PULSES
Fibre contained in pulses and wholemeal foods helps us excrete oestrogens from our bodies. Too many oestrogens from our own hormones and hormone-like substances found in plastics and chemicals can trigger cell division in our breast tissue.

Evidence shows that too much cell division can lead to breast cancer.

Fibre can help keep breast cancer at bay because it helps eliminate excess oestrogens from our body and prevents reabsorption of oestrogens in our intenstines, thus lowering cell division.

Linseeds are a particularly good source of fibre. This is because they contain a high content of lignans which have been found to be protective against breast cancer by regulating oestrogens and reducing tumour growth in later stages.

A high fibre diet also helps maintain a healthy gut. This is because soluble fibres create 'friendly bacteria' needed to fight off bad bacteria - meaning that your body is less exposed to harmful toxins that could cause cancer.

OILY FISH
Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, trout and salmon have all been linked to a lower incidence of breast cancer. Evidence shows that eskimos who have a high intake of oily fish have a low incidence of breast cancer. This is thanks to the presence of omega-3 fats in these fish. However, expert opinion is divided over the rates of cancer among the Eskimos. It appears that breast cancer levels may be low among eskimos, but stomach cancer is high.

Recent findings have revealed that omega-3 oils prevent or slow down the growth of cancerous tumours and also boost our immune system. This is because omega-3 oils compete with omega-6 fats (found in cooking oils which can encourage cell division) and keep cell growth under control.

Omega-3s appear to have the ability to switch off growth mechanism of cells and prevent them from dividing, and, in turn, leading to cancerous tumours.

DAIRY
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is found in milk, dairy foods and meat. A study in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, compared the dietary intake and blood levels of CLA in a group of women with breast cancer, to a group of similar women without the disease.

This research found that a low risk of breast cancer was associated with higher blood levels and intakes of CLA.

This doesn't prove that it reduces breast cancer risk. But when viewed alongside another study that linked lower breast cancer risk with higher lifelong milk intakes, it seems it may play a part.

CURRY
Colon (large bowel) cancer is much less common in India than in the UK and the high intake of curcumin - found in the spice turmeric - is thought to help explain this. Curcumin blocks colon cancer in rats, and studies suggest it suppresses development of colon cancer cells in humans.

Extensive research into curcumin is being carried out in Leicester after researchers noticed that while 20 per cent of the city's population is Asian, only two out of 500 colon-cancer patients were from that ethnic background. Turmeric also has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

FIBRE
Eating high-fibre foods such as fruit, vegetables, rice and wholewheat grains can cut the risk of developing bowel cancer by as much as 40 per cent, say scientists. In recent months, there had been doubt cast on the medical benefits of fibre in food, but the biggest-ever study into diet and cancer has firmly contradicted those theories.

The data comes from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) which tested a total of 400,000 people in nine countries.

Volunteers were split into sets according to their consumption of natural fibre in fruit, vegetables, cereals and wholegrain foods. Of the 400,000 tested, 470 developed colorectal cancer.

Ingredients

-8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
-4 ounces white chocolate
-1 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 large eggs
-2 large egg yolks
-1 tbsp red liquid food coloring
-2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
-6 tbsp all-purpose flour
-confectioner's sugar, for dusting
-melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate, to decorate (optional)
-raspberries or sliced strawberries, for serving

Directions

Set a rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray 4 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter and white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. When completely melted, stir in the confectioners' sugar. (I melted my white chocolate and butter in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds.)

Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl. Stir in the red food coloring and melted chocolate mixture.

Whisk the cocoa and flour in a small bowl to combine. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the sides of the cake are set but the centers are still soft , 14 to 15 minutes. Let the cakes rest for 2 minutes, then invert them onto dessert plates.

Serve the cakes immediately, dusted with confectioners's sugar and with berries on the side. (I dusted mine with the sugar, then drizzled with melted dark chocolate, and served with fresh raspberries.)

Ingredients

For the Crust
-1 cup flour
-8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
-1⁄4 cup sugar
-1 tsp. lemon zest
-1⁄4 tsp. salt
-1 egg yolk
-1⁄2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

For the Filling
-2 1⁄2 lb. cream cheese, softened
-1 1⁄4 cups sugar
-3 tbsp. flour
-1 1⁄2 tsp. orange zest
-1 1⁄2 tsp. lemon zest
-1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
-5 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
-1⁄4 cup heavy cream

Directions

For the crust: 

Combine flour, butter, sugar, zest, salt, yolk, and vanilla seeds in a bowl; rub with fingers until dough forms. Form dough into 2 rounds; wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Press 1 dough round onto bottom of a 9" springform pan; pull off pieces from remaining dough and press around sides of pan. Set aside.

For the filling: 

Heat oven to 500°. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, zests, and vanilla in a large bowl on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth; stir in cream. Pour filling into pan, and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 200°, and bake until just set, about 1 hour more. Transfer to a rack, and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove cake from pan and cut into slices to serve.

Ingredients

-2 cups store-bought ricotta
-1 cup cold heavy cream
-1⁄3 cup sugar
-2 tbsp. instant espresso
-1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
-Shaved chocolate

Directions

Purée ricotta in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Whip together heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Bring 1⁄4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk 2 tbsp. of the water with espresso in a small bowl. Whisk remaining water with gelatin in another small bowl until dissolved.

Stir espresso mixture into ricotta, then gelatin mixture; fold in cream in 3 stages. Chill mixture for 1 hour, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe mixture into 6 sundae glasses; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with shaved chocolate.

