Healthy Grilling Tips for a Cancer-Protective Diet

Healthy Grilling Tips for a Cancer-Protective Diet

Grilling is a fun and tasty way to cook, especially in the summer. But did you know there are ways to make your grilled food healthier? Here are some simple tips to keep your food yummy and safe:

  1. Pick Lean Meats: Choose meats with less fat like chicken breasts, fish, or lean beef. Fatty meats can cause flames to flare up and create harmful chemicals. Trim off any extra fat before grilling.
  2. Marinate Your Meat: Soak your meat in a tasty marinade before grilling. Marinades with vinegar, lemon juice, or herbs can make your food healthier and protect against harmful chemicals that form when meat is cooked at high temperatures.
  3. Grill More Veggies and Fruits: Grilled vegetables and fruits are delicious and super healthy. Try grilling bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, pineapples, or peaches. They don’t create harmful chemicals when grilled, and they taste great!
  4. Avoid Burning Your Food: Don’t let your food get too dark or burnt. Burnt food can have bad chemicals. Cook at a moderate temperature and flip your food often to avoid charring. If parts do get burnt, cut them off before eating.
  5. Keep Your Grill Clean: Clean your grill regularly to get rid of old grease and food bits. This helps prevent harmful chemicals from forming.
  6. Pre-Cook Your Meat: Cook your meat a little bit in the microwave or oven before grilling. This way, it doesn’t have to stay on the grill too long and you can avoid harmful chemicals.

By following these easy tips, you can enjoy delicious grilled meals that are healthier for you. Happy grilling!

Grilling Tips for Cancer-Protective Diet

Try this healthy, delicious recipe from the American Institute for Cancer ResearchDownload Summer Grilled Balsamic Vegetables.

Pair Goals & Intentions for A Happier, Healthier You in 2024

Pair Goals & Intentions for A Happier, Healthier You in 2024

As we start the new year, let’s not just think about resolutions as a list. Identifying both goals and intentions will make for a happier and healthier you.

Goals are specific targets, such as finishing a fitness challenge or learning something new. They give you a plan and a good feeling when you achieve them.Healthier and Happier you in 2024 graphic

Intentions are more about how you want to live your life. It’s like deciding to be positive, enjoy each day, or take care of yourself.

Paired, they give you the why and the how for living a more intentional life.

What to Think About for 2024

Goals: Think about what you want to achieve, like getting healthier, doing well at work, or spending more time with loved ones. Make sure your goals are doable and break them into smaller steps.

Intentions: Consider how you want to approach the year. Maybe focus on staying cheerful, being present in daily activities, or finding balance in your life.

For someone dealing with cancer, goals might be about finishing treatment, managing symptoms or learning about their cancer. Intentions could include prioritizing self-care and doing things that make them happy.

In cancer support, things like Bag It Cancer can help. The Bag It Cancer Bag gives tools and information for goals, and it also shows support and helps with feelings—a bit like a friendly companion.

Balancing goals and intentions is like having a plan and a positive mindset, making life better overall. It’s a great way to start the new year with a focus on feeling good and growing.

Resource To Help You Get Started

Read this article on self-awareness and setting intentions from Psychology Today.

Here’s To A More Nurturing New Year!

Here’s To A More Nurturing New Year!

As 2023 draws to a close, let’s pause to reflect on our individual journeys. Recognizing our personal challenges and successes is a crucial step towards nurturing our mental well-being.

The Value of Reflection

Taking a moment to think allows us to acknowledge our growth, fostering a sense of achievement and strength within ourselves.

Caring for Mental Health

The holiday season can be tricky, reflection serves as a powerful self-care tool, promoting mental wellness by validating our emotions.

Pause. Reflect, Act graphic

Looking Ahead

Consider setting intentions for the coming year, focusing on your emotional well-being and identifying ways to support yourself.

Practical Steps

Journaling: Reflect on daily experiences.
Mindfulness: Practice techniques for calmness.
Gratitude: List three things you’re grateful for each day.
Community Connection: Share your reflections with others for mutual support and encouragement.

A Season of Reflection

As we get ready for a new year, let’s find strength in our personal experiences and look towards a hopeful tomorrow.

Resources to ease your next steps.seasonal greens

 

Wishing you a season of reflection, peace, and personal growth.

Alcohol and Cancer

Alcohol and Cancer

The advice on alcohol use can be confusing. One day there’s a research study touting some health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption (particularly red wine), and the next day another study reports that all alcohol is bad for you. One fact that is not disputed is that the less you drink, the lower your risk for developing cancer.Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and a good opportunity to take a look at our drinking patterns through the lens of cancer risk to decide if making different choices might be in order.

Most people don’t have a problem with alcohol, but thinking about when, where, why, and  much you drink can give insights about the role alcohol plays in your life and your health.

Here are some resources from authoritative organizations to help answer questions you might have about alcohol and its role in cancer risk.

  1. Rethinking Drinking is a resource that can help you assess your drinking habits and provide valuable, research-based information to help you cut back or stop drinking if needed. It is available online as an interactive tool and as a brochure.
  2. American Institute for Cancer Research–Alcohol and Cancer Prevention
  3. Center for Disease Control–Alcohol and Cancer
  4. Are you worried about a loved one’s drinking? Use these tips to talk with someone about cutting back or quitting drinking.
Finding Wellness With or Without a Cancer Diagnosis

Finding Wellness With or Without a Cancer Diagnosis

Jessica Somar photo

Certified Health Educator Jessica Somar talks about how to create well-being across physical, emotional, social, environmental and financial dimensions using evidence-based medicine and guidelines.  She explores why wellness means many things to different population and how to influence human behavior when trying to improve the overall quality of living for individuals. As always, Executive Director, Mindy Griffith is your host for Bag It Cancer’s podcast–Your Guide Through Cancer.

Listen To Podcast button