Updated at: 09-05-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

The phrase, “you are what you eat,” in that the food we eat affects the way our bodies function. If you’re interested in knowing the best foods to consume to fight illnesses, the list includes fruits, citrus as well as tomatoes, greens as well as legumes, and beans such as cauliflower, horseradish onions, garlic, and sage. You can cultivate them in your own greenhouse, and you will only need to purchase the necessary seafood, beef or poultry, and dairy. Even turkey, chicken, and rabbits can grow them quickly.

Berries

They are high in antioxidants which makes the perfect fruit for fighting disease. Particularly, blueberries blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries are all delicious but they benefit your body to neutralize free radicals. It is essential to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants since free radicals can trigger chronic illnesses, such as cancers.
The cost of berries can be high and difficult to obtain throughout the year. But, you can still get the antioxidants you crave by cultivating your own. You are able to easily regulate the temperature in the greenhouse and receive a large supply of these anti-cancer fruits all year long.

Lemons

Another fruit to include in your diet would be lemon. The orange citrus fruit is an excellent source of flavonoids and vitamin C, which are essential for protecting your body from free radicals and increasing the strength of your immune system. Drinking juices of citrus can help guard against illnesses like atherosclerosis, diabetes, and endothelial dysfunction.

Lemon juice can also be used to treat illnesses and infections. Lemon juice is a great way to cleanse our body of harmful toxins acting as a diuretic and encouraging digestion. You can also drink it along with water to ease tension or sore throat.

Greens

Greens are great crops to plant yourself in order so that you can always have access to these rich in nutrients vegetables. From kale to dark lettuces, spinach, and the bok choy eating these vegetables will provide you with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Raw, they taste delicious in smoothies and salads, however, a simple stir-fry will motivate you to consume your greens each week.
The green leafy vegetables are a great source of nutrients, including vitamins C folate, K, beta-carotene, iron and magnesium as well as antioxidants, carotenoids, and phytochemicals. All of these nutrients could reduce the risk of cancer as well as brain diseases, diabetes as well as improve our overall well-being. They can be extremely beneficial in defending the body from illness and helping to ensure that the body’s systems function effectively.

Tomatoes

If there’s one fruit that could be considered both edible and fruit It’s the delicious tomato. The delicious food is not just easy to plant, is also adaptable to various dishes. In this way, you’re not only making your food more delicious but also helping your body remain healthy.

Particularly tomatoes are an excellent supply of lycopene. This antioxidant benefits the body, including the eyes, skin digestion system, and is a general defense against the growth of cancer. They also contain vitamin C, which helps maintain your immune system well against pathogens.

Beans And Legumes

If you’re in search of an energy-rich snack, why not substitute the sodium-laden chips and chemicals by eating legumes and beans. Chickpeas and beans are loaded with phytochemicals and don’t add sodium and fat to your diet. They are also a fantastic source of fiber, protein iron, folic acid, iron, and magnesium.
In reality, eating these veggies can reduce the chance of developing heart ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. They are great healthy snacks and meals since they can help curb your desire for unhealthy food. In addition beans and legumes are able to reduce blood cholesterol levels as well as stabilize blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of illness and help manage weight.

Cauliflower

Brassica species such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are high in phytochemicals. These chemicals play an important role in reducing the development of cancerous cells as well as activating the immune system and shielding the body’s cells from being damaged. It is possible to replace carbohydrates by eating cauliflower and also.

Cauliflower is a great source of Choline. The chemical is helpful for the many reactions that occur in the body, such as those that affect the nervous system as well as movement. The pregnant woman should also consume food that is high in choline in order to ensure the healthy development and growth of the infant.

Horseradish

The hot root crop, horseradish is also a great ingredient to consume to fight off illnesses. It is important to note that horseradish is a cancer fighter. It’s particularly good for glucosinolates. They assist the body in getting rid of carcinogens while inhibiting tumors.
Horseradish also contains a number of antioxidants, such as sinigrin, which can help prevent harm that is caused by free radicals. In addition, horseradish contains bactericidal properties due to the allyl-isothiocyanate. That means the delicious root crop is able to combat E.coli, Salmonella, and H. Pylori, which can attack the body.

Garlic

Foods such as onions, garlic, and ginger are usually utilized to enhance the taste of our food. But they’re also beneficial to fight off diseases. For instance, garlic is a fantastic source of antioxidants that reduces the chance of getting cancerous and illnesses like Alzheimer’s.

