Cancer Fighting Foods

Cancer-Fighting Foods

Many of us have been – or will be – affected by cancer. The statistics are sobering. Nearly half the men and about a third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Every year 10 million people in the world develop cancer; and seven million deaths are caused by the disease. This is 12 percent of all reported deaths on Earth.

The good news is that there is something we can do about it. Individual lifestyle choices play a major role in the risk of developing cancer. The role of diet and cancer has been researched since the 1940s. In Western countries, over 30% of all cancers have been estimated to be directly or indirectly linked to dietary factors. Cancers particularly sensitive to dietary factors include breast, colon, prostate bladder, and lung cancers.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”Foods to Fight Cancer: Essential Foods to Help Prevent Cancer, by Richard Beliveau PhD and Denis Gingras Phd.” full_quote=”Recent studies establish a close relationship between the lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet and an increase in the rate of certain cancers. A significant intake of fruits and vegetables leads to marked decrease in the risk of developing cancer. In general, individuals consuming the fewest vegetables have about twice the chance of developing certain cancers than people who consume greater quantities of these foods. Radically modifying our diet must be the goal of any preventive strategy to reduce the number of cancers. A diet based on regular intake of the right foods is indispensable to fighting cancer. Enjoying a diverse, balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables is a simple and effective way of significantly reducing the risk to developing cancer.” short_quote=”Recent studies establish a close relationship between the lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet and an increase in the rate of certain cancers.”]

Recent scientific advancement in anti-cancer research has identified specific foods that offer powerful protection against cancer. These foods are essential for prevention of cancer and also increased odds of survival after diagnosis. In particular cruciferous vegetables (kale, spinach, cabbage, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) seem to contain the most potent anti-cancer substances of all types of vegetable providing mechanisms that may protect against cancer including:

  • inhibition of angiogenesis (blood vessel formation important for tumor growth)
  • detoxification or removal of carcinogens (like heterocyclic amines)
  • inhibition of cancer cell growth
  • promotion of cancer cell death
  • prevention of DNA damage by carcinogens.

Other potent cancer fighting foods include onions, beans, berries, seeds and nuts. Beans in general are beneficial for protecting against reproductive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.

[su_expanding_quote_web alignment=”right” source_site=”Dr. Fuhrman” source_url=”Source URL” full_quote=”Cruciferous vegetables including kale, cabbage, collards, broccoli, and several others contain the most potent anti-cancer substances of all types of vegetables. Human studies show a huge protective effect; people who were regular consumers of these foods had approximately 60 percent less cancer. For example, in one prospective study, one or more servings per week of cabbage reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 38%.30 This was only one serving a week, which demonstrates that dramatic protection is available and real when a diet is ideally designed. The regular consumption of mushrooms has been demonstrated to decrease risk of breast cancer by over 60 percent.31 Onions, berries, seeds and beans also have dramatic beneficial effects.32 Beans in general, not just soy, are beneficial for protecting against reproductive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.33” short_quote=”Human studies show a huge protective effect; people who were regular consumers of these foods had approximately 60 percent less cancer. “][/su_expanding_quote_web]

Based on all my reading, I choose to eat a plant-rich daily diet:

  • minimizing meat and dairy
  • increasing consumption of greens (kale, spinach, Romaine, collard greens) and cruciferous ( broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts), onions, beans, berries, seeds and nuts
  • eating a wide range of colorful fruits and other vegetables (sweet potatoes and pumpkins, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers and citrus
  • enjoying whole grains in breakfast or dinner
  • drinking less coffee and more green tea
  • keeping foods made with white sugar and white flour for special treats and not every day

For further health empowerment:

Eat for Health – The Anti-Cancer Diet

Reduce Your Risk of Cancer by Making Better Food Choices

Diet and Physical Activity: What is the Cancer Connection

 

Delicious Cancer Fighting Recipes

African Coconut Soup with Chickpeas

Spicy Kale and Garbanzo Stew

Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Apple and Walnuts

Spinach, Grated Broccoli and Grape Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SuperFoods: The backbone for a healthy life

Superfoods are nutrient-dense (lots of nutrition per calorie) whole foods. These are the foundation for my cooking. And in my world, food must be delicious, let’s take these wonderful Mother Nature foods and create meals we love to eat.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”SuperFoods Rx” full_quote=”Food is pleasure. When you sit at the table you’re not a patient, you’re a person. Eating should be a satisfying part of your life” short_quote=”Eating should be a satisfying part of your life”]

We all know the macronutrients – carbs, proteins, and fats. But it’s the lesser-known micronutrients that seem to really boost our health. I think they also significantly increase flavor and color in our food.

Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (phyto from the Greek word “plant”). Phytonutrients have significant health benefits:

  • Facilitate the ability of our cells to communicate with one another
  • Have anti-inflammatory abilities
  • Can prevent mutations at the cellular level and prevent the proliferation of cancer cells

For a crash course in superfoods, here are my notes from the book SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods that Will Change your Life” by Steven Pratt MD and Kathy Matthews.

Some foods are proven to help prevent cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, and dementia. These nutrient-rich foods should be the backbone of our daily diet.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”SuperFoods Rx” full_quote=”The right foods can actually change the course of your biochemistry. They can help to stop damage at the cellular levels that can develop into disease…Their effects on your body make the difference between the development of chronic disease and a vigorous extended life. They can prevent or greatly reduce your risk of vision problems, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and a host of other killers.” short_quote=”The right foods can actually change the course of your biochemistry.”]
  1. Beans: Pinto, navy, Great Northern, lima, garbanzo, lentils, green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas.
  • lower cholesterol; combat heart disease, stabilize blood sugar, relieve constipation, diverticular disease, hypertension and type II diabetes.
  • deliver a healthy dose of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, a mineral and electrolyte combination associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and hypertension.
  • may help prevent cancer; beans contain phytoestrogens called “lignins” that may reduce the risk of cancer associated with estrogen levels
  1. Berries: purple grapes, cranberries, raspberries, currants, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, all berries fresh, frozen or dried.
  • high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients – key players in neutralizing free-radical damage to cells and tissues
  • seem to slow and even reverse degenerative diseases associated with an aging brain
  • provide antioxidant known as ellagic acid that seem to blocks metabolic pathways that can promote cancer
  1. Cruciferous: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, Swiss chard
  • lower the risk of cancer
  • boost the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones
  • bone builders
  • rich source of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that help prevent heart disease
  1. Whole-grains: oats, brown rice, barley, whole-wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur, quinoa, kamut, wild rice, spel and couscous
  • lower risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis
  • can reduce risk of cancer
  • benefit the heart, reducing risk of heart strokes, coronary artery disease and lower blood pressure
  1. Citrus: orange, lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes
  • inhibit cancer cell growth, protect DNA, promote cardiovascular health, act as anti-inflammatory and are antimicrobial.
  • contain anticancer agents, the anticancer power of oranges is most effective when the whole fruit is eaten
  1. Pumpkin: carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers
  • pack an abundance of disease-fighting nutrients including potassium, magnesium and vitamins C and E.
  • contain synergistic combination of carotenoids (phytonutrient) that protect from free radicals, modulate our immune response.
  • decrease the risk of various cancers, lower rates of heart disease and decrease risk of cataracts and molecular degeneration
  1. Salmon: Alaskan halibut, canned tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, oysters and clams
  • rich in Omega-3 which reduces risk of coronary artery disease, controls hypertension , prevents age-related macular degeneration, mitigates autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, relieves depression mental problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity, dementia and Alzheimer’s
  • canned wild Alaskan salmon is a great budget-conscious option, also canned tuna or canned sardines.
  1. Soy: tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso
  • can help prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis as well as help relieve menopausal and menstrual symptoms
  • avoid processed soy foods; read food labels!
  1. Spinach: kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, romaine lettuce
  • protect the eye from harmful light rays and help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts
  • prevent oxidized cholesterol from building up in blood vessel walls, and reduce risk of heart disease
  • stabilize blood sugar, play an anti-aging role and enhance the immune system
  • studies found that the more spinach consumed, the lower the risk of almost every type of cancer; phytochemical protect our DNA, repair damaged DNA, promote healthy cell replication, boost the immune system, detoxifies pollutants, and reduces chronic inflammation
  1. Tomatoes: red watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya, guayava, persimmons
  • studies have shown that the higher the tomato intake, the lower the cancer risk, particularly prostrate cancer
  • canned, tomato sauce and paste are also effective
  1. Turkey
  • has niacin, vitamins B6 and B12 good for energy production. Niacin seems to lower the risk of heart attacks
  • rich in zinc, critical for a healthy immune system
  • good source of selenium (mineral), critical to thyroid hormone metabolism, and immune function
  1. Walnuts: almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachio nuts
  • can reduce risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
  • nuts are high in calories but have extraordinary health benefits, eat in moderation. Add a few nuts to your daily diet, substituting for other foods, like cheese
  1. Yogurt and kefir
  • provide a range of health benefits that include live active cultures, protein, calcium and B vitamins which work together
  • strengthen the immune system and help prevent infection and inflammation
  • help absorb nutrients
  • effective health-promoting yogurt must contain live active cultures. Check the labels, the more beneficial cultures listed, the better
  • buy plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt instead of flavored yogurts which are high in sugar and additives
  1. Tea
  • tea has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cavity, anti-allergy properties
  • a daily tea habit promotes health and prevents disease
  • can decrease risk of cancer by inhibiting formation and growth of tumors, prevent cell mutation and deactivate carcinogens.
  • tea consumption is associated with lowered risk of heart disease and stroke; also plays a role in keeping the lining of blood vessels plaque free, which lessens risk of coronary heart disease

