You might be wondering what diet has to do with cancer, but did you know that approximately one third of cancers can be prevented by changes in diet? According to various sources, certain food play an integral role in the fight against cancer by releasing agents that can boost your immunity and cause abnormal cell growths to shrink or disappear.

   The new hot topic in the field of natural cancer-fighting compounds are phytochemicals, a large group of "nonnutrient compounds that are biologically active in the body."[i] Phytochemicals, as you might expect, are found plants, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, herbs, tea, and spices. New research sheds light specifically on the phytochemical group, “isothiocyanates,” which possess some of the strongest cancer-fighting abilities. These compounds naturally occur in cruciferous vegetables, including: “broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, collards, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, turnip, and watercress. When these raw vegetables are chewed, the plant cells are broken and an enzyme (myrosinase) hydrolyses precursor chemicals into isothiocyanates.”[ii]   

   How they work: "Isothiocyanates combat cancer carcinogens by neutralizing them, reducing their poisonous effect, and stimulating the secretion of other anti-carcinogen chemicals. They inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, or cell death. Studies have shown isothiocyanates help to prevent lung and esophageal cancer, and also lower the risk of other cancers, including gastrointestinal cancer."[ii]

   Ok, so you get it. You should "eat your veggies"... but what if you want to rev up the cancer-fighting strength of your edible ammunition? One possible solution: EAT VEGETABLE SPROUTS!

   According to Dr. Gillian McKeith in her book, You Are What You Eat, eating sprouts, or sprouted seeds, maximizes the (cancer-fighting) nutrient content of your vegetables.[iii] By eating sprouts, you get more antioxidants, which combat damaging free-radicals that accumulate in our bodies (especially after chemotherapy), and more phytochemicals like isothiocyanates. Sprouts also packed with essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and fiber. What are they, you ask? Sprouts are essentially “young green plants germinated from the seeds of almost any living vegetation which may include, but are not limited to, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, legumes, as well as various grasses such as barley grass or wheatgrass. Essentially, any seed or bean equipped with the genetic fabric potential to reproduce the next generation of plant life is sproutable.”[iv] Common sprouts include: alfalfa, mung, radish, clover, aduki, garbanzo (chickpea), lentil, soybean, sunflower, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, fenugreek, wheat, barley, soy, corn, oats, green peas and lima, just to name a few.       

What to do (How to Sprout): The easiest way to sprout is to buy a sprouting kit, choose the seeds (available here) of the vegetable(s) of your choice and sprinkle water over the seeds. Sprouting means soaking the seeds in water, and then germinating them. Eventually, you eat the growing live sprout. You can also sprout using appliances in your home. All you need is a large jam jar, some seeds or beans, fresh water and a piece of cheesecloth or muslin. Dr. McKeith makes the following suggestions in her book: "rinse the seeds well, place in jar, and add 1/2 inch of cooled, boiled water. Cover with cheesecloth or net cloth secured with rubber band. Leave overnight in dark, warm place. Next day: rinse seeds with fresh water. (Drain well or seeds will rot).  Return to dark. Do this twice/day until seeds start sprouting. Tilt your jar to a 45-degree angle to allow sprouts to grow up in jar. Then place on sunny windowsill for a few hours (for an energy boost). Eat or store in airtight container in fridge. Sprouts stay good for 2-3 days, refrigerated."[v] Check the label to see how long seeds need to sprout. Soaking time ranges from 4-12 hours.    

   How it works: "Soaking the seed in water activates numerous enzymes, which eventually predigest the seed, making our digestion and assimilation of its nutrients easier. This also lowers the likelihood of food allergies. In addition, soaking and germinating the seed makes it swell to at least double its original size, a process during which the nutrient content swells, too."[vi] End result: you get enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and fiber in the most easily digestible form. With sprouting, you get a double whammy… the benefits of raw food on top of the dramatically increased nutrient content of these seeds and grains.

   Sprout it out to keep your immune system strong!