WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Preventing Cancer
�We may never understand illnesses such as cancer. In fact, we may never cure cancer, which is why prevention is key. It�s important to approach your health in general from a place of lack of understanding. Honor the body and its relationship to disease as a complex emergent system that you may never fully comprehend. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases reflect breakdowns in that system. Cancer, for instance, isn�t something the body �has � or �gets�; it�s something that the body does.
� from The End of Illness by David B. Agus, MD
Eating good food every day is something that is very important to me and to the teaching we do in the many Growing Healthy Kids workshops we conduct. Like Dr. Agus said, prevention is key. I encourage you to seek out foods that support health and avoid foods that promote disease. Make most, if not all, of the foods you eat good foods that are nutrient dense.
 |
| Watercress |
In last week�s Wellness Wednesdays article, I extolled the virtues of eating watercress. While you are out shopping for locally grown watercress, ask your farmers to start growing red watercress. It is a more powerful variety of watercress, especially in its health-promoting properties. Start creating a market for it where you live.
As promised, here is a recipe I have created recently in the Growing Healthy Kids Test Kitchen that combines watercress with quinoa (pronounced �keen-wa�), the only grain that is a complete protein. I make this dish once a week, changing some of the vegetables depending on what is in season from my local farmers in Indian River County. Bon appetite!
Quinoa-Watercress Salad
RINSE in a sieve for 2 minutes:
- 1 cup white quinoa
PLACE rinsed quinoa in a small pan, add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer.
COOK for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.
WHILE quinoa cooks, chop and set aside:
- � red onion
- � cup zucchini, grated
- 1 cup watercress (remove large stems and finely slice)
WHISK TOGETHER IN A SMALL BOWL:
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- � teaspoon grated lemon rind
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Braggs Liquid Aminos, to taste.
WHEN QUINOA is cooked, let cool for 15 minutes.
ADD vegetables and toss with dressing.
SERVES 4.
In gratitude,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
