Cancer is a complex and frightening disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Unsurprisingly, researchers are constantly searching for ways to reduce the risk of developing cancer. One area of focus is diet, with certain foods thought to have the potential to lower cancer risk.

In this article, we will take a look at some of these healthy foods and their potential benefits, as well as how a healthy diet and lifestyle can help with overall wellness.

A Colorful Plate is a Cancer-fighting Plate

Eating a colorful array of fruits and vegetables is essential for maintaining good health. These vibrant foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

Some of the top cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables include:

• Cruciferous vegetables: These veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, contain compounds called glucosinolates that have been linked to cancer prevention.
• Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are rich in antioxidants, which help fight cancer-causing free radicals.
• Leafy greens: Spinach, baby spinach, and collard greens are high in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, which may aid in cancer prevention.

Before making significant dietary changes, always consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian. If you would like to find out more and get some expert help, speak to the team of cancer experts at Moffitt Cancer Center.

The Power of Plant-based Proteins

Switching to plant-based proteins, such as beans, lentils, and nuts, can provide additional health benefits. These protein sources are high in fiber and low in saturated fat, which may help lower the risk of certain cancers.

Some plant-based proteins to consider incorporating into your diet include:

• Beans and legumes: Chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans are rich in fiber and protein, making them an excellent meat alternative.
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds are nutrient-dense options that can help you feel full while providing essential nutrients.
• Tofu and tempeh: These soy-based products offer a high-protein alternative to meat and can be used in various dishes for added versatility.

Whole Grains and Cancer Prevention

Whole grains, including brown rice, quinoa, as well as whole wheat bread, are also an important part of a cancer-fighting diet. They provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help lower the risk of certain cancers.

 Some whole grains to add to your meal plan include:

• Brown rice: A healthier alternative to white rice, brown rice retains its natural nutrients and can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Quinoa: This gluten-free grain contains a lot of protein and fiber, making it a healthy addition to any meal.
• Whole wheat pasta: Swapping out traditional pasta for whole wheat options can provide additional fiber and nutrients that promote overall health.

Healthy Fats and Cancer Risk Reduction

While some fats should be limited in a healthy diet, others have been linked to cancer risk reduction. Good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, and monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil, could indeed help reduce inflammation and prevent cancer.

Healthy fats can be found in the following foods:

• Fatty fish: Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in salmon, mackerel, and sardines, can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of certain cancers.
• Olive oil: This heart-healthy oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and has been linked to a reduced risk of breast and colon cancers.
• Avocado: A versatile and delicious fruit, avocados are high in monounsaturated fats and can be easily added to salads and sandwiches, or enjoyed as a snack.

Some people assume that you need to be practically starving to be malnourished, but that’s not the case. A simple change in mood could indicate that you’re missing some important nutrients or vitamins. Any type of deficiency is malnutrition, and it can be difficult to tell if you’re malnourished since the symptoms can be so subtle. But, if left unchecked, they could lead to much more serious issues. Here are some common signs that you may be malnourished.

Depression

A lot of people don’t realize how much food can affect mood. Even something as simple as being slightly dehydrated can affect things like concentration and even exacerbate the symptoms of depression and anxiety in certain adults.

This is why you need to look at your diet if you’re feeling depressed. Saturated fats, for instance, have been shown to increase the chances that you develop depression while foods rich in omega-3 fats, like salmon and other varieties of fatty fish have been shown to decrease them. So, you might want to replace red meat with fish at least two times a week if you want to up your weekly intake of good fats and feel better.

You’re Feeling Sluggish

If you’re lethargic and feel like you can’t get out of bed in the morning, this is one of the clearest signs that something may be missing from your diet. Brain fog is another one. Brain fog, for instance, has been associated with a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12 vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, while fatigue is also associated with a vitamin D and iron deficiency.

This is something you need to pay extra attention to if you’re suffering from a health issue that may affect your food consumption, like dysphagia, for instance. If you’ve been eating less because you can’t get through the taste of your thickened foods and beverages, you may want to switch to a new thickener and see if it makes food more palatable. SimplyThick makes a great line of products that are recognized for their great taste, so try them if you haven’t already.

Also, try to add more protein and calories to your meals to make them more nourishing. Adding eggs to mashed potatoes, for instance, or olive oil to vegetables will instantly increase the nutrient content without adding volume or changing the texture of the food you eat.

