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.

Eating an orange every day can not only boost your vitamin C but it can help get rid of a strain of the H. pylori bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and can lead to stomach cancer. Researchers in San Francisco found that infected people with high levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely to test positive for the cancer causing strain. Here is a delicious, colorful, and healthy salad to serve your family. Remember to always buy organic when available.

Vicki's Citrus/Dijon Salad Dressing
4 tbsp. Orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 tbsp. Lime juice
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
Whisk together to make citrus salad dressing

Vicki's Orange and Avocado Salad
1/2 of a 10 oz. bag of mixed salad greens
1/2 of a 10 oz. bag baby spinach
1 Ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 Oranges peeled, seeded, and cut into slices
1 Cup grape tomatoes
1/2 Cup shredded carrots
3 Green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
Mix ingredients and toss in a large bowl then drizzle with the citrus salad dressing.
Serves 4.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, says conventional wisdom. But if it is broken, then by all means -- fix it.

Many of us have broken pantries. Pantries full of chips, cookies, candies, oils, sugars, and well, let's just name it: junk. Our pantries are broken because they don't work in a world where health and wellness and prevention should be on everyone's menu. They are ineffective, insufficient, and downright bad for us.

My pantry has been in disrepair for a long time. Now, however, thanks to a build-your-pantry cheat sheet I brought home from Canyon Ranch, it's on the mend. Yours can be too. Just borrow from this abbreviated list next time you're in the grocery store and in no time, your pantry will be lookin' good. So will you.

If a desire for healthy eating is anywhere present in your mind, I have a suggestion for you. Next time you head into your local grocery store in search of goods to fill your cupboards, your shelves, your refrigerator, I want you to try this: steer clear of the inside aisles of the store.

Think about this:

The healthiest foods, the freshest foods, the whole foods are housed on the outside walls of grocery stores. Fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, dairy, and often times the organic department border the aisles filled with cookies, candies, colas, crackers, cereals, dressings, and a whole host of other preserved items. So see if you can shop without entering the less-healthy regions of your store. And if you must make a detour, shoot for the most natural foods you can find. If your search is for cooking oil, opt for canola oil instead of vegetable oil. If peanut butter is your thing, pick up natural nut butters. If you must have mayonnaise, reach for reduced fat or soy versions.

Staying on the perimeter of your store still requires some thinking -- meats should be lean, breads should start with the word whole, cheeses and dairy should be low in fat, and juices should be free of sugar. But still, this is the healthiest place for your next grocery store stroll.

When you plan to go on a diet or want to start eating healthier, salads seem like the perfect lunch to shed some unwanted pounds. The problem with salads is they can easily deceive the most well meaning dieter.

They say they are salads -- in a way they are -- but not in the eating healthy sense that we associate with it. Just because it has salad in the name on the menu does not mean it is healthy.

Some of you might be saying that you know this already. Believe me when I tell you that some people don't know this or are in some way in denial about the whole salad situation. A taco salad may contain greens and some tomatoes but it also can have ground meat, lots of cheeses, tortilla chips and sour cream.

Salad dressings are another problem, they can sometimes be the same amount of calories as a fast-food meal. Instead of reaching for the ranch dressing which can contain 110 calories and 12 grams of fat per tablespoon, try and make your own salad dressing so you know exactly what your putting in your salad. You can do this when dining out, restaurants usually offer vinegar and oil as a dressing choice.

A few good ideas for a healthier salad:

• Stay away from salads that have meats or cheeses
• Spice up your salad with different greens like arugula or watercress, you won't miss those creamy dressings with all that flavor
• Make your own dressing using a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and some fresh ground pepper.
• If you buy a salad-to-go in a convenience store, compare the calorie content between the light salad dressing to the creamy dressings. I have seen differences of 200 calories or more
• Skip the croutons and put in some crunching veggies instead

If you want that taco salad then go at it but if you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier then thinking about what is going into your salad can make a huge difference.

Parsley is full of flavonoids which is a powerful chemical that aids in the prevention of cancer and can also fight heart disease. Eating parsley may reduce your risk of hormone related breast and prostate cancers. Sometimes cooking vegetables can take out important vitamin c which combats cancer so by sprinkling raw parsley of foods right before you eat them will give you a natural vitamin c boost and also give you antioxidants and flavonoids.

I love couscous as a side dish or as a chilled salad. Adding parsley, alfalfa sprouts, and minced sun dried tomatoes that have been soaked in olive oil is my favorite salad of all. Sun dried tomatoes pack a great tomato punch to this recipe giving you more vitamins and nutrients.

