3 Foods that Prevent Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the most deadly cancers that afflict women. According to the American Cancer Society approximately 26,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and approximately 15,000 women will succumb to the disease. That is 15,000 wives, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, teachers, friends and mentors who will die from this disease.

What makes ovarian cancer such a threat to women are the risk factors that cannot be changed such as family history, genetics and whether or not a woman has given birth. On the positive side, the one thing women can do to fight the odds of developing ovarian cancer is to change their diet.

Fight the Good - Food Fight!

According to William W. Li, MD the president of the Angiogenesis Foundation, there is significant research that shows what we eat greatly lowers the chances of developing certain cancers. Researchers have actually pinpointed exact types and quantities of foods which if consumed properly could limit the chance of developing certain cancers. These antiangiogenic foods contain natural cancer-starving molecules.

Angiogenesis is the body's process of growing new blood vessels. The Angiogenesis Foundation researches the way certain foods contain natural substances called angiogenesis inhibitors which suppress the blood vessels and essentially eliminate the blood supply to the disease. To simplify, certain foods we consume can starve the cancer cells and keep them from reproducing.

So what should we eat?

A yummy, albeit strange trio of foods that have a surprising effect on the body by reducing the chances of developing ovarian cancer. According to Dr. Li on an episoide of the Dr. Oz show, Belgium Endive, Sea Bass, and Red Onions significantly reduce the threat of cancer by 75%. But how you cook them and the amount consumed of each food per week is the key to their effectiveness as an antiangiogenic food.

These all powerfull superfoods are one of the most effective, yet underated of all health foods. Red onions in particular are made up of cancer fighters, like apigenin, anthocyanin, myricetin and quercetin that according to Dr. Oz are natural cancer fighters.

One should note that it is extremely important to eat these properly because their cancer fighting properties dimish if they are not cooked the correct way. First of all the onion should not be boiled because although this may render the food easier to digest, it also strips 30% of the cancer fighters away. If you cannot consume them raw, they can also be baked or sauteed with olive oil.

Also, a person needs to consume at least 1/2 cup of these stinky little super foods a day. That may seem like too much of smelly thing, but if you break it up into 2-3 meals it really isn't that overwhelming. Consider tossing a handful, approx.1/4 cup in your salad and eat a few slices grilled on your chicken or fish. They are also great with hummus on a whole wheat bagel with cucumbers - don't forget your peppermint Altoids for dessert!

Endive is a flavorful salad vegetable. The Belgium variety resembles the head of a white tulip and taste very similar to cabbage without the acidic aftertaste. What makes the endive so powerful in the fight against cancer is that it contains kaempferol, a naturally occurring component that literally starves the cancer cells by preventing them from growing blood vessels.

In order to receive the benefits from this plant you should consume 1/2 cup twice a week. This is a salad vegetable and it is quite easily consumed raw. It is great tossed in a garden mix of greens or as a salad alone. Another tasty way to eat endive is to make a roll up with tuna salad or even guacamoli. These are two bite rollups so you would need about 4-6 leaves for a meal.

Everyone knows that fish is considered to be one of the healthiest sources of protein. In the last 15 years studies suggest that the Omega-3 fatty acid found in many fish is key to preventing heart disease, stroke and now some cancers. Many fish have high concentrations of the omega- 3 fatty acids. Sea Bass in particular is one fish that can benefit a person concerned they may be at risk for ovarian cancer. One should consume at least six ounces 2-3 times per week to benefit from this food.

Note: Many fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish have high concentrations of mercury according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Research what fish are available in your area and safely prepare the fish. Fish has a short cooking time, but make sure they are thoroughly cooked. If you do not like the strong fishy odor of some fish the sea bass and salmon are a perfect choices. My young children won't eat fish, so I made them salmon and called it "pink chicken." They quickly devoured it and now pink chicken is on the weekly family meal plan.

There are virtually no symptoms in the early stages of ovarian cancer resulting in so many women having advanced stage of ovarian cancer at the time of diagnosis. The foods mentioned above are just a few weapons that can be used to fight the war on cancer. More information about foods that help fight cancer visit http://www.eattodefeat.org/.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,"...Hippocrates