Both olives and olive oil contain substantial amounts of squalene and terpenoids as well as the peroxidation-resistant lipid oleic acid deemed to be anticancer agents. It seems probable that olive and olive oil consumption in southern Europe represents an important contribution to the beneficial effects on health of the Mediterranean diet contributing to the lower cancer and cardiovascular disease rates. A recent study by Trichopoulou, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, confirmed a lower incidence of cancer, particularly for the breast, colon and prostate in the Mediterranean countries.

Vicki's Kalamata Tampenade
2 cups pitted kalamata olives
4 cloves garlic, peeled, coarsely chopped
6 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melba Toast, crackers, and crusty bread

Combine olives, garlic, anchovies, capers, parsley and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified to desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put in bowl on center of a plate and place melba toast, crackers, or thin slices of crusty bread around bowl on plate.

Cancer, regardless of the type, is the result of two occurrences:

• Mutations of our genetic material (DNA and RNA).
• Failure of our immune system to detect and destroy the resulting genetic mutation.
  

Everyone has thousands of pre-cancerous cells occurring all the time. In most people, their immune systems are healthy enough to detect and destroy these before they grow into cancer. The cancer patient's immune system is not doing this job properly. The latest research tells us that when levels of one or more of the eight necessary glyconutrients (mannose, fucose, xylose, glucose, galactose, n-acetyl-neuramic acid, n-acetyl-glucosamine, and n-acetyl-glalactosamine) become low, cancer can result.

For example, abnormal mannose and N-acetylglucosamine sugars have been found in breast and colon cancer cells.  In addition, a lack of these glyconutrients have been linked to the spread of cancer cells throughout the body.  What we now know is that we are all deficient in dietary glyconutrients today, thus opening us up to cancer, and other diseases.

• Glyconutrients stimulate macrophage and immune killer cells to destroy cancer (this is the first line of defense).
• They increase the production of substances like interferon to target and destroy malignant cells.
• They activate T-cells to recognize invaders and destroy them (second line of defense).
• They help to regulate when cells die off (apoptosis). When this safety mechanism fails, cancer cells are allowed to keep replicating.
  

There are some top oncologists who are using glyconutrients in their daily practice -- insisting that their patients get on these life-changing supplements.  The discovery of glyconutrients and how cells communicate just occurred a few years ago, long after your doctor left medical school.  Unfortunately, glyconutrients are not in the educational program by pharmaceutical companies presented to your doctor because they are natural supplements, not drugs.  The American Medical Association, AMA, has sanctioned continuing medical education seminars so doctors can begin learning this vital new information. The AMA have never sanctioned seminars for any natural supplement technology before -- that's how important the medical community believes glyconutrients to be.

Because cancer can take years to develop -- and because certain dietary habits have been linked to an increased risk of cancer -- and because helping children adopt informed healthy habits of eating during the early years seems a practical strategy to a lifetime of cancer prevention -- this headline Parents health food fads make children ill, grabbed my attention. According to eating disorder expert Dr. Steve Bratman, parents who encourage their children to choose healthy foods are dangerous role models. It seems that limiting the amount of sugar, fat, salt and artificial additives are putting children at risk of serious damage to their health, and in some cases, death by starvation. With great pain, Dr. Bratman shares that he is deeply disturbed to be receiving an ever-increasing amount of email from children interested in healthy eating habits.

Because no term exists in medical tomes to describe this condition, Dr. Bratman made one up. He calls the condition of junk food aversion and deprivation -- orthorexia. Dr. Bratman has written a book and developed a website devoted to this new life-threatening eating disorder where growing numbers of children, influenced by their parents, are taking an interest in eating healthy. To use the closing remark often used by John Stossel of ABC News 20/20 to a news story that defies sanity and common sense -- give me a break!

The UK Bristol Cancer Help Centre conducted a survey and discovered that cancer patients are not given information about cancer prevention when it comes to diet. This does not surprise me. When I was newly-diagnosed with cancer and undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, no one discussed nutrition with me or how I might include cancer prevention foods in my menu planning. I had to research and educate myself about the benefits of eating healthy foods that would support my healing and long-term health.

In the survey of 1,288 cancer patients, the researchers found that 83 percent were not routinely given advice on nutrition by their healthcare team and 77 percent did not feel they could ask for it. In addition, 93 percent of the survey participants were not told where to find information about diet, even though 61 percent said they directly asked for information on the role of healthy eating.

Some of the cancer patients reported that when they did ask for advice on nutrition from healthcare workers, the answers they were given ranged from, "diet makes no difference, just eat normally" to "eat a healthy diet." Those answers are little help if there is no information provided defining what eat normally and healthy means. There is a mountain of research indicating that what we eat makes a difference to healing and health. This survey was not an eye-opener for me, but perhaps it will create an awareness in the healthcare community to the need for developing comprehensive educational materials on nutrition and diet for cancer patients and cancer survivors.