Welcome, and prepare to eat!
We are so happy that you have decided to join this September’s healthy eating challenge in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Soon you’ll be receiving a copy of The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer, a guide to overall healthy lifestyle choices to help prevent cancer and any number of other chronic diseases.
This month’s slate of health foods focuses on not necessarily the world’s healthiest foods, but on 30 nourishing foods that open up a conversation about what we, as scientists, know and don’t know about the complex set of compounds that make up the foods we eat… and how they may or may not be related to some of the chronic diseases that many of you struggle to manage. Whether you are a man with prostate cancer, a caregiver, an amateur chef, or just someone who needs inspiration to eat healthy, this challenge is for you.
Remember: the idea of food as medicine is not new – but it’s also tricky. When you actually unpack the science of food, you have to look at things like association vs. causation, human vs. animal studies, and epidemiological report vs. clinical trial. Here’s what we can guarantee you this month: nothing we’ve suggested you eat is bad for you (unless you have an allergy or contraindication), and just the mere fiber content is enough to favor better health for most people. But beyond that, we’ll also spend some time unpacking the latest science of food: what we know, what we don’t know, and where we think we know but could use more data.
Leading up to the challenge, we’ll provide you with all the resources you need to get ready. Once we get close to September, you’ll receive a weekly email in time to shop for the foods we suggest each week, as well as more food science about each.
We invite you to spend some time with us, being food scientists (learning about what’s good for you and why), as well as nutrition chemists – learning how to cook and prepare the foods that will serve your body well, for years to come.
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Avocado
- Sweet potato
- Blueberries
- Apple
- Banana
- Green peas
- Edamame
- Lentils
- Black beans
- Almonds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Flax seeds
- Acorn squash
- Okra
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Popcorn
- Eggplant
- Cabbage
- Tomato
- Onion
- Garlic
- Bean sprouts
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Barley
- Tempeh
- Pickles
To review the rules of the challenge, go to www.pcf.org/eat .