Research has also proven that garlic improves the immune system of the body due to the fact that it is antiviral and antibacterial in nature. They are effective in preventing the development of bacteria which includes bacteria that resist antibiotics. Garlic is also utilized to safeguard the body from cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis.

Onions

Another one that is easy to cultivate is onion. It can be used in many recipes, and it provides various health advantages. Like garlic, onions have antiviral properties. Particularly onions are a great supply of quercetin.
The flavonoid is involved as a brain protector and in reducing the risk of getting cancer. It is also helpful in controlling blood pressure and sugar level, which can help prevent dangerous diseases. Additionally, onion has the ability to aid in digestion because it’s high in fiber.

Ginger

Ginger is another plant that you must possess at home. It is a great natural treatment for sore throats due to its properties of anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and in reducing inflammation. It is also a delicious crop to ease the pain and nausea in your muscles.
Apart from gingerol, ginger is also a potent source of capsaicin and beta carotene. Beta-carotene can be a precursor for vitamin A, which is vital for healthy eyes, skin, and the immune system. However, capsaicin aids in metabolism and supports our immune system.

Sage

You can plant the herbs you want at home to boost your well-being and make your food tastier. The herb sage, which is healthy is a potent herb with many health benefits and is commonly used to rid your body of sore throats and colds. It also benefits from the antioxidants in this herb to boost your immune system.

Research has shown that sage can also have antibacterial properties. It is possible to use sage mouthwash to kill oral bacteria that could cause tooth decay. This delicious and fragrant herb has also proven its effects in regulating the blood sugar level.

Why not grow your own disease-fighting food items?

You can always purchase your own food at the markets, however, growing your own food in your own greenhouse will provide many advantages over the long term. You will be able to increase your food intake since they are always available and relieve stress from gardening and provide that your product is safe. Visit Krostrade.com for more information about greenhouses.

The good thing about vegetables and fruits is that they’re simple to grow on your own. They will require some understanding about maintenance, however, the benefits and results outweigh the work you’ll put into it. It is possible to use the cultivation of various varieties to generate consistent income through the greenhouse.

Improve your diet

The best method to boost your diet is to ensure the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits. This can only happen when you’re growing these anti-malarial food items yourself in a greenhouse. Indoor farming will permit you to keep a variety of fruit and vegetables included to eat regardless of the time of year since you are able to control the climate inside.

There’s also a sense of satisfaction when you realize that you’re the one who was the one to grow these plants. This means that you’ll be more inclined to eat them as part of your meals since you understand the work that was put into these nutritious foods. Also, you’ll realize how much you’ll save on the cost of your meals each month with the fruits and vegetables you grow yourself in your backyard.

Relieve stress

The act of gardening, as well as the physical tasks to maintain the health of your plants, is good for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Feeding the plants, watering them as well as weeding, planting, and all these tasks can be considered exercises to prevent you from living a more sedentary lifestyle. It’s also a fantastic way for you to receive your regular sun dose while the greenhouse is safeguarding you from UV rays.

Making your own food sources to fight off illness can be an effective stress-reliever for your emotional and mental well-being. There have been studies showing that show gardening improves your life satisfaction and decreases anxiety and depression. It could also be an activity that builds bonds between you as well as your loved ones.

Make sure that your product is safe

Fruits and vegetables can pose a risk due to how they’re grown and handled. Before these nutritious foods are onto your table they may be contaminated with pesticides and chemicals at the farm. It’s also possible for plants to be infected by E.coli and Salmonella by improper handling and hygiene methods.

If you’re able to make your own healthy foods You can be confident that the food you eat is free from any contaminants from microbial or chemical sources. It is known that they are produced without the use of any chemicals and you can ensure cleanliness when handling the food before eating them. So the only thing you’ll get is health benefits, and you won’t need to worry about getting sick by certain practices.

What Are Some Other Disease-Fighting Foods?

Seafood, as well as poultry and dairy, are also food items that fight disease and should be incorporated into the diet. In addition to the other foods and vegetables that are listed, it is essential to eat them to boost your overall health. Being aware of moderation is essential with these foods.

You should monitor your diet every day in order to keep an ideal body. It is important to determine whether you’re eating excessive amounts or a small amount of an item of food. Also, limit your intake of foods that have been processed and packed with sugars, fats, and salts.