Ingredients

Tarragon Mayonnaise
-125 ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise
-15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
-5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh tarragon
-1 egg yolk

Salmon Patties
-675 g (1 1/2 lb) skinless salmon fillet
-24 saltine crackers
-3 eggs, lightly beaten
-60 ml (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
-15 ml (1 tbsp) sambal oelek (or less to taste)
-60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
-Salt and pepper
-675 g (1 1/2 lb) asparagus, trimmed and cooked al dente

Directions

Tarragon Mayonnaise
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Keep in the refrigerator.

Salmon patties
With the rack in the highest position, preheat the oven’s broiler. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the salmon on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of fillet, or until the salmon is cooked. Set aside on a plate. Break into large pieces and let cool. Set aside.
In a food processor, process the saltine crackers into crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the salmon pieces, eggs, mayonnaise, sambal oelek and mix well until the salmon is completely crumbled. Season with salt and pepper. With a 75 ml (1/3 cup) ice cream scoop, form 8 patties with the salmon mixture.
In a large nonstick skillet, brown four patties at a time on each side in half the oil, flattening them slightly with a fork. Cook the remaining patties in the same way.
Serve the salmon cakes with the asparagus and drizzle with tarragon mayonnaise.

Ingredients

-3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
-1 cup ground chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
-4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
-3⁄4 cup sugar
-2 cups heavy cream, chilled
-1 tsp. kosher salt
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-4 eggs
-1 egg yolk
-1⁄2 cup coconut milk
-1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 oz. white chocolate, shaved

Directions

Place a Thai incense candle in a 3″-wide bowl; place within a larger bowl containing cheese. Light candle; cover bowl with foil. Smoke for 30 minutes. Uncover bowl; set aside.
Heat oven to 300°. Mix crumbs and butter in a bowl; press into bottom of a 9″ springform pan wrapped in foil. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; cool. Process cheese and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 cup cream, salt, vanilla, eggs, and yolk; process until smooth. Pour cream cheese custard over cooled crust; bake until cheesecake jiggles slightly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool, and chill for 4 hours.
Whisk remaining cream, coconut milk, and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form; spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate to garnish.

To get you started, here is list of the top ten foods to help you gain more muscle mass and strength:

1. Lean Beef
This should be a STAPLE of your diet if you want to gain muscle mass. Why? Because it is loaded with all sorts of things conducive to muscle growth. On average, a three-ounce serving of lean beef is only 154 calories, yet it provides ten essential nutrients, including iron, zinc and B-vitamins. More importantly, it provides your body with high quality protein (not all proteins are equal), and a high level of amino acid that works with insulin to promote muscle growth. For those who are trying to lose weight, this should come as great news – a 3 ounce serving of lean beef provides roughly the same amount of protein as 1.5 cups of beans, but at half the calories.

2. Skinless Chicken
Like beef, it is an excellent source of high quality protein, which is important for muscle maintenance and repair, bone health, and weight maintenance. And of course, there are so many ways you can cook and prepare chicken. Go down to the store and you can easily find chicken meat cut into single serving sizes that can be seasoned and quickly cooked.

3. Cottage Cheese
Not many people know this, but cottage cheese constitutes relatively pure casein protein. For those who don’t know, casein protein is a slow-digesting protein, which means it is perfect for muscle maintenance. This is useful especially for guys who have no choice but to go long periods without eating. Not forgetting, cottage cheese is also an excellent source of vitamin B12, calcium, and other important nutrients. My advice: buy the nonfat/low-fat versions.

4. Eggs
Eggs contain high quality protein, nine essential amino acids, choline, the right kind of fat, and vitamin D. To sum it up, they are the most value for money. And please note, eggs are not harmful for your health, as numerous studies have already shown.



5. Whey Protein
There is a reason why whey protein supplements are the most popular supplement in the bodybuilding world: because they provide a fast and convenient source of protein at an affordable price. Bodybuilders normally use them when they wake up, right after their workout, and mixed with some of their meals. However, for those of us non-bodybuilders, simply using it right after our workouts can be very effective for muscle mass gains. Do not rely on it completely though. It’s more important to get high quality protein from whole foods, and use whey protein as a boost. 

6. Tuna and Other Fish

High in protein, low in fat, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The key here is omega-3 fatty acids. They are essential, not only for health reasons, but also because they improve fat loss and ensure the proper function of your body processes, such as your metabolism.

7. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an ideal source of carbs due to both its low glycemic index (GI) value and the fact it is minimally processed. The benefits of a low GI diet are as follows:

• Better micronutrient profile and more fiber
• Increased satiety
• Decreased hunger
• Lower subsequent energy intake (second meal effect)
• Fat loss

In short, enhanced fat loss for those looking to lose weight, and a constant source of carbs for muscle preservation.

8. Whole Grains

Whole grains digest more efficiently and provide more nutrients than refined grains, and as such promote sustained energy levels and overall health. For instance, brown rice can help boost your growth hormone levels, which are critical for encouraging lean muscle growth, fat loss, and strength gains.

9. Fruits and Vegetables

Firstly, fruits and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants, which are essential for the healthy functioning of your immune system. Secondly, they provide tons of other nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. Finally, your body requires the fiber these fruits and vegetables provide, which helps to flush out the substances your body does not need.

10. Healthy Fats
I know some of you shudder at the thought of consuming fats, but good fats are essential for muscle growth. In fact, they play an essential role in hormone production (testosterone and growth hormones) that is responsible for muscle growth and strength gains. Your metabolic rate is elevated as well, which helps you shed more fats. In addition, fats are needed for many important maintenance functions. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the good fats. You can find them in salmon, other fishes, nuts, leafy veggies, oils such as flaxseed, avocados, and seeds. They are also all rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.