For more information about super foods

Webmed: Super Foods for Optimal Health

Drink Milk?

When she was two years old, an eye infection puffed our daughter’s eyes almost shut. Her pediatrician and a pediatric eye specialist prescribed antibiotics and steroid eye creams. Finally, an acupuncturist trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine—who was treating my father—checked her eye, tongue and pulse and said unequivocally that she was sensitive to dairy. I looked at him with blatant disbelief. He responded, “Try it—eliminate dairy for fourteen days.”

Time repeatedly proved an unquestionable link between my daughter’s eye infections and dairy consumption convincing us to remove dairy from our refrigerator and diet. Worried that she wouldn’t get adequate nutrition (calcium and protein) without dairy, I read about dairy and health. This is what I found:

  1. Milk and protein

I didn’t find any supporting evidence that milk is a good source of protein. On the contrary, the primary protein in milk (casein) seems to cause health problems.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”What To Eat, Marion Nestle” full_quote=”Cow’s milk contains at least five kinds of proteins that can cause allergic reactions in children and adults who are sensitive to them. Even if milk proteins do not cause allergies, they could cause problems of “cross-reactivity. This means that your body might have an immune reaction to milk proteins… This could cause you to develop an autoimmune disease.” short_quote=”Cow’s milk contains at least five kinds of proteins that can cause allergic reactions”]
  1. Milk and calcium.

I discovered that milk is not necessarily the best source of calcium. What’s more, average US dairy consumption can leach calcium from our bones.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”Cancer Battle Plan, Anne Frahm” full_quote=”When we consume dairy products, we are draining our bodies of their calcium stores. Milk and cheese are extremely acidifying in our systems. To counterbalance this effect, our bodies compensate by alkalinizing it with calcium from our own bones. A much better source of calcium would be raw sesame seeds sprinkled on our salads. Other great sources of calcium are kelp, leafy greens, figs, dates and prunes. Raw nuts are excellent source not only of calcium but protein as well.” short_quote=”When we consume dairy products, we are draining our bodies of their calcium stores”] [su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”What to Eat, Marion Nestle” full_quote=”We don’t need dairy products to get sufficient calcium. Vegetables, beans, fruits, and nuts are rich sources of calcium, potassium, vitamin K, magnesium, and vegetable protein, as well as the phytochemicals and micronutrients that are gaining recognition to be important for bone strength. Green vegetables, in particular have a powerful effect on reducing hip fractures, they are not only rich in calcium, but other nutrients as well, such a vitamin K, which is crucial for bone health. Those who eat the most fruits and vegetables have denser bones.” short_quote=”We don’t need dairy products to get sufficient calcium”]