Mood Swings

Mood swings can be the result of things happening in your life, but they can also be exacerbated by imbalances in your diet. People who are deficient in magnesium, for instance, are more prone to having mood swings and showing signs of bipolar disorder. This is why you may want to look at a magnesium supplement if you have mood issues.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it could be a good idea to look at your diet and pay closer attention to what you’re eating. You should also consider seeing a doctor so you can get to the bottom of your issues.

Making dietary adjustments isn’t easy. In reality, it’s a colossal undertaking. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or strengthen your body, it takes considerable time and effort to modify your cooking and eating tendencies, especially if you’re trying to do too much too quickly. You’ll only discourage yourself and fail to make long-lasting changes by doing so. Thus, it would be best to start small and gradually make more significant changes as you go. That said, here are a few things that should help you get started.

Avoid carbonated beverages

It’s easy to take carbonated beverages like soda for granted. However, you must avoid drinking them, as they have been linked to weight gain, insulin, leptin resistance, and even increased cardiac risks. Instead, opt for water or healthier alternatives like turmeric latte mix. Not only will you remain healthier by steering clear of soft drinks, but it’s a dietary change that’s relatively easy to commit to without too much effort.

Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables

Eliminating specific food groups from your dietary regimen isn’t feasible for most people. Moreover, it isn’t necessary unless you have a pre-existing condition that can be aggravated by certain foods. Instead, you can increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables while lessening your meat intake. You can also opt for fish as an alternative source of dietary protein and essential nutrients. This way, you won’t have to give up on the food you enjoy eating.

Lower your alcohol intake

Alcoholic beverages aren’t unhealthy per se. However, it can be if you drink too much. While quitting is always the better option, there are benefits to drinking alcohol, too, such as reducing the risks of dying or developing heart disease. The key is to drink moderately. A glass of wine or a couple of beers a day won’t hurt, and it will still give you the alcohol fix you’re looking for.

Steer clear of raw food

Eating food like tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and cucumber might appear like a healthier option. However, they require more energy to digest properly. Because raw food tends to burn more digestive energy, it’s better to cook them before consumption instead. This is especially important for those with smaller body frames or who can suffer from exhaustion easier.

Control sugar cravings

Cookies, chocolate, and other sweets might be tasty, but they can impact your health. While killing your cravings might be too much, you can control or limit your consumption of sweets by opting for alternatives like fruits. It might not sound like a significant change, but it will positively affect your health.

Conclusion

They say that we are what we eat, and this statement is true with regard to our health. In today’s fast-paced world, it isn’t hard to take our diets lightly. But because the food we consume affects our health and wellness more than many of us give it credit for, you must start eating healthily. So follow the abovementioned tips and begin your journey to a healthier diet.

Eating better is one of the main ways advised by healthcare providers and medical professionals to ensure good health, which is vital for longevity and happiness. The following article describes how you can both eat healthier and save money. The tips are simple and can easily be implemented, even if you only choose to do one at a time it will go a long way to helping.

Cook extra when you do

If you’re cooking at home, then the best advice that we can give you is to always cook a little more than you will need at the current meal. The idea is to have a small amount of left-over supper that can be translated into the next day’s lunch or lunch for the week depending on what it was. Some cooked food will store better and longer than others, but generally, vegan and vegetable-based meals and pulses will store quite nicely for a few days in the fridge and will go a long way to saving you money and allowing you eat healthier. Part of this process is improved planning, both for grocery shopping and for meals. Know what it is you plan to cook on each day and then buy accordingly.

The aim will also be to waste as little as possible so as you start to implement this tip you may find that you’re eating a meal for longer than you wanted, persevere and simply adjust the amount cooked until you hit the sweet spot, where you cook just enough for a meal the next day or to put in sandwiches just once.

Always take a packed lunch

If you work outside the home, a packed lunch is one of the best ways to save money and eat what you know is good for you and that you know the provenance of. Remember, a packed lunch can be used for more than just in the office. If it’s a family day trip, then pack it up in individual burger boxes to give each person what they like and an individual meal that’s easy to eat. Make sure that whatever receptacles you use they are reusable and friendly to the planet.

Think diversity and colors

The more diverse your diet the better it is, yes, there are some basics that perhaps you favor and that the family likes, so pastas and rice, beans, lentils and all the greens, these are staples and should be included on a regular basis. However there needs to be diversity in the additions to the staples to make each mealtime exciting and fun as well as healthy. A trend has been to keep eating colorful, healthy eating can be made a lot more fun if a wide range of colors are used to prepare meals. This will naturally include a variety of food into your diet and therefore be healthier than a monochrome meal

Cooking in the home can be a huge money saver and as such is a useful exercise in itself. Home cooked food is also, by its simpler nature, a lot healthier.

