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101 " They are both centered on plant-derived foods, such as grains and vegetables. By eating so much fiber and so little animal fat, their total cholesterol levels averaged under 150 mg/dL,6,7 similar to people who eat contemporary plant-based diets.8 "
― Michael Greger , How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
102 " Serving Sizes: ½ cup chopped ¼ cup brussels or broccoli sprouts 1 tablespoon horseradish Daily Recommendation: 1 serving per day "
103 " We eat almost as if the future doesn’t matter. And, indeed, there are actually data to back that up. A study entitled “Death Row Nutrition: Curious Conclusions of Last Meals” analyzed the last meal requests of hundreds of individuals executed in the United States during a five-year period. It turns out that the nutritional content didn’t differ much from what Americans normally eat.48 If we continue to eat as though we’re having our last meals, eventually they will be. "
104 " myeloma is one of the most dreaded cancers. It is practically incurable even with aggressive medical treatment. As myeloma cells take over the bone marrow, healthy white blood cells continue to decline in number, which increases your susceptibility to infection. Reduced levels of red blood cells can lead to anemia, and reduced platelet counts can lead to serious bleeding. Once diagnosed, most people survive fewer than five years.25 Multiple myeloma does not occur out of the blue. It appears to be nearly always preceded by a precancerous "
105 " If you chop the broccoli (or brussels sprouts, kale, collards, cauliflower, or any other cruciferous vegetable) and then wait forty minutes, you can cook it as much as you want. At that point, the sulforaphane has already been made, so the enzyme is no longer needed to achieve maximum benefit. It’s already done its job. (You can also buy bags of fresh greens and other crucifers that are prechopped or shredded, which can presumably be cooked immediately.) "
106 " Commercially produced frozen broccoli lacks the ability to form sulforaphane because the vegetables are blanched (flash-cooked) before they’re frozen for the very purpose of deactivating enzymes.11 This process prolongs shelf life, but when you take the veggies out of your freezer, the enzyme is inert. At that point, it doesn’t matter how much you chop or how long you wait—no sulforaphane is going to be made. "
107 " If you sprinkled some mustard powder on frozen broccoli that’s been cooked, would it start churning out sulforaphane? Yes! "
108 " Eventually, a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed comparing the efficacy of ginger for the treatment of migraine headaches to sumatriptan (Imitrex), one of the top-selling, billion-dollar drugs in the world. Just one-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered ginger worked just as well and just as fast as the drug (and costs less than a penny). Most migraine sufferers started with moderate or severe pain, but after taking the drug or the ginger, ended up in mild pain or were entirely pain-free. "
109 " a single fast-food meal—Sausage and Egg McMuffins were used in the original study—can stiffen your arteries within hours, cutting in half their ability to relax normally. "
110 " So, if you don’t have forty minutes to spare between chopping and cooking, or if you’re using frozen greens, just sprinkle the crucifers with some mustard powder before you eat them, and you’ll be all set. Daikon radishes, regular radishes, horseradish, and wasabi are all cruciferous vegetables and may have the same effect. All it appears to take is a pinch to revitalize sulforaphane production. "
111 " We don’t get reimbursed for time spent counseling our patients about the benefits of healthy eating. If doctors were instead paid for performance, there would be a financial incentive to treat the lifestyle causes of disease. Until the model of reimbursement changes, I don’t expect great changes in medical care or medical education.5 "
112 " To drastically reduce LDL cholesterol levels, you need to drastically reduce your intake of three things: trans fat, which comes from processed foods and naturally from meat and dairy; saturated fat, found mainly in animal products and junk foods; and to a lesser extent dietary cholesterol, found exclusively in animal-derived foods, especially eggs.26 "
113 " petri dish. Without any intervention, the cancer cells quadrupled within a few days—that’s how fast this cancer can grow. But when a little curcumin was added to the broth they were bathing in, the myeloma cells’ growth was either stunted or stopped altogether.30 As we’ve discovered, stopping cancer in a laboratory is one thing. What about in people? In 2009, a pilot study found that half (five out of ten) of the subjects with MGUS who had particularly high abnormal antibody levels responded positively to curcumin supplements. "
114 " Thousands of edible mushrooms grow naturally, with worldwide annual commercial production in the millions of tons.71 But check the nutrition label on a carton of mushrooms and you won’t see much beyond some B vitamins and minerals. Is that all mushrooms have? No. What you don’t see listed is the array of unique myconutrients that may boost our immune function.72 "
115 " horseradish has the smallest serving size, which means it’s the most concentrated of the cruciferous vegetables. One tablespoon and your Daily Dozen is down to an Everyday Eleven. Horseradish can be made into a sauce, relish, or dressing to score an extra check mark with a kick. It’s great in mashed potatoes or, for a healthier option still, mashed cauliflower. "
116 " What are some of the truly potassium-rich foods? The healthiest common whole-food sources are probably greens, beans, and sweet potatoes.28 "
117 " JeffNovick.com "
118 " I slice raw cauliflower into “steaks,” roast at 400°F for about a half hour, and then smother it in a lemon-tahini sauce. Sometimes I go minimalist and just sprinkle on lemon juice, zest, capers, and garlic. "
119 " There are thousands of recipes online. I recommend starting with Ann Esselstyn’s recipe on her son Rip’s website, Engine2Diet.com.16 With kale chips, the more you snack, the healthier you are. "
120 " Another option for athletes who want to sustain their immune function is nutritional yeast. A 2013 study reported that you may more effectively maintain your levels of white blood cells after exercise by consuming a special type of fibre found in baker’s, brewer’s, and nutritional yeast.67 Brewer’s yeast is bitter, but nutritional yeast has a pleasant, cheese-like flavor. It tastes particularly good on popcorn. The study found that after two hours of intense cycling, the number of monocytes (another type of immune system white blood cell) in subjects’ bloodstreams took a dip. But those who were given the equivalent of about three-quarters of a teaspoon of nutritional yeast before they exercised ended up with even higher levels of monocytes than when they started working out.68 "
