Yours truly; Jin Sun - who healed most of her chronic pain by eating mostly whole plants foods (and as a side effect dropped 30 pounds!); Cryder - my BFF and Elleās mule; and the most blessed girl enjoying the city life with her parents and second mama. š
Weāre back home now and what an epic summer holiday we had in one of the greatest cities on the planet - Toronto (meaning āplentyā).
š± T Colin Campbellās 8 Principles of Food and Health
PRINCIPLE #5:
āNutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals.ā
This means that food can control (ie. stop, reverse, and heal) the debilitating harm that poisonous chemicals do to our bodies. Food is incredibly powerful and fast-acting medicine.
For this principle, Dr. Campbell specifically speaks to cancer - one of his specialties.
In his book, The China Study, he basically says that many of us could have cancerous cells (from our genetics) either laying dormant (and therefore not a threat), ignited and activated to grow (stage 1), growing (stage 2), or the most dangerous stage, proliferation (stage 3 and 4) when the cancerous cells have spread to other parts of the body, also known as āadvancedā or āmetastaticā cancer.
He (and many other scientists) claim that these cancerous cells grow and spread typically over many years because of what we feed them. Over the 10 years Iāve been engrossed in plant-based nutrition, it always points back to highly acidic foods that feed cancerous cells - highly processed animal foods like hot dogs and deli meats, and hard cheeses like delicious parmesan are the worst offenders because of their extremely high acid load.
What starves cancerous cells so they donāt grow?
Whole plant foods.
Any of them.
In particular, cruciferous veg like broccoli, arugula, radish, and sprouts!
Sulforaphane is a phytochemical (plant chemical or nutrient that affects ALL major and minor metabolic pathways) thatās been studied for its powerful effects of killing cancerous cells. Itās abundant in broccoli sprouts specifically and can be exponentially more effective than mature broccoli.
Iām slightly obsessed with fresh toasted bread, a little Vegenaise, fresh tomatoes or cucumbers (or both), lightly salted with lots of freshly cracked black pepper, and topped with a generous heaping of broccoli sprouts. Never knew I could love these little sprouts so much - theyāre crunchy, energizing (surprisingly), nourishing, and knowing theyāre so powerful makes me even happier to eat them.
What Iāve always found fascinating about plant-based nutrition is that plant-based doctors and scientists say that almost all chronic illnesses today can be controlled (stopped, reversed, healed!) with the power of whole plant foods (and avoiding all animals and processed foods). The only caveat is cancer because at stage 4, thatās when things get tricky and thereās no guarantee of survival. But why not try? Beautifully strong humans like Kris Carr give me hope that others with stage 4 cancer can continue to live vibrant lives and live past their āexpiry dateā.
Thankfully there are brilliant scientists all around the world working on new advancements and drugs. Iām a believer in both modern science and the incredible power of Nature.
The easiest way to protect ourselves is to get the food in us - whole plant foods.
š„ Modern and realistic vacation eating
This image summarizes how I successfully ate my way through Toronto having all my fun breaking bread with friends old and new, and even maintained my weight! (Even I get surprised by the power of plants, and a little exercise.)
My metabolic age went up and I attribute that to all the vino. And it was worth it! Mainly because I know how to get it back down again. (See weekly menu below.) š
āØ Weekly High: Connection
The greatest thing we have in this life are the moments of connection we feel with one another.
I was looking forward to basking in the energy of my friends (oh, it was nourishing and filled my heart!) but what I didnāt see coming was the reconnection I experienced with Cryder.
Iāve always known that distance really does make the heart grow fonder (when we have at least some level of awareness) and a couple of weeks apart really did it for us. Elle and I were in Canada first, then Cryder met us there.
Hopefully we keep this renewed connection going. Our solution: create a new ritual between us that includes some fun and play.
š Low
When I was saying bye to my Mom, she burst into tears and sobbed in my arms. Is there anything worse than seeing your Mom like this?
I held her tight, rubbed her back and reassured her that everythingās going to be okay. (We have illness in our family and the ongoing caretaking and worry my Umma undergoes is crushing.)
Of course I have no idea what will happen and know realistically more heartache is imminent but in that moment, I wanted to give her some comfort. She believed me so thatās what matters.
š¦ Lessons
As much as my Momās caused her share of harm, sheās treated me like a freaking queen. Motherly love is a luxury and in every opportunity, we should reciprocate as best as we can.
Despite that, this trip was one of the best holidays Iāve had. I normally include binging on food as part of a great holiday but Iāve learned that itās not food that makes a vacay great, itās the people and moments we share together, making new memories.
I didnāt miss out on a thing by not gorging on the richest of foods. (I enjoyed enough, just the right amount.) I love celebrating with food but Iāve learned that great times can be had without it too.
š Week 19: Cruciferous-town
This week and in fact my motto for the year is to be gentler to myself and extend more grace. Itās been nonstop this week since weāve returned so Iāll keep things pretty basic.
In that vein, Iāll simply repeat most of last weekās meal plan and tweak it to add more cruciferous, sulforaphane-rich plant power!
I welcome questions, feedback, boos, cheers, and any level of connection with you too.
Cheers to a great week ahead. š