Seafood

Seafood is an excellent food source for omega-3 fats and what this means is that seafood such as tuna and salmon may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Seafood is also rich in protein that helps to reduce the storage of fat within the body. Certain studies have shown that eating seafood can to protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease as well.

Poultry

The consumption of poultry, such as chicken or turkey is a great way to get zinc and iron. These two minerals are crucial to the immune system and the overall function that the body has. Iron aids in the oxygen-transporting capability of the red blood cells while zinc plays a role in the functioning of the immune system.

Dairy

The final food item to make the list of things you can eat to prevent illnesses is dairy. Dairy products like cheese and milk are high in minerals and vitamins that boost the immune system and bone health. But, you can take calcium and other essential nutrients from vegetables and fruits even if you’re lactose intolerant.

What This World-Renowned Cancer Researcher Eats In A Day To Beat Disease

Breakfast

For breakfast, Li tends to keep things very light, starting with either a cup of whole-leaf green tea or espresso and some fruit, like kiwi. “Green tea and coffee are what I call Grand Slammer foods, and what I mean by that is they activate all five health defense systems in the body,” he says. Kiwis are also Grand Slammers, and they’re particularly great at protecting DNA, which can help slow cellular aging and reduce cancer risk. “A kiwi a day has actually been shown to reduce damage to DNA by about 60 percent,” he says.

Occasionally he’ll have a slice of toast as well. Not just any toast, though—whenever possible, Li opts for a high-quality sourdough. “I eat it for its impact on my microbiome,” he says. “Sourdough is made with Lactobacillus reuteri, a healthy gut bacteria that helps activate our immune system and speed healing. It also activates our brain and prompts it to release the social, feel-good hormone oxytocin. The research has shown that even when the bacteria is killed by the cooking process, the remnants of the bacteria will still have all those benefits. It’s quite amazing.” Consider our minds blown.

When Li is traveling, he might add in a couple of pieces of hard cheese such as Gouda, Muenster, or Camembert in the morning, which are often part of the European breakfast spread. The reason for hard cheeses, specifically? They’re a great source of vitamin K2 (also found in egg yolks and chicken thighs), which is not only heart-healthy but anti-angiogenic as well, meaning it helps slow the formation of blood vessels that promote tumor growth. (Fun fact: Li rose to fame in 2010 when his TedTalk on anti-angiogenic foods, Can We Eat To Starve Cancer?, went viral. We highly recommend watching.)

Lunch

Li likes to go heavy on the plants at lunch and often leans toward salads made with nutrient-packed leafy greens like arugula, spinach, radicchio, or mâche. “Leafy greens, particularly those in the brassica family, contain special compounds that are anti-angiogenic, protect DNA, and boost the immune system,” he says. He’ll also add some nuts and seeds, which activate multiple defense systems in the body, olive oil-based dressing, and fatty fish. “I enjoy smaller tinned fish like sardines, mackerel, or anchovies,” he says. “They’re lower on the food chain, which means they’re lower in mercury, but they still contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.”

From time to time, Li will skip lunch altogether. “Skipping a lunch or breakfast now and then reduces caloric intake, which improves your telomeres—the caps of DNA on the end of your chromosomes—and is associated with cellular longevity,” he says. “I don’t purposely fast to lose weight or become ketogenic, but I’m mindful that doing this a couple of days a week has some benefit.”

Dinner

Dinner is Li’s biggest meal of the day, and he pays special attention to what’s fresh and in season. “I tend to build my meal around a core vegetable first and then think about how to make that vegetable as tasty as possible.” One of Li’s favorite veggies to prepare at dinner is roasted radicchio, which he slices in half, drizzles with olive oil, and cooks for about 15 minutes in the oven. “Radicchio is one of those vegetables that activates multiple defense systems at the same time,” he says. Of course, that’s not enough by itself. To go along with it? He’ll pair it with something like a steamed fillet of fish and roasted purple potatoes with rosemary. “Research has shown that the natural pigment that makes these potatoes purple actually kills cancer stem cells, which are the really bothersome cells that allow the cancer to keep coming back.”