The more I read, the more committed I’ve become to organic dairy. The massive amounts of antibiotics used on dairy cows increase (human) resistance to antibiotics to the point antibiotics become ineffective when ill health requires them. Add to that the misery of overcrowded cows being injected biweekly in their udders …I don’t want to be part of that.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link source=”What to Eat, Marion Nestle” full_quote=”To increase profits, the dairy industry consolidated operations. This means fewer farms and fewer cows must produce more milk, which creates a snowball of issues: growth hormones, antibiotics to treat skin infections from biweekly hormone injections, udder infections from forcing the cows to produce more milk than is normal, crowded conditions which means infections spread faster – all of which means a dramatic increase in antibiotics as a standard procedure. The crowded conditions have an environmental impact and inhumane treatment of the cows. Their wastes are more concentrated; they can spread infections more easily, and need to be treated with antibiotics more often. Antibiotics and hormones can get into the milk, and perhaps infect human health.” short_quote=”Antibiotics and hormones can get into the milk, and perhaps infect human health”]
  1. Milk and health.

I sought evidence that milk and dairy are necessary to our health. I was astonished to find that milk is NOT necessary to our health. What’s more, it can actually cause health problems.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link source=”The China Study, Colin Campbell Phd and Thomas Campbell II MD” full_quote=”Consuming cow’s milk is strongly linked to multiple sclerosis (MS)… The progression of MS is greatly reduced by a low-saturated fat diet…Knowing the strength of evidence against animal foods, cow’s milk in particular, for both MS and Type 1 diabetes, we need to begin thinking about food and its relationship to a much broader group of autoimmune diseases.” short_quote=”Knowing the strength of evidence against animal foods, cow’s milk in particular, for both MS and Type 1 diabetes, we need to begin thinking about food”]

There’s a lot of information linking milk/dairy products with cancer, particularly prostate and breast cancer.

“Several lines of evidence indicate that consumption of dairy products is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Avoidance of these products may offer a means of reducing risk of this common illness.”

http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/milk-consumption-and-prostate-cancer

My conclusions:

  • There’s no compelling health reason to drink cow’s milk. We can get calcium from other sources, particularly green leafy vegetables, beans and seeds.
  • Cow’s milk and dairy is an occasional, rather than daily item in our house. I prefer it in my coffee to non-dairy milks. We enjoy real butter on our toasts a couple times a month and plain Greek yogurt occasionally with granola or a drizzle of honey, or a dollop on chili or tagines (Moroccan stew).
  • When I purchase milk/dairy products, I choose organic because I know the cows are never treated with hormones, nor antibiotics (except to treat disease and organic dairies must then wait before allowing milk from antibiotic-treated cows back into the food supply.)
  • My favorite alternative to cow’s milk is almond milk to use in oatmeal, granola and smoothies. Every now and again we have soymilk; I’m cautious about soy because of GMO issues and because most soymilk is highly processed.

For more information about calcium and bone health see

 Protect Yourself Against Osteoporosis

http://www.drfuhrman.com/disease/Osteoporosis.aspx

 

Milk: Is it the Elixir We’ve Been Sold?

http://nutritionstudies.org/milk-the-elixir-weve-been-sold/

 

Twelve Facts about Milk

I’m cautious about claims that seem extreme, but find this article relevant because by being informed we become better consumers

http://nutritionstudies.org/12-frightening-facts-milk/

 

Wondering why we think dairy is so important? It’s highly politicized; so much money is spent by the dairy industry which spills into government policies and FDA guidelines.

Whitewashed: How Industry and Government Promote Dairy Junk Foods

http://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/2014/06/11/whitewashed-how-industry-and-government-promote-dairy-junk-foods/

To learn more about the dairy industry and politics, Marion Nestle’s website is a powerful resource

http://www.foodpolitics.com

Raising Great Foodies

“What do you want to eat on your birthday?” I asked.“Sushi, spinach and Brussels sprouts,” she responded without hesitation. My three-year old toddler was turning four.

People always ask me, how did that happen; how do you get her to eat everything? The answer is: that’s the way she’s eaten since she first began (with solid foods at six months of age).

