There is a popular saying nowadays: avoid the "three whites" (refined white rice, white flour, and white sugar). The Chinese character for dregs, "粕" (pò), is a combination of "白" (bái), meaning white, and "米" (mǐ), meaning rice. It seems our ancestors were telling us: refined white rice is the dregs, while the true essence is in the rice bran.
Dietary discipline and consistency are more important
With the improvement of living standards, people increasingly prefer a refined diet, but the processing often leads to a loss of fiber, resulting in insufficient intake. Although the human body cannot digest and absorb fiber, it shortens the time food waste stays in the intestines, promotes the timely excretion of waste and carcinogens, and reduces the risk of colon cancer. Studies have shown that the time food takes to pass through the large intestine is closely related to the incidence rate of colorectal cancer. When the diet is mainly meat-based versus high-fiber, the time it takes to pass through the entire digestive tract is about 4 to 5 times longer for the former. This leads to prolonged stagnation of waste in the intestines,加重了肠道负担, and makes it easier to trigger cancerous changes.
For cancer patients, it is especially important to grasp the right "degree" in their diet. Clinically, we observe that during the treatment period, patients and their families generally pay great attention to their diet, with 80% to 90% able to control their cravings. However, 3 to 5 years later, when they enter the recovery phase, many let their guard down, or out of ignorance, only seek to satisfy their palate, leading to many painful lessons.
Garlic: The King of Cancer Prevention
As for the anti-cancer effects of garlic, it has long attracted the attention of scholars both in China and abroad. As research has deepened, people have gradually discovered that garlic possesses superior anti-cancer capabilities. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified that among plants with anti-cancer potential in the world, garlic ranks first.
When professors from the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington collaborated on a study of the effects of 15 fruits and vegetables on tumors, they found that among these 15, the relationship between garlic and tumors was the closest. There is a significant negative correlation between consuming garlic and colon cancer—the risk of developing colon cancer from long-term garlic consumption is 0.68 times lower than for those who do not consume it.
American scientists analyzed the daily diets of 238 men with prostate cancer and 471 men without prostate cancer and found that men who consumed an average of more than 10 grams of garlic (or other allium vegetables) per day had a 50% lower risk of prostate cancer than men who consumed only 2 grams per day.
For its anti-cancer properties, garlic is best eaten raw and should be consumed regularly. However, the amount each time should not be excessive; 2 to 3 cloves is appropriate. Otherwise, it may damage the gastric mucosa, causing gastritis and ulcers. Garlic should not be consumed on an empty stomach; it is best taken after a meal or during a meal. Many people are well aware of the health benefits of garlic but tend to avoid it due to the bad breath it can cause, a particular issue for residents in southern regions. In fact, the odor can be naturally eliminated by rinsing the mouth with strong tea, chewing some gum or raw peanuts, or drinking a glass of fresh milk after consumption.