Eat Well, Be Well

Your Mom was right. You need to eat your vegetables. And your fruit. Consuming a healthy diet is one of several lifestyle habits that researchers maintain are correlated to a reduced risk of certain types of cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends consuming 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. That's about 2 ½ cups of crunchy, colorful and cruciferous foods. Think like an artist and fill your plate (palette) with rich, deep and vibrantly colored produce. Get your purplish-blues in eggplant, blueberries, blackberries, grapes and cabbage. Fill up on reds in tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries and apples. Find yellows and oranges in peppers, squashes, carrots and oranges, and deep, dark greens in kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens and brussel sprouts.

Why do you need such a colorful plate? The vegetable/fruit résumé has a long list of attributes, including antioxidants and phytochemicals that bolster the immune system and keep cancer cells from wreaking havoc in the body. Fiber is another reason to pile on the kale and chop up some cabbage. Fiber keeps food and waste moving through the digestive system, meaning cancer-causing compounds can't set up shop.

Get your daily '5' by filling half your plate with produce in all its forms. Leafy green salads; raw, steamed or sautéed vegetables; or sliced fruit will suffice. Sneak sliced tomatoes, cucumbers or kale leaves into sandwiches. Strategically position dried fruit in your office drawer or glove compartment. Fill a big bowl with in-season fruit and keep it on the kitchen counter. Round out soups with handfuls of cooked vegetables. Add more color to your tomato sauce with cubed carrots or chopped spinach.

To find out more about the American Cancer Society's (ACS) nutritional guidelines for cancer prevention, go to www.cancer.org. Massage Heights is a proud sponsor of the ACS DetermiNation endurance event program. Help us as we join ACS in the fight for less cancer and more birthdays. Find out how to become part of the team here.

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