Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease

Look at these beautiful, organic persimmons! By the end of summer or early fall my parents always graciously send me a large box or two of these wonderful fruits also known to the Chinese as Chinese figs because of their natural sweetness.

According to the book Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann, persimmons are helpful in reducing your risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. He writes: "Lycopene occurs in the ripe fruits of tomatoes, Citrus species, persimmon, dog rose, and numerous other fruits and berries. It also occurs in the petals of many orange flowers, in very large amounts in the ripe seeds of bitter melon, in rutabagas, and in red varieties of carrot... Dietary intakes of tomatoes and products containing lycopene are associated with decreased risk of chronic illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Serum and tissue lycopene levels have also been shown to be inversely related to the risk of lung and prostate cancers. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant, which is clearly one of its major mechanisms of action."

I'm all about eating seasonal because it's Mother Nature's way of helping us stay healthy and boost our immune systems. If you're fortunate enough to get some persimmons now is the time to enjoy them. They are some of the most delicious fruits around.

The Colors of Fall

Isn't this pasta gorgeous? I got this from Williams Sonoma. It's all organic, all natural without the fake artificial colors or flavors and it's made in Italy.

I love that it's from Italy because glyphosate is illegal there. What's glyphosate? It's poison and it causes cancer. It's in Roundup and in many of the foods in our local grocery stores.

This meal is loaded with organic mushrooms specifically cremini and shiitake. Mushrooms are super awesome because they make cancer cells commit suicide. How does it get better than that?!

If you don't like the texture of mushrooms, there are a number of alternatives to get the anticancer benefits. Mushroom teas, mushroom powders, and mushroom vitamins are all available. Organic is best.

Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce by Giada

1 lb rigatoni pasta (if gluten free I like to use Jovial brand, penne, it's made in Italy)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb assorted mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button) cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup white wine (I just use about 1 or 2 tbsp)
1/2 cup vegetable, mushroom, or chicken stock (homemade is best)
1 cups (8 oz) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I use Italian flat parsley a lot)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook till tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook till soft about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook till mushrooms are tender stirring occasionally about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes till all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer till liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir till creamy. Drain the pasta reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat pasta adding the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.