Pilaf / Pulao with garbanzo beans / chicke peas

Well, I have been always writing about incidences from my life and good-old stories from others and so on in this blog. I am sure you guys would have been bored to death hearing about my sweet tales from my fairyland.

So today I am gonna write something different. Something important or related to each one of us. Knowledge is always powerful and its important that one stays informed and be aware of few medical happenings. Being a life scientist and a person who had worked with stem cells, I feel that I can provide little information on health issues through this blog.



Chemotherapy was declared as the only source of treatment for Cancer patients but today John Hopkins have announced that there is an alternative way.The treatment for Cancer always starts with Chemotherapy. It involves destroying both the rapidly growing cancer cells and also the healthy ones present in bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract and can also cause organ damage. It is true that the initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will reduce the tumor but prolonged usage doesnt result in further tumor destruction.

When the body is overloaded with these strong chemicals from chemotherapy, the immune system is destroyed and the body is exposed to different kinds of infections and complications.The body becomes weak and gets deprived of disease fighting ability. John Hopkins team has suggested that the effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not providing the foods that helps it to grow.Here is a list of food which can cause the cancer cells to grow back in a Cancer survivor's body. Note them and always stay informed!

CANCER AND FOOD

1. Sugar is a cancer feeder. Even sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful are harmful. So cancer patients/survivors please avoid sugar. Manuka honey or molasses (natural sugar subtitutes) can be used but only in small quantity.

2. Milk should be avoided. Milk causes the body to produce mucus especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer cells feed on mucus, so its better to substitute it with unsweteened soya milk.

3.Acidic environment is the best one for the cancer cells to live happily. A meat based diet is acidic. Meat (beef or pork) contains livestock antibiotics, growth harmones and parasites. These are harmful ones for Cancer patients. Meat protein is difficult for the body to digest and more so difficult for cancer patients as it requires the help of many digestive enzymes.Undigested meat left behind in the intestines becomes decomposed and leads to more toxic buildup.Cancer cells have a tough protien covering. A reduced meat or no-meat diet, frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. Its better to eat fish and very little chicken. Easily digestible food should be given to them.

4.A diet comprising of vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grains will make the body alkaline.Fresh vegetable juice will provide live enzymes that can be easily absorbed and reaches the cellular levels within 15minutes to nourish and increase the growth of healthy cells.

5.Avoid foods that have high caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate). Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties.Drink a lot of pure water.

Thats my synopsis of what I read and understood about Food and Cancer from journals and internet.Hope it was informative. :-)


Before I go to my recipe today, I wanna share a small news about my recent gift. S gave me a new bike last week. I have decided to use it to nearby bazaar and library. Sometimes, its nice to be eco-freindly and at the same time stay healthy!

Here is my new bike with our cars in the backdrop.






The post for today has nothing to do with Cancer but has something to do with an event Monthly Mingle : Ravishing Rice hosted by Nags of Edible Garden, started by Meeta. Its a simple rice dish made with Channa and Indian spices. Here comes my entry for the event: CHANNA RICE.


CHANNA RICE
Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 cup cooked Channa
• 1 onion - chopped
• 2 green chillies - slit
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup coconut milk/ fresh milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbs oil/ghee
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbs coriander leaves

Masala

• 1 Cardamon
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2'' cinnamon stick

Method

• Soak the raw channa overnight and cook with 2 cups water for 1-2 whistles or use a store bought cooked Channa tin.
• Soak the 2 cups basmati in water for 20min and keep aside.
• Heat a cooking pan and add ghee/oil. Once they get heated up, add the masalas. Saute for 2min.
• Add the onions to the tempered oil and let it sweat. Now add the green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and give it a complete stir. Cook till the raw smell disappears. Mix in the cooked Channa and add the required salt.Add the soaked Basmati rice. POur in 1 cup of coconut milk and 3 cups of water. Give it a complete stir and check for salt. Sprinkle some coriander leaves.
• Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 whistle.
• Serve hot with raita and masala papad.
  

Note: Basmati rice cooking mantra - (1:2 = Basmati Rice: Water)