He’ll even eat pasta from time to time, but he knows exactly how to ramp up its disease-fighting potential. First, he’ll go for whole-wheat pasta, with the shell of the grain present, which contains anti-angiogenic and immune-boosting properties. As for the sauce, all varieties of tomatoes (when cooked) contain a highly absorbable form of the powerful, cancer-starving carotenoid antioxidant lycopene—but, whenever possible, Li will opt for San Marzano or cherry tomatoes, which have the highest lycopene levels. Then, he’ll add a glug of olive oil for even more disease-fighting benefits. But not just any olive oil. “I always look at the bottle to see if they identify the type of olive,” says Li. His top choice? Extra-virgin olive oil made with Greek Koroneiki olives, which are a particularly potent source of hydroxytyrosol, an immune-enhancing, anti-angiogenic, DNA-protecting polyphenol compound. To top it all off? He might add some capers, which pack a hefty dose of the antioxidant quercetin, which is anti-inflammatory and may help inhibit the growth of several types of cancer.

Snack

For a sweet fix, Li gravitates toward chocolate (don’t we all?). “I’ll have a small piece of dark chocolate, 70 percent cacao or higher, which is one of those Grand Slamming foods,” he says. “It tastes great and you don’t need a lot.”

The How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook

You’ve heard that food helps the body heal and keeps it healthy and strong. But did you know that there’s solid research that shows that different types of foods influence specific aspects of healing that the body has naturally in place? From the microbiome to stem cell regeneration, the immune system, protecting its own DNA from damage and allowing blood vessels to appropriately feed tissues without getting out of control and feeding cancer cells, its complex and it’s real. There’s so much you can do and so my new book, How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook, is your absolute go-to guide for how to do this on your own. Best of all? It’s got  75 healthy recipes that you’re going to love.

More info about The How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook

Bolster your body’s natural defense systems through diet with this complete guide and cookbook

Your body has powerful systems in place to keep you healthy and prevent disease, and the foods you eat can help those systems function at their best. The How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook offers a complete overview of the popular Eat to Beat Disease program by Dr. William Li and provides a meal plan and 75 delicious recipes to help you implement the program.

How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook includes:

  • Bioactive recipes―Each recipe has at least three (but usually many, many more) bioactive (or health-promoting) ingredients, from fresh produce to herbs and spices, so you can maximize the benefits of every meal.
  • A 14-day meal plan―Easily adopt the Eat to Beat Disease program with two weeks of pre-planned meals and grocery shopping lists to help you get started on the right foot.
  • An intro to the body’s defense systems―Learn about the body’s five major disease-fighting systems (angiogenesis, cell regeneration, microbiome health, DNA protection, and the immune system), how they work, and how food supports them.
  • Recipe tips and tricks―Find variation suggestions with most recipes so you can make the dishes even healthier and adjust them to suit every taste and dietary preference.

Help your body heal and protect itself with the practical guidance in How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook.

I start off with an in-depth exploration of the body’s natural defense systems, how they work and what foods help support them. My reference pages in the back are extensive so if you’ve got any questions or want to reference the studies I was using, they’re all there for you! From there, you’ll see all the foods laid out in a multi-page food list for reference when planning your recipes and meals. After that, I’ve got a full 2-week meal plan that uses both recipes in the book as well as other simple, disease fighting ingredients you likely have on-hand. I keep it really simple, using leftovers and ingredients to make your weekly meal prep easy and seamless.

From there, you’ll move into chapters with recipes for: breakfast, salads and soups, seafood, chicken, vegetarian (this is the largest chapter!), then baked goods and treats. You know I wasn’t going to do a healthy cookbook without baked goods and sweet treats….

The Inspiration

My work as a dietitian has pretty much one theme: helping people use food to improve their health.  From my work as an intern at the Veterans Hospital in Chicago and my rotations in the city supporting people living with HIV or at the Children’s Hospital, dealing with serious illnesses, I saw how disease can ravage a body first-hand. My first job as a dietitian was at a large hospital where I spent a lot of time on the cardiac floor, educating folks who had just had heart attacks.

I was recruited to work at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment where I spent years as a dietitian there supporting people going through active treatment – chemotherapy and radiation – with plant-based diet education, supplements and lifestyle changes all geared towards calming the inflammation, controlling angiogenesis, supporting the immune system, and nurturing the microbiome so they could heal.

My next stop was at a large biotech start-up here in Seattle, Arivale, where we assessed people genetic markers and blood labs. Guess what we were tracking in both the genetics and blood? Inflammatory markers, immune markers, and microbiome data! In both of these jobs where I had access to so much data, I learned that you can absolutely, 100% influence health markers in the body with nutrition. It’s so incredible. By supporting the body’s natural processes, you feel better, experience less pain, support your body’s healing and increase energy.