There are plenty of reasons to buy food online. New delivery services like Instacart send out people to shop for you according to your online selections and deliver groceries to your door the same day. But if our local grocery store doesn’t have the selections you want, the experience can leave you feeling unenthusiastic about future purchases. 

If you want to buy high-quality meat online, your best bet might be to go with a specialty online seller like GTA Meats that deals strictly with meats. There is no reason why high quality and specialty meats cannot be transported safely. It’s only a matter of transporting it properly, which means it’s likely to be more expensive.

Is Buying Meat Online Safe?

When it comes to buying perishable food online, there’s no such thing as a risk-free venture. But there are ways to optimize your chances. The first thing you should do is to go with a reputable online vendor. Omaha Steaks or Butcher Box, for example, are good places to start. 

You want to go with a company that uses flash freezing, packs their products properly, and ships promptly. If you can’t find this information on their site, you can try looking up online reviews, or call the company yourself.

There may be quantity restrictions, especially during pandemic conditions. But the vendors mentioned above are well known and have a good reputation. They would be a decent standard of quality to compare to as you continue your search.

Is it Expensive?

If you were to use a service like Instacart to hire a shopper/driver to collect your selections for you, the price won’t be much more than what you would normally pay. This is a good service to use if you’re stuck at home for health or other reasons.

But if you’re looking to buy high-quality, prime cuts or hard to find meats, your best bet is to go with a premium service like the ones mentioned above. In this case, you can expect to pay as much as $20 for a single high-quality steak.

That is about par for the course no matter where you shop, which means these companies have done a good job of absorbing the shipping costs.

The Pros & Cons of Online Meat Shopping

Whether you will be best served by buying meat online or going to your local butcher or grocery will depend on your situation. So it’s helpful to cover all of the pertinent virtues of online meat shopping. I think you’ll find that the list of pros stacks up rather well.

Pro: Unbeatable Convenience

It doesn’t get more convenient than delivery right to your door. In some rural locations, front door delivery might be hard to find. But when it works, it works famously.

Pro: More Choice

With a popular, high-quality vendor like the ones mentioned above, you’re going to have an excellent list of selections to choose from. This not only means that it will be easier to match your tastes, but it will also be easier to find high-quality cuts.

Pro: Higher Quality (usually)

Companies that deliver meats almost always use a flash-freezing process prior to shipping. That means they will be fresher on arrival than just about anything you find at the store. Remember, at the store they want it to look nice- and that’s not conducive to safe storage. 

Pro: More Process Transparency

Because of the obvious concerns with putting meat on a truck and driving around the country with it, online meat sellers have responded to high scrutiny with high transparency. 

That’s a good thing. It means they promise more than your local grocery can- and they strive to keep those promises.

Con: It Can Be Expensive

Online meat sellers have to do more to ensure food safety and quality. They have to pay their delivery contractors, who have to use expensive equipment to transport meat. They also have to absorb the costs of delivery failures- which do happen. 

Also, buying higher quality meat is going to be more expensive no matter where you get it. 

Con: Vetting a Vendor May Take Time

To be reasonably sure you’re getting a good product that is safe, you need to scrutinize the vendor. This can take time. Sometimes it can be easy. If you find lots of good reviews online, if you find plenty of info on the seller’s site, and if they take phone calls promptly- you’re in luck.

In some cases, you could vet a company in a few hours. Sometimes it will take longer. But if you compare this to the vetting process of your local grocery- you’ll quickly realize that there really isn’t one other than trial and error.

Con: Food Safety May Be an Issue

As always, food safety can be an issue. But I think you’ll find this to be true no matter where you get your meat from. You should do your best to vet your seller fully. But you should understand that accidents do happen and that in life there’s no such thing as a 100% guarantee.

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, choosing a source for your meats is all about context. The right meat vendor for you, whether it is online or not, is one that provides fresh, high-quality products of your choice at an acceptable price. It may take time to find a seller that ticks all the boxes for you, but when you do, keep those contact details handy for your next big order.

With New Year’s Day quickly approaching, there are lots of people who are looking to make resolutions. If weight loss is your goal this year, it is important that you arm yourself with the tools to make this a successful venture. Weight loss is not always an easy task, but it is possible with some diligence and hard work. There are many methods to weight loss, but it is important to keep some common sense tips in mind to make your weight loss journey as effective as possible.

