Jean LaMantia, Author of The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook Offers these Spicy Tips for Better Health

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Available Wherever books are sold

I would list the top three spices as turmeric, ginger and garlic

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) February 28, 2013

There are many Americans who use salt, pepper and hot sauce as their only spices. People who do this are missing out on the cancer fighting power that lives in the spice cupboard. Using spices in your cooking is an affordable, accessible and delicious way to fight disease every day.

"I recommend that cancer survivors use spices at every meal." states LaMantia.

Included in her book entitled The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook, cancer survivor and registered dietitian Jean LaMantia discusses spices for their cancer-fighting properties.

"I teach cancer survivors why they should use spices and then I show them how to use them. Spices are anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and contain important cancer-fighting phytonutrients."

Spices come from the seeds, fruit, root or bark of plants from all over the world. "I would list the top three spices as turmeric, ginger and garlic" states LaMantia who also loves to cook for her family as well as for cancer survivors when she teaches her nutrition classes at Wellspring, a cancer support agency.

Turmeric, ginger and garlic all rank very high in anti-inflammatory ability. Since inflammation is thought to be the start of the cancer process, these spices can cut cancer off before it has a chance to begin. In addition, they contain the important phytonutrients curcumin, 6-gingerol and allicin respectively.

Chapter four in The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook, is called “Your Nutrition Toolbox” and it includes many suggestions of foods that can be included in a cancer-fighting diet.

LaMantia’s recommendations for including more herbs and spices include:

•     Sprinkle some cinnamon onto of peanut butter and jam every morning or add it to smoothies, yogurt or parfaits.
•     Add a clove and a nutmeg along with coffee beans in the grinder to mix these important spices in with a morning cup of coffee.
•     Make an exotic tasting tea by peeling and chopping fresh turmeric and ginger root, add these to the tea pot and cover with boiling water and steep for 10 minutes.
•     Try a chai spice tea, which would involve adding cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to black or rooibos tea.
•     Use fresh garlic to add to savory dishes. To maximize the cancer-fighting phytonutrients, let is sit for 10 minutes after chopping before it is cooked or eaten.
•     When using chili peppers don't remove all of the pith - the spongy white part on the inside, this contains cancer fighting phytonutrients and should not be thrown away.
•     Add yellow curry powder (which contains turmeric and black pepper) to mayonnaise. Use this curry mayo on sandwiches and for egg salad.

For more information on reducing risk of cancer and other chronic diseases by improving the diet, The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook devotes a full chapter including several food lists to outline exactly what should be included in a cancer-fighting diet. This book is available wherever books are sold.

Jean LaMantia is a registered dietitian and cancer survivor. The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook is her first book and is written for cancer patients, caregivers, health professionals and others who care about their health and good nutrition. It is available wherever books are sold. She also has free nutrition information available on her website http://www.jeanlamantia.com.

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