OnFitness Magazine - July/August 2015 - 43

A March issue of Food
Technology lists the
following as superfoods:
Chia seeds. High in
omega-3s, they can be
added to yogurt, salad
and homemade trail
mixes. They also come
with many antioxidants.
Flaxseeds. Flaxseeds
may help lower
cholesterol and provide
fiber, protein,
antioxidants and omega3s.
Sunflower seeds. This
handy snack contains
healthy fats, fiber,
protein, vitamin E,
betaine and other
nutrients.

The DNA of the cell is arranged very similarly.
Instead of a two-state binary bit, DNA uses a
quaternary (four-state) system in the form of one of
four amino bases - adenine (A), cytosine (C),
guanine (G) or thymine (T) - tied to a sugarphosphate backbone.
Just as a byte uses eight bits of on-off states to make
an instructional word, a DNA "word" contains a
combination of three of these four aminos into a "byte"
size of three - called a codon. A codon could be AGC,
ATC, TAG and so on.
This four-bit, three-byte system allows for a vast
number of possible codon arrays, rendering a
sophisticated instructional language within each cell. And
a typical chromosome contains over 220 million codons!
This huge arrangement of "bits and bytes" of DNA
might be compared to an encyclopedia filled with
words, sentences and paragraphs. And cancer is like
rearranging one of the paragraphs in this encyclopedia.
Even such a small rearrangement can have vast
implications. Just a small change in our DNA will trip up
the cell's operations. The cell then begins to act abnormally.
For example, a deranged fat cell, instead of
processing glycogen and accumulating simple fat, might
start accumulating brown fat, toxins and proteins from
neighboring tissues.
Just one demented cell may not be dangerous. But
because our cells are programmed to multiply and create
copies, a deranged cell can make countless unhinged
copies. As these copies multiply, they will develop a sort
of tissue structure - almost like an organ.
In fact, most derangements of DNA become tied to the
cell's survival instincts, which means that the clump of
multiplying cells - now a tumor - will begin to arrange
for its own survival. It might hijack some of the body's
small blood vessels to feed itself, as if it were an organ.
These smart cancer cell colonies might also send off

"carriers" to other parts of the body to grow elsewhere.
This is called metastasizing.
The process of derangement is quite
normal in the body
The body's immune system is used to this and has a
number of immune strategies to remove these cells.
Even the healthiest body will constantly be producing
cancerous cells. But the healthy immune system will
quickly kill and remove them before they have a chance
to get out of control.
In the worst case, the immune system stimulates the
production of a cytokine called the tumor necrosis
factor - or TNF ("necrosis" means to kill). The TNF
can reach into a cell through special receptors called
TNF receptors on the cell's surface and cause the cell to
implode and die.
How do tumors form then? This is the crux. The
immune system in a cancerous body has been
compromised. The immune system's ability to remove the
cancerous cells before they multiply has been weakened.
How does the immune system become
compromised?
Today our environment, foods, goods and waters have
become toxic. They contain numerous poisons in the
form of synthetic and unnatural compounds, and we are
ingesting these compounds as we breathe, eat, drink
and live. Here is a summary of common toxin sources:
Foods contain numerous preservatives, anti-caking
agents, food additives, food colors, heavy metals and
overly processed ingredients. Overcooked foods also
produce carcinogens, such as acrylamide and
heterocyclic amines.
Water contains various compounds such as PCBs
and other bisphenol compounds, dioxin, chlorine
metabolites, pesticides, herbicides, petroleum by-

Pumpkin seeds. These
are a good source of
protein, fiber,
magnesium, phosphorus
and manganese.
Blueberries. If you had to
eat only one berry, make
it blueberries, which have
an exceedingly high
overall antioxidant
content.
Acai berries. These, too,
score high on the overall
antioxidant list.
Tart cherries. These are
high in the phytonutrient
anthocyanin and other
antioxidants.
Cranberries. Mix these
up with a bowl of
blueberries for a healthgiving snack.

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Top superfoods
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OnFitness Magazine - July/August 2015

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