1. Eat More Often With Smaller Portions

When you are trying to lose weight, it makes sense that you should eat less. But few people consider that you should be eating more often. Instead of fasting all day and stuffing yourself at dinnertime, it is better to eat several small meals throughout the day. You should ideally be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and two snacks a day. The snacks should be eaten mid-morning and mid-afternoon. It is important that you stay within your recommended calorie count, so make sure you are choosing the right kinds of snack food. The idea is to be never completely full but never hungry.

2. Keep Your Mouth Occupied

For a lot of people, snacking is a habit. It is something that you do when you are bored and not actually hungry. One way to overcome this is by keeping your mouth occupied. This means chewing gum, using vaping supplies from www.smokingthings.com or drinking lots of water throughout the day. These things will keep you from reaching for snack foods just because you can. It takes some concerted effort on your part, but with a little practice, you can master it in no time.

3. Eat the Right Things

A diet full of fat-filled and carbohydrate-rich foods is not going to do you any favors. If your eating habits are not the healthiest, now is the time to reevaluate them. You need to choose nutritious, whole foods whenever possible. Try to buy foods in their most natural state; this means you should avoid highly processed foods. This will help you meet your nutritional needs, which will keep you full longer. You will feel better and look better too!

Losing weight does not have to seem like an impossible feat when you have these tips in mind. You must set out to make a lifestyle change, and the results you want will be yours.

Weekends are like kryptonite to a strong and healthy diet plan. We go hard all week, and then everything falls apart come Saturday morning.

And it doesn’t even seem to matter whether we’re busy or not. Spend the day lounging on the couch and you can almost hear the ice cream calling your name from the freezer.

Spend the day running errands and watching kids sports practices and you’ll undoubtedly succumb to unhealthy foods and snacks like corndogs and potato chips. It’s almost like you can’t win.

But there’s some good news. There are some simple tricks to help reduce the unhealthy foods your family consumes on the weekend. And you don’t have to be perfect.

Here are six things you can do to eat healthier on the weekends.

1.    Create a meal and snack plan

One of the biggest reasons why diets fail on the weekends is that we don’t plan for those days. With limited time to have lunch at work, we know we have to plan our meals for the weekdays. But on the weekend, things are much looser.

Even if you’re going to be relaxing all weekend, you’ll fare much better if you know what you’re going to eat ahead of time. We never make the best decisions when we’re hungry.

2.    Clear the pantry

If you’re committed to eating cleaner and getting rid of unhealthy snacks, take the plunge and get rid of all the snacks in your pantry. You can keep some of the healthier ones like seaweed snacks, trail mix and pita chips. But you’re going to want to toss any junk food that’s going to tempt you to stray from your healthy eating plan.

3.    Shop at farmer’s markets

If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend that won’t derail your healthy eating plan, consider a family trip to the farmer’s market. You’re still going to find some sugary foods, but most options will be healthier than you’ll find at the grocery store. And you’re more likely to go home with fresh fruits and vegetables too.

4.    Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a great way for the adults in the family to curb late-night snacking, which is often one of the biggest problems in any healthy eating plan. It’s easy to tell the kids they can’t have snacks, but it’s much more difficult to practice restraint yourself.

IF is also helpful for reducing alcohol cravings in those problematic evening hours. And we all know alcohol can lead to over-consumption of unhealthy food.

Intermittent fasting involves fasting for a set period of time (anywhere between 12 and 20 hours) on most days. If you choose a 16 hour fast, for example, you can stop eating at a 6:00 dinner and fast until breakfast the next day at 10 am.

There are many health benefits associated with fasting, but it’s not for the kiddos. You don’t have to feed them junk, but be sure they’re eating when they’re hungry.

5.    Drink more water

This isn’t going to sound like a ton of fun, but whenever you get a craving for junk food, have a large glass of water. It’ll fill your stomach enough to curb the craving for the moment, and with any luck, it will pass.

Besides, oftentimes when we think we’re hungry, we’re really just thirsty. In those moments, drinking water can solve the problem.

6.    Eat more protein

If you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, you may have more cravings for unhealthy foods. So be sure you’re getting protein from a good easily digestible source every day. If you’re worried about your protein intake, a protein shake may be a good idea.

Weekends can be rough on your healthy living plan, but with a few tweaks, they’re totally doable. You’ve got this.

As more grocers aim to carry healthier food, competition is becoming quite fierce for online mainstays like Thrive Market. Eating right tends to starve your bank account. And it’s not exactly a state secret that it’s pricey. 

But when brands like Thrive Market came along, all that changed for the better. Consumers were able to get good food without breaking the bank. But by doing that, it started putting a dent in brick-and-mortar retail giants. 

Not content to rest on their laurels, these same stores are now playing a defensive and offensive game. They’re stocking more gluten-free foods in an attempt to offset the impact to their businesses caused by these online liberators. 