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Norah O’Donnell” source_title=”Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for your Baby and Toddler” affiliate_link=”http://amazon.to/tocome” full_quote=”Making fresh baby food is pretty simple stuff. In fact, it is really easy and can take less than an hour every two weeks to prepare. You can make two week’s worth of wholesome food in less an one hour a week. There’s no better way to build a foundation for a lifetime of healthy living. Bad eating habits are learned early. It starts with infants and toddlers and the fast-food instinct of feeding from a jar.” short_quote=”Making fresh baby food is pretty simple stuff”]

My “recipe” in producing a great foodie is:

  • Make good food, pleasing to look at and pleasing to eat. I promised myself I’d never make her eat anything I wouldn’t want to eat. Have you ever tasted Gerber baby food? Yuck. Try fresh pureed peas. Yum. Homemade baby food can be less expensive than store-bought baby foods, which is also cooked at such a high temperature that many of the nutrients and flavor are lost.
  • Introduce a wide range of vegetables and fruits over the first two years of life, from peas and sweet potatoes to cauliflower and mango
  • Demonstrate by example how delicious it is, licking our own spoons and “ummm, yummm, yummm” making it tantalizing, and when she got a spoonful, “yummy yum yumm”, huge positive reinforcement
  • Sit at the table together and eat the same things, hers was pureed the first year, but by her second year, she was eating the same food we were, and I always have an eye on boosting the nutritional and delicious factor of every meal by incorporating several vegetables and fruit
  • Talk about what we’re eating, how it grew, the vitamins it has, how our body is loving it, how it will make us healthy, how we are so lucky to eat such delicious food
  • If she rejects something, I find a new way to re-introduce it (mixed with other vegetables she likes, or with rice or oatmeal). Sometimes we’d leave the disliked vegetable, but it’d eventually come back at a later time. If at first I didn’t succeed, I tried, tried again.
  • Rather than “I don’t like” or more importantly, “you don’t like” it was “you’re not in the mood for this today”, creating the possibility that she could be in the mood another day. This mental shift is even more relevant today as a four-year old when she is starting to experience to peer pressure.
  • Get her involved in making meals. At 18 months she would grab handfuls of mixed greens and cut up strawberries to put in a salad bowl, periodically stuffing a handful into her mouth. By two, she was helping make berry muffins, apple pancakes, and spinach quiche, helping herself to berries, apples (and yes, pancake dough). I measure the ingredients, she pours them into the bowl and we take turns mixing.
[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Andrew Weil, M.D.” source_title=”The Healthy Kitchen” affiliate_link=”http://amazon.to/tocome” full_quote=”Eating habits develop early in life. Involve children in food preparations. Kids love to help in the kitchen, and by having a hand in the creation of meals, they are more likely to want to try new foods, to develop a love of cooking and to discover the joy of making and eating good food.” short_quote=”Eating habits develop early in life”]

My life is so much easier, and I believe she is so much healthier because she eats what we eat and delights in vegetables and fruits. At the Saturday Farmer’s Market she dances up and down following her eyes, exclaiming, “Beets! Broccoli! Purple Carrots!” It’s huge fun. Inevitably she wants to take home more than we can eat in a week, and I have to rein in her enthusiasm.

As parents we have a wonderful opportunity to raise children who will intentionally choose nutritious food because it’s delicious. Like a pebble in a pond, making wise food choices day by day will lead to better health and also helps them become better citizens of the earth. Giving children the ability and desire to eat well is a lifetime legacy both for them and for our planet.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Pamela Druckerman” source_title=”Bringing Up Bebé, One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting” affiliate_link=”http://amazon.to/tocome” full_quote=”Americans tend to regard vegetables as obligatory vitamin-delivery devices. Although we are desperate for our kids to eat vegetables, we don’t always expect them to. French parents treat their légumes (vegetables) with a whole different level of intention and commitment. They describe the taste of each vegetable and talk about their child’s first encounter with celery or leeks as the start of a lifelong relationship. Vegetables—and also fruits—are the building blocks of their children’s incipient culinary education and a way of initiating them into the richness of taste. Parents take for granted that while kids will prefer certain tastes to others, the flavor of each vegetable is inherently rich and interesting and see it as their job to bring the child around to appreciating this. They believe that just as they much teach the child how to sleep, how to wait, how to say bon jour , they must teach her how to eat.” short_quote=”Americans tend to regard vegetables as obligatory vitamin-delivery devices. Although we are desperate for our kids to eat vegetables, we don’t always expect them to. French parents treat their légumes (vegetables) with a whole different level of intention and commitment”]