I now run two virtual private practices here in Seattle – Champagne Nutrition and Seattle Cancer Nutritionist where my team and I utilize concierge nutrition programs that include nutrigenomic testing (for some, not all), meal prep with an anti-inflammatory approach, and a very high-touch, hands on partnership approach to helping clients change their health and change their lives. If you’re intrigued and you know that you need help, we’re here for you so please join the newsletter and reach out to contact me and we’ll talk.

The Journey

I’ve wanted to write books my entire life. As a young child, I “wrote books”, all the time. I uncovered piles of them in boxes of old schoolwork ranging from string-bound construction paper in early grade school up to gigantic typed documents in high school and college when I was an English major.

Being a dietitian really gave me the platform to finally write nutrition books that break down the science into bite sized pieces and also make it approachable and accessible to all. If there’s one thing I want this book to do is to help people across the country live healthier lives. I strived to keep it simple, evidence-based and easy to use. I pulled on all my years of clinical experience including my integrative and holistic education I received during my Masters degree at Bastyr University. My goal was to lay out step by step how to use foods to support the natural healing processes of the body.

The Recipes

I’m so excited about these recipes! My strong preference is to be plant-based and cook vegan and vegetarian recipes but my ultimate goal is also to create recipes that are accessible and interesting to all. For that reason, there is a chapter in this book that features chicken and there’s one that features seafood. If desired, you could weave in other types of meat that are part of your diet and preferences. Alternatively, for the vast majority of these recipes, you could remove the meat completely and make it vegetarian.

Some of my favorites in the book are

If you or anyone you know needs a new cookbook with healthy recipes and has questions or an interest in harnessing the healing power of natural foods, be sure to order it online or – my preference – from one of the local bookstores selling it currently such as Ballast Book Co or Liberty Bay Books (and grab it right away for the pre-order price guarantee!). If you’re a person who wants to make eating healthier easy and still delicious, this book is for you. Let me know what questions you have here in the comments and when you pick up your copy, make sure to leave an honest review to let me know what you think!

FAQs

What foods help beat a disease?

One of the best disease fighting foods is dark, leafy greens, which include everything from spinach, kale, and bok choy to dark lettuces. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, carotenoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

What does Dr William Li eat for breakfast?

Breakfast. Dr. Li kicks off each morning with a cup of coffee or green tea (Harvard docs, they’re just like us!) Li calls coffee and green tea “grand-slammer foods,” because they activate all five defense systems in the body for optimal health.

Can food heal disease?

While scientific evidence shows that food can aid various health conditions, anecdotal claims of curing or treating diseases through extreme dieting, supplements, or other methods are often false.

Is Dr William Li a vegan?

Here’s an fascinating new TED talk on an emerging approach for cancer treatment that involves starving cancer tumors through a combination of drugs and everyday foods. Interestingly, all of the foods Dr. Li covers are vegan.

Are eggs cancerous?

Egg consumption is associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer: Evidence from a meta-analysis of observational studies.

What foods promote angiogenesis?

“Many of the compounds that have been found to have anti-angiogenic activity are found in plants,” she says. “A well-balanced diet consists of a variety of plant-based foods—particularly dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes—as well as fish and other lean protein.

Can you reverse chronic disease?

People with pre-chronic issues like pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity can reverse these issues by making the appropriate lifestyle changes. These changes take a lot of individual willpower to reverse their conditions.

Conclusion

Foods can be used to fight diseases when combined with exercising regularly. The list of food items that can fight off disease includes the following: berries, lemons as well as tomatoes, greens beans, and legumes as well as horseradish, cauliflower, garlic onions, ginger, and sage. These veggies and fruits are simple to grow, making it possible to incorporate them into your diet.

While you’re at it be sure to include fish, poultry, and dairy products in your diet. The foods on this list are high in nutrients like minerals, vitamins, as well as antioxidants. They aid in the correct operation of the various processes all throughout the body and also help to prevent diseases.

In the end, our diet plays an important part in the fighting and preventing illnesses. It’s not difficult to come up with ideas when it comes to incorporating them into recipes, and there’s no reason to avoid eating healthy foods. It’s also feasible and suitable to cultivate the plants in a greenhouse to enhance your diet, reduce anxiety, and guarantee safe food items.

https://champagnenutrition.com/the-how-to-eat-to-beat-disease-cookbook/

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-a-doctor-eats-to-prevent-and-fight-chronic-disease

Eat To Beat Disease Food List