Welcome to the Rethinking Cancer Newsletter 23.
Looking to spice up your life? Look no further. With #23, we’re rolling out a new Newsletter feature: Spice of the Month!
Humans have been sprinkling spices on their foods as far back as 50,000 B.C. But, beyond adding flavor, these dried seeds, fruits, root or bark can also add years to your life. Spices are rich in phytonutrients and other active ingredients that protect against disease and promote healing. In worldwide studies, spices have been linked to the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, Type II diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. And, unlike pharmaceutical drugs, spices can be used long-term without concern for side effects.
In short, spices are among the great gifts Nature has bestowed upon us. We hope you’ll enjoy learning about them and partake of their life enhancing qualities.
Check out the rejiggered Audio Presentation page, now arranged by topics for easier access. This ever expanding sound library contains interviews and lectures from F.A.C.T. Annual Cancer/Nutrition Conventions, radio shows, etc. Just uploaded: more “tapes” from the Ruth Sackman (former F.A.C.T. president and co-founder) Internet radio show.
To your health!
Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (F.A.C.T.)
P.S. Don’t forget to check in on our other regular feature, familiar to our followers on Twitter andFacebook: Food of the Week. Or, if it’s food for thought you’re hungering for, consider the DVD Rethinking Cancer.
The Future of Food*
The film The Future of Food has been a key tool in the American and international anti- GMO (genetically modified organisms) grassroots movements. Played widely in the environmental and activist circuits since its release in 2004, it is widely acknowledged for its role in educating voters and the subsequent success of passing Measure H in Mendocino County, California, one of the first local initiatives in the country to ban the planting of GMO crops.
Genetic engineering of food crops is as controversial today as ever, with many of the large agro corporations positioning this technology as the answer to the world food crisis as they move to further manipulate and control the seed supply. The Future of Food continues to be a valuable tool for all those concerned about the need for increased public scrutiny of this issue. Watch the entire film!
*Special thanks to OrganicConsumers.org for the heads up!
Soothing Weary Eyes by Kelly Davis
Your eyes are tremendous energy users, so when fatigue hits, they’re usually the first to suffer. Stress, constant computer use and too much television decrease circulation to the optic nerves, causing eyestrain. Here’s a quick yoga-based technique for relieving tired eyes:
- Remove glasses or hard contact lenses. Get in a comfortable sitting position.
- Take 3 deep, calming breaths. Relax your shoulders, center your head and unfocus your eyes. Without moving your head, allow eyes to look up toward the ceiling and then down to the floor.
- Continue this up and down motion for 30 seconds in a slow-moving fashion. After completing the exercise, bring your eyes back to center.
- Rub the palms of your hands together. Do this rapidly until they feel warm. Close your eyes. Gently cup your eyes with your palms, without pressing against the eyes. Let your eyes absorb the warmth from your hands and relax in the darkness.
- When complete, open your eyes slowly.
Spice of the Month: Cinnamon
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), believed to have come originally from Sri Lanka, is the dried, fragrant bark of the Cinnamon tree.
In the ancient world, cinnamon was more precious than gold – not too surprising though, as in Egypt, gold was abundant and, thus, a fairly common ornamental metal. Nero, emperor of Rome in the first century A.D., burned a year’s supply of cinnamon on his wife’s funeral pyre – an extravagant gesture meant to signify the depth of his loss.
Egyptians used cinnamon medicinally to treat coughing, hoarseness and sore throats and as a flavoring for beverages. Because of its preservative qualities, the spice was rubbed into meats to inhibit bacterial growth, delaying spoilage, with the added bonus that the strong cinnamon aroma masked the stench of aged meats. It was also used in embalming, where body cavities were filled with spiced preservatives (mummification). READ MORE
Raw Cinnamon/Apple Oatmeal
(2 servings of no-guilt comfort food!)
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cups raw, unhulled oat groats, soaked for 10-16 hours in distilled water, then drained
1 banana, sliced
4 dates, chopped
6 raw pecans and/or walnuts, chopped
1. Lightly pulse the chopped apple in a food processor or blender. You may need to add a little water if your apple is less than juicy. If you prefer a smooth, applesauce consistency, add water as necessary and purée.
2. Add cinnamon and 1 cup oats (keeping 1/4 cup aside for garnish). Continue to pulse. Your finished mixture should have some texture.
3. Divide mixture into two bowls and garnish with remaining oats, dates and nuts.
Walla! Add extra nutrients like raw cacao powder or nibs, goji berries, blueberries, whatever. Serve with a little almond milk or whole plain yogurt. The oatmeal/apple mixture will keep in the ‘fridge for a day, but why wait?
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There is hunger for ordinary bread,
And there is hunger for love, for kindness,
For thoughtfulness;
And this is the great poverty that makes
People suffer so much.
– Mother Theresa (1910-1997)
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