Today, we want to focus on Aldi and how they’re working to pull your business away from the online marketplace of Thrive Market. There are some good things happening behind the scenes of both, so let’s find out which is better-suited to your needs. 

Thrive Market 

You might not know it by how much their inventory has grown since their inception, but Thrive Market is barely 6 years old. They have blossomed into a reputable vendor, providing quality health foods at incredible prices. 

Thrive Market does a lot to better the planet and the folks living on it. I’ve become quite fond of their business practices – ones that I’d like to see other companies adopt. For one, Thrive Market works hard to impact the earth in as few ways as possible. 

They pack and ship goods with materials that are 100 percent recyclable. This is a great way for consumers to get involved by seeing their shipping containers repurposed.  

Thrive Market also ensures that no waste is produced at their warehouses. It’s a very environmentally-conscious brand, and that’s just on the backend. They also work to assist families in need. 

Any time someone begins a new membership with them, Thrive Market gives one away to a family that is less fortunate. And these memberships aren’t just a card with your name on it. 

No, Thrive Market memberships allow you to gain access to the online store’s vast selection of goods and food products. Some items are up to 50 percent less than what you’d pay in a popular retail chain. 

With business practices and savings like that, it’s easy to see why people prefer using Thrive Market. But how does one get in on the action? 

You first need to sign up and pay a fee. Yes, there’s additional cost involved, but you’ll get that back in more ways than one. For $59.95 a year, you’ll be able shop with Thrive as much as you like. 

And if you don’t earn your membership back via savings, Thrive Market will apply any difference at the end of the year when you renew again. 

Don’t like the idea of starting yet another membership? No problem there, as Thrive Market has an option that accommodates those who shop with them on a limited basis. For just $9.95, you can pay for only the months you need them. 

Regardless of whether you’re a yearly or monthly member, Thrive Market gives free shipping on orders that total $49 and up. And if it’s your first time buying, your order just has to come to $25 for you to get your items shipped free of charge. 

Thrive Market has auto-delivery options, too. This is great when you need to ensure that you don’t run out of any one item. 

Aldi 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Aldi. This budget-friendly grocer has recently expanded their efforts to reach a larger audience. And by the looks of things, it’s paying off nicely. 

For those not in-the-know, Aldi has been around longer than most of us have been alive. They were founded in 1946, growing into the juggernaut they are today. Don’t let their quaint stores fool you – this is one serious money-making machine. 

Aldi rakes in a cool $60 billion each year, with no signs of letting up. Many of their stores nationwide have been updated, modernized, and are now carrying a litany of health-conscious food items. 

The biggest differences between them and Thrive Market are their methods of operation and inventory. While it’s true Aldi is carrying more health foods than they used to, they can’t come close to Thrive Market.  

Not only that, Thrive Market specializes in natural remedies, supplements, and more. And as where Thrive Market delivers their products directly to their customers, Aldi does not. If you want their goods, you’ll have to drive to your nearest Aldi and shop for them on your own. 

While this is a detriment to those who prefer to do their ordering behind the screens, Aldi adheres to this practice in order to keep their costs low. It’s a model that serves both their employees and customers well. 

Aldi can afford to pay their staff a higher wage than many other retailers. And their prices are very hard to compete with. Not only that, Aldi doesn’t require a paid membership like Thrive Market. 

When comparing the two in that regard, I found Aldi to consistently come out on top. But, it’s not exactly apples to oranges. Aldi simply doesn’t have as much to choose from as Thrive Market on the health side of things. 

If you’re looking for a bigger selection of non-GMO foods, Thrive Market handily beats Aldi. But if you’re looking for the cheapest prices, Aldi gets the nod. As you can see, it comes down to your personal needs. 

Since Aldi isn’t likely to start delivery services any time soon, Thrive Market gets the win in terms of user-friendliness and convenience. 

See product comparisons: Thrive Market Coffee Review

Bottom Line 

Both Aldi and Thrive Market are beloved brands in their own right. With the former, you can save a few bucks, but your selection of health foods is going to be greatly limited.  

With the latter, you can easily stock up your cupboards from an inventory of over 6,000 items. All from the comfort and privacy of your own home. 

Article reprinted with permission from MovetheMarket.org – Thrive Market vs. Aldi

More store comparisons:
Thrive Market vs. Instacart
Thrive Market vs. Amazon
Thrive Market vs. Costco
Thrive Market vs. Peapod
Thrive Market vs. Trader Joe’s
Thrive Market vs. Whole Foods