Vicki's Parsley, Sprout , and Tomato Couscous

1 cup couscous
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (that have been soaked in olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste

Bring broth and olive oil to a boil and pour in couscous. Cover and reduce heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove couscous from pan into a large mixing bowl and fluff with fork. Let chill in refrigerator for an hour. Stir in parsley, alfalfa sprouts, and sun dried tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. This dish is great and will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.

When I make a salad or anything that needs oil, I always reach for the olive oil. It is regarded as a healthful dietary oil because of its high content of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid) and polyphenols.

In a study to be published in the January 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists from five European countries describe how the anti-cancer effects of olive oil may account for the significant difference in cancer rates among Northern and Southern Europeans.

The researchers examined urine samples of subjects consuming a little less than a quarter cup of olive oil for three weeks. They were looking for specific compounds known to be waste by-products of oxidative damage to cells, a precursor to cancer. At the beginning of the trial the presence of these waste by-products was much higher in the Northern European subjects than their Southern European counterparts. By the end of three weeks of consuming the olive oil the presence of this compound in Northern European subjects was substantially reduced.

They also found that phenols in olive oil are not the only compounds that reduced oxidative damage. Phenols are a known antioxidant that is present in a wide range of foods, such as dark chocolate, red wine, tea, fruits and vegetables. Even if the level of phenols in the olive oil was reduced the study's subjects still received the same health benefits.

When you are cooking this holiday season, pick up some olive oil. I also use the spray olive oil which is great for getting those muffins out of the tray!

I'm headed for a Saturday morning workout with my fitness trainer. For one hour, I will physically challenge my body and emotionally charge my spirits. I will sweat and pant and if I am required to do the inner thigh exercise, I will scream. I will also whine -- it's in my nature -- and I will push, pull, bounce, balance, lift, squat, lunge, and run until it's quitting time. I will fall short on some of my exercise expectations. And I will surprise myself and exceed others. In the end, I will feel accomplished, strong, motivated, and ready to tackle the day.

I'm making a comeback. I have come back from the depths of cancer and all of its accompanying treatment, and I have invited this powerhouse of a girl to transform me. She has accepted the challenge -- and she has helped me evolve from a weak, shaky, dizzy cancer patient to a semi-strong, 5K-running breast cancer survivor with biceps that are almost visible at a close distance.

This spunky fitness girl -- also an accomplished kick boxer, wife, and mom of two little ones -- has accepted another one of my challenges. I asked her to share some of her health and fitness expertise so that we all may reap the benefits. And so she kindly extracted some important tidbits from her vast library of knowledge and concisely crafted the responses that follow.

Take it from Fitz Koehler -- exercise and healthy eating habits are key for survival. For all of us. Cancer survivors included.

Why is fitness important for everyone?

100% of the population needs to exercise in some way. For the most part, if you're not working to get stronger, you're going to get weaker. Whether it's tummy time as an infant, gym class as a kid, weight training as an adult, or short walks as a senior, in order to live well and live long, we must eat well and exercise. Plus, a fit lifestyle prevents so many horrible ailments and diseases -- heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, GERD. Who wants any of that?

In 2003, at the American Association for Cancer Research Second Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, studies were presented that found pomegranate fruit extract a novel agent for skin cancer prevention. Researchers say if further studies confirm preliminary findings, skin care products such as creams, patches, and sunscreens containing pomegranate may be developed to protect the skin against cancer.

"The incidence of skin cancer is rising faster than any other solid tumor in the United States. It is critical that we develop novel approaches to both primary and secondary prevention of what appears to be becoming an epidemic," stated Dr. David Alberts, M.D., of the University of Arizona. "We are pleased to see numerous studies exploring the therapeutic value of topically-applied natural ingredients that people can begin incorporating into everyday life."

While research of pomegranate extract is ongoing, and the bath and beauty skin care products featured in this post do not claim to reduce skin cancer risk, they do all contain pomegranate extract. Pampering yourself with these delightful bath and body products is simply a treat -- and if research does prove that pomegranate extract provides topical health benefit, all the better. Indulge yourself, you deserve it.

St Helena Olive Oil Co. Pomegranate Soap

Made with olive oil and the fruit of the pomegranate, which gives St Helena Olive Oil Co. Pomegranate Soap its rich pink color and refreshing scent, according to the product description, pomegranate is known for its soothing properties for sensitive skin. View product details here.

Noveya All-Natural Pomegranate Soap

Noveya makes its All-Natural Pomegranate Soap from a special formula of pomegranate extract, pomegranate juice, pomegranate leaves, pomegranate peel, essential oil of patchouli, essential oil of lavender, vanilla extract, organic goat's milk, and pure wildflower honey all enhanced by red clay from the Negev to hydrate and enrich the skin with nutrients. View product details here.


