so this hearty, nourishing soup is in honour of her!

The creaminess of this soup is achieved partly because of the chick peas – which I think works really well. This is a naturally thick dish – so please feel free to add water. It freezes well also (up to 3 weeks), so you can make up batches well in advance and pop them in the freezer to enjoy at a later date.

The post Deliciously creamy broccoli soup appeared first on Haleo.

It is a nourishing meal and a real ‘comfort’ sort of dish, to be enjoyed especially on a rainy day. Make sure the coconut milk you use contains at least 75% coconut. Enjoy x

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The post Beautifully spiced broccoli dal appeared first on Haleo.