Brussel sprouts contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to their containing sinigrin. They contain three types of phyto's, all shown to have either protective qualities against cancer, or enzyme producing qualities that have been shown during research to fight cancer cells in different ways.

When boiling foods they tend to lose some of the vitamins and nutrients into the water. So here is a roasted brussel sprout recipe that is very easy to prepare and the brussel sprouts keep their natural nutty flavor.

Vicki's Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all the ingredients except for the onions in a large bowl to evenly coat the brussel sprouts. Pour brussel sprouts onto a baking tray and spread apart. Bake for 20 minutes then stir or flip and add the onions and bake for 20 minutes more.

Peppermint is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A, carotenoids, and beta-carotene. Vitamin C, the main water-soluble antioxidant in the body is needed to decrease levels of free radicals that can cause damage to cells and decrease the risk of cancer. Peppermint is probably most famous for its use in our favorite white and red candy at Christmas time but it is gaining popularity to drink in teas to help decrease nausea.

A cup of fresh mint tea can help to soothe your stomach. If you are nauseous from cancer treatments try drinking peppermint tea. Another useful thing I found to work is to keep a small bottle of peppermint oil in your pocket and rub it on your wrist for smelling when you feel the queasy stomach coming on.

Whenever possible, choose fresh mint over the dried form of the herb since it is superior in flavor. The leaves of fresh mint should look vibrant and be a rich green color. They should be free from dark spots or yellowing. To store fresh mint leaves, carefully wrap them in a damp paper towel and place inside of a loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator, where it should keep fresh for several days.

Recipe for a perfect cup of peppermint tea.
1 ounce fresh peppermint leaves
1 pint boiling water
Honey

Place the peppermint leaves in a cup and pour in boiling water. Cover the cup with a saucer and let it stand for 10 minutes. Scoop out the leaves with a spoon and add a little honey if you like it sweet.

Canned pumpkin or cooked pumpkin is a super cancer food. One half cup of cooked pumpkin has over five times your quota for beta carotene vitamin A per day. According to research at Tufts University it may be used to protect against many cancers but especially colon cancer. Here is a fun way to eat pumpkin besides the traditional pumpkin pie and will start your morning off right.

Vicki's Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine first 6 Ingredients in a large bowl. Combine milk, pumpkin, egg and vegetable oil in a small bowl and mix well. Add the wet batter to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Lumps in the batter are fine. Heat your griddle or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with vegetable oil or spray with non stick oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle and cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Bok Choy is low in calories, fat and is high in calcium, potassium and Vitamin C and A. Bok Choy also contain glucosinolates, which may help prevent cancer by eliminate carcinogens. Bok Choy is used in a lot of stir fry recipes but I personally like to make a soup that allows me to drink all of the nutrients in the broth. It is simple and quick to make and packed full of flavor and nutrition. If you add diced tofu to the recipe, it will also give you protein.

Chef Vicki's Bok Choy Soup

3 cups vegetable broth
(you can use three cups of water and 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 celery stalk diced
1/2 white onion diced
6 button mushrooms sliced
6 Bok Choy leaves chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 block Extra Firm Tofu cubed in 1/2 inch pieces (optional)

Bring broth to boil and add celery, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Boil for 2 minutes and lower heat to medium. Add Bok Choy and tofu and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

We should all take a lesson from Popeye and eat more spinach.  It not only gives you iron for energy, it helps protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related related declines in brain function. Spinach also contains anti-inflammatory nutrients. For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to spinach in their number of helpful nutrients. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. And if all those benefits were not enough reasons to make you eat your spinach then also know that spinach lowers the risk for cancer. Spinach probably won't make you super strong the minute you eat it but it may be able to help you avoid some very serious health conditions.

Vicki's Oriental Spinach Salad
1 1/2  lbs fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 red onion sliced thin
1/2 sweet red bell pepper chopped
1 tomato sliced in wedges
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 teaspoon sugar 
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
3 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Rinse and clean well the spinach and set aside to drain. In a bowl whisk together the oils, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, Dijon mustard and sesame seeds. Toss the spinach, red sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes, and almonds together in a bowl and drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad.

I love oysters any way and every way, and if I could every day. But as a cancer survivor and also a lupus patient I have to listen to the warnings my mother and the medical professional give me. Especially my mother.

Cancer patients including lymphoma, leukemia, and Hodgkin's disease are at risk for getting seriously ill or even dying when eating raw or under-cooked oysters. Vibrio vulnificus bacteria is without a doubt something that affects at risk people including cancer patients, people with liver disease including alcoholism, stomach disorders, and people with low immune systems. The illness is characterized by fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a sharp drop in blood pressure, intractable shock and possibly death. The majority of patients also develop painful skin lesions. The skin appears red then blisters develop quickly and erode into necrotic ulcers.

So do I have to cut out eating my favorite morsel from the sea? You can avoid Vibrio vulnificus bacteria by either not eating oysters or by eating them fully-cooked. Oysters are a good source for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin A -- one of the antioxidants believed to help prevent cancer and protect against bacterial infections. Because of their copper and manganese content, oysters are credited with the prevention and treatment of anemia.

I choose to go the fully-cooked method. Here is one of my favorite recipes:

Spicy Asian Cooked Oysters

1 quart fresh shucked oysters, any size
2 T. butter
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 chopped onion
1 T. Worsheshire Sauce
1 T. Thai Chile Sauce
1 T. Oyster Sauce
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
2 stalks thinly sliced celery
1 C. sliced red & green peppers
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp finely chopped lemon grass
3 chopped green onions
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, boil one quart of salted water. Add oysters, stir gently for 2-3 minutes. Remove oysters from pan, wash and rinse, set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat sesame oil and butter, add garlic, onion and lemon grass and sauté approximately one minute. Add oysters and simmer 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring gently until heated through. Add cilantro and green onions and stir well. Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Bon Appetit!