Evidence Based Eating For Every day People
If foods were actors in movies, coleslaw would never be a star—only a supporting character at best. No one in the history of humanity has ever said, “[insert a Chris Rock voice] I want to go to restaurant ‘x’ because of the coleslaw.” It’s never happened. Not once.
At its best, coleslaw is like Hawkeye from the Avengers movies. He’s a great supporting character, but he’s not going to be the guy that defeats ‘Thanos.’
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My prostate needs a witness protection program. It hasn’t committed any crimes, but it’s higher up on a target list for prostate cancer—simply because I am a black male.
I first became aware of my prostate’s vulnerability during a lecture on prostate cancer I attended as a medical student. The lecturer began his talk by highlighting risk factors for prostate cancer. He emphasized that black men are 1.6 times more likely to get prostate cancer compared to others. As he said “black men,” he slowly turned towards me—one of few black dudes in the class— and awkwardly stared for several seconds, subconsciously making my prostate feel like it needed some hardcore church “Prayer Warriors.” After further research, I realized two things: there are no witness protection programs for prostates and certain foods may decrease my prostate’s chances of ending up on a “Prayer Bulletin.” September was prostate cancer awareness month, and it’s now October. I may be late, but useful information shouldn’t have a month-long expiration date.
So, let’s talk about some prostate facts, the role of foods in prostate cancer prevention, and a delicious prostate-friendly recipe.
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Most people in the U.S. do not eat the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables despite their well-known health benefits. There are numerous reasons why people fall short in eating enough fruits and veggies. Countless studies cite busy schedules, lack of knowledge, costs, and taste preferences as common barriers to eating fruits and vegetables. I can understand the impact of a lack of finances—food insecurity is a real issue. However, taste preferences, time limitations, and knowledge are surmountable obstacles. Simple salads, like this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette, are the perfect tool for overcoming these barriers. If there were such a thing as “gateway dish” for veggies and fruit, a salad with fruit would be that dish.
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