Some recipes to cultivate foodies:

100 Days of Real Food: Green Eggs and Ham
Epicurous: Very Berry Muffins
Weelicious: Spinach Pesto on Rice

Additional Resources

Weelicious: Homemade Baby Food
Weelicious: 5 Ingredient or Less Homemade Toddler Recipes
100 Days of Real Food: Ten Recipes to Cook with Your Kids
100 Days of Real Food: Kids Cook: A Summer Activity

Color My Food

My zeal for incorporating a wide range of fruits, vegetables and grains in my food stems from Bolivia, the land of my birth, and from my mother. Add to that a serious amount of reading on food and health.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”left” source_author=”Andrew Weil, M.D.” source_title=”The Healthy Kitchen” affiliate_link=”http://amzn.to/1Qcd1AU” full_quote=”Each time we eat, we have an opportunity to nourish the body, delight the sense, and calm the mind. It is a shame to waste those opportunities by eating food that is neither healthful nor delicious.” short_quote=”Each time we eat, we have an opportunity to nourish the body”]

My family roots in the Cochabamba valley date to the founding of the Republic of Bolivia in 1825. The agricultural fertility of this valley made it important to two empires,—its diversity of potatoes, corn, fruits, and vegetables is almost beyond belief.

When the silver mines of Potosi gave it a population larger than London or Paris in the 17th century and produced extraordinary wealth for the Spanish Empire, it was Cochabamba that produced the wheat, corn, fruit and vegetables for its consumption.

Prior to the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores, Cochabamba was important to the Incan Empire (that reached from Ecuador to Argentina) for its rich agricultural production. Evidence of human settlement stretches extends way back to the Neolithic period, demonstrating the agricultural advantages of this valley.

Within Bolivia, Cochabamba is famous for its delicious food. And rumor has it that the open-air market in this city of eternal spring is the largest in the world. Just an aisle of potatoes is a marvel to walk through—a fascinating array of shapes and colors with an extraordinary diversity of taste and texture, more than 300 species. The fruit section is a photographer’s delight, indescribable colors and shapes.

Growing up in my beloved Cochabamba, lunch always began with soup, made with homemade stock, grains and fresh vegetables, followed by Segundo (second dish), usually a portion of meat (generally beef, chicken or pork), a side of potato or rice (often both!, a quirk of Bolivian food) and a salad of lettuce and tomatoes.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”David Heber, M.D.” source_title=”What Color is Your Diet?” affiliate_link=”http://amzn.to/1Qcdd3g” full_quote=”Each colored fruit or vegetable provides a unique benefit to the diet, so you don’t want to eat only fruits and vegetables of a single color. Each fruit or vegetable—whether red, yellow, green or purple—provides a benefit that is sometimes concentrated in a particular part of the body or uses a specific pathway within your body to provide its healthful effects.” short_quote=”Each colored fruit or vegetable provides a unique benefit to the diet”]

My mother was from legendary Salzburg, Austria. Her Austrian school education included thorough training in culinary arts. Her ability and activity in the kitchen was a childhood cornerstone and shaped my own aptitude and enjoyment in the kitchen. To this day, cooking connects me with my mother, whom I miss madly although she’s been gone more than twenty years.

Austria’s rich cuisine results from its history as a multi-national empire, where numerous cultures contributed their own nuances. Daily meals traditionally are also based on fresh, seasonal produce and characterized by diversity: broth based soups and hearty stews, roasted meats in cream sauces, tasty dumplings, warm and cold salads and a heavenly array of scrumptious pastries.

Childhood memories intertwine food, family love, and happiness. My exuberant enthusiasm for feeding everyone who comes into our home surely comes from Abita, my paternal grandmother who gathered her five children and their families every Sunday afternoon for tea.

My wish is to pass on the pleasure of good food colored by fruits and vegetables that also contributes to good health. And that it be enjoyed in the company of those you love.

Dive into the recipes, try out the menus, and cultivate health and happiness through good eating!