Archipelago Botanicals Pomegranate Collection

Archipelago Botanicals has developed a line of pomegranate bath and beauty products. According to the company webpage, ancient Greeks touted its medicinal benefits, while modern beauty editors point out that the fruit is loaded with powerful antioxidants. Two of the products they offer are:

Archipelago Botanicals Pomegranate Triple Milled Soap made with a blend of pomegranate, white tea, cranberry, and chamomile extracts in a 100 percent vegetable base. View product details here.

Archipelago Botanicals Pomegranate Body Polish is formulated with ground pomegranate and cranberry seeds to gently exfoliate and detoxify. View product details here.

Aqua Dessa Honey Pomegranate Facial Cleansing Foam

Created to be mild foaming facial cleanser, Aqua Dessa Honey Pomegranate Facial Cleansing Foam is made with honey, pomegranate and antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, black currant, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and blueberry to hydrate and nourish the skin. View product details here.

Bella Lucce Pomegranate Polishing Crème

Made with pomegranate extract, the polishing cream exfoliates with tiny microderm abrasion crystals in a product designed to meet the same high quality standards you might experience with pricey microderm abrasion treatments at a spa. In fact, Bella Lucce's bath and body products are featured in luxe spas, salons and natural wellness centers in 38 states and nine countries -- from Los Angeles to Dubai. View product details here.

BBC News is reporting that the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has caused a massive oil spill off Lebanon's coastline that could take ten years to clean up and poses a threat of increased cancer risks for people living in the region. The spill was caused by the Israeli bombing of the Jiyyeh power station.

Yacoub Sarraf, Lebanon's environment minister, stated that they cannot begin to tackle the problem until the conflict ends. "We cannot get equipment, companies, labor or know-how to handle the problem," he said until the safety of technical teams can be guaranteed.

Marine experts from Inforac, an organization with links to the United Nations Environment Program (Unep), said the spill of fuel oil was a "high-risk toxic cocktail made up of substances which cause cancer and damage to the endocrine system." The experts warned that the first people at risk from the toxic spray at the time of the bombing were the two million inhabitants of Beirut.

Experts are comparing the oil spill to the Erika tanker oil spill off the coast of France and speculated that the Lebanon oil spill could end up being as devastating as the Exxon Valdez disaster.

University of South Australia researchers have good news for people trying to lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, in improving their health and reducing their risks for diseases like cancer. With no other lifestyle changes, taking omega-3 fish oil supplements and engaging in moderate exercise helped people struggling with weight issues -- who are overweight or obese -- effectively burn off extra pounds.

The researchers used tuna oil and sunflower oil in the study, and compared the effects of the two oils with exercise to weight loss results. The participants engaged in exercise that is considered moderate exercise -- walking or running for 45 minutes -- three times a week for three months and were given either tuna fish oil or sunflower oil. The participants who were given tuna fish oil lost weight faster.

The researchers believe that fish oil, which is rich in omega-3, helps the body burn fat, and estimates that most people do not get enough omega-3 in their daily diet. Omega-3 is also found in wild salmon, flaxseed, and certain nuts and seeds.

Republican Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon calls home DNA kits for cancer and other diseases as nothing more than modern day snake oil and he believes consumers are being misled and exploited.

Smith, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, released a report from the Government Accountability Office on home DNA test products. He stated he is shocked to learn how little the federal government is doing to protect consumers in awareness and education regarding the uselessness of these products.

According to a Congressional report, home DNA tests or nutrigenetic tests, are not clinically valid and companies selling them are making unproven and ambiguous health-related predictions.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said they were investigating the companies to determine is oversight was needed.

Microwaving popcorn produces many compounds known to break down into the suspected carcinogen perfluorooctanoic acid. Research shows that the grease-repelling fluorotelomer chemicals used to treat microwave popcorn bags can get into the popcorn oil. The amount of fluorotelomers in the coating of the bags is high and popcorn bags get very hot and heat up to more than 200 degrees Celsius in just a minute or two. These high temperatures increase the potential for carcinogens to travel to the food from the packaging.

In my household popcorn is the favorite snack for everyone including the dogs and birds. Here is a tip for making the healthiest popcorn snack possible. Coconut oil has been proven to reduce the risks for cancer, especially colon and breast, and is also healthy for the heart by lowering cholesterol. Coconut oil withstands high heat so is great for when you want to fry foods or make your favorite popcorn snack. Remember to buy organic products when available.

Vicki's Healthy Popcorn
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
1 cup organic popcorn

In a medium sauce pan melt the coconut oil and pour popcorn kernels into the pan and cover. When popcorn starts to pop, shake the pan slightly above the heat of the burner until popcorn stops popping. I usually count to five slowly and if no kernels have popped in five seconds then pull it away from the heat. There will always be unpopped kernels but you don't want to burn the ones that popped. Salt to taste.

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.