Our immune system is our internal body armour. It is our first line of defense--like a defensive line in football. Our immune's system's mission is to stop the other team (cancer) from getting through. If our immune system (defense line) is weak or injured, then the other team gets through. How do we build up defensive team? The ONLY way is through our DIET.
Mike Anderson, the author of the RAVE Diet, (this is a Whole Food Plant Based diet, just given another name), tells us that there are "4 Laws of Cancer" that are irrefutable:
- Your immune system is the only cure for cancer
- A weakened immune system is the biggest cause of cancer
- The higher the dietary fat the more the immune system is weakened
- The only foods that contain immune-strengthening and cancer-fighting nutrients are PLANT FOODS
So what I think the author is saying is, our eating habits can either strengthen or weaken our immune system. Not eating enough plant foods will make us deficient in antioxidants and phytohemicals that feed an army of immune system cells that defend the body against cancer.
Our immune system has been trained to recognize and selectively KILL cancer cells and is at least a MILLION TIMES smarter at killing them than chemotherapy or radiation. Those treatments not only kill cancer cells, they kill the only cure for cancer--your immune system cells.
In every population throughout the world eating an animal-based diet, cancer is the 2nd leading KILLER after heart disease. Due to high-fat content, animal based diets suppress the immune system by killing off immune system cells. Think about an oil spill in the ocean--it kills marine life or maimes them. Birds covered with oil cannot fly. Fat hits our bloodstream and immune cells die off. The "survivors" cannot "swim" in your bloodstream, so they become blinded and therefore cannot recognize and kill cancer cells. So, imagine eating like this three times a day--you have created an oil spill with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The higher your intake of fat, the more your immune system is weakened. What we have in America today is an epidemic of immune system failure which accounts for many of the disease we suffer from--especially cancer. The high fat content of animal based foods significantly suppress the immune system--this is the reason why heart disease and cancer are the top 2 KILLERS. However, lowering your fat content in your diet not only is the best thing for your heart, but it's the single best way to strengthen your immune system.
Instead of a steady stream of fat, a WFPB diet will lower fat intake and give you a steady stream of cancer fighting nutrients that will feed your immune system and keep it running STRONG!
FIESTA SALAD
4 cups of black beans
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 large bell peppers, (any color) diced
3/4 cup chopped cilantro (or parsely if you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
Combine beans with the corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion and cilantro. Toss with any no-oil dressing of your choice.