A study from the National Cancer Institute found that Chinese people with high levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotene had a lower incidence of cancer. Now a new study supports selenium’s role as an anticancer agent.  Selenium levels were compared in those with and without cancer of the esophagus and stomach (upper digestive tract).  The researchers found that people who had the highest blood levels of selenium were approximately 50% less likely to develop upper-digestive-tract cancers.

Antioxidants such as selenium play a crucial role in protecting the body.  Our bodies produce energy by metabolism, or the breakdown of sugars and proteins into "fuel."  During the metabolic process, excess electric molecules are produced.  These unstable electric molecules can cause internal damage to the body.  Antioxidants protect against this damage.  We believe this is the reason why minerals such as selenium help shield the body from diseases such as cancer. To get the most in antioxidant protection, eat lots of green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, which are high in selenium.

Pregnant women and those who might become pregnant should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they may contain enough mercury to hurt an unborn baby's developing brain.  Although the FDA refused to put tuna on the danger list, some studies have found that tuna is also high in mercury.

The FDA guidelines suggest that pregnant women can safely eat up to 12 ounces of any other cooked fish a week -- from canned tuna to shellfish to smaller ocean fish.  However, some states have recommended limiting canned tuna to 7 ounces per week.

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel promote healthy brain development.  But different species of fish can harbor toxic levels of mercury, an element that can damage the central nervous system and result in a baby having slower cognitive development.  It is estimated that up to 60,000 babies may be affected yearly.

If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or considering pregnancy, other sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as flax seed oil may be safer for continued ingestion. Mercury toxicity is a real, but rarely diagnosed entity.  If you eat these fish or have numerous amalgam (silver) fillings in your mouth, an analysis of your mercury levels may be appropriate.

We all have vivid memories of the Wendy’s commercial featuring the cute little old lady who shouted, "Where’s the beef?"  Well, now we have more reasons to answer," not in my body."  Italian researchers have published results in Obstetrics and Gynecology indicating that women who consume more red meat and less vegetables and fish face up to a 1.7 higher chance of developing fibroids.  Fibroid tumors are benign growths of uterine tissue that can cause abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, infertility, and cramping.  Fibroids are also the leading cause of hysterectomies.

What is it about beef that increases fibroid growth?  It may be the combining of harmful fats known as prostaglandins, which stimulate tumor growth, with the hormones that many cows are given to make them grow faster.  These hormones are absorbed by the body and act upon the uterus, causing fibroids.  To reduce your chance of developing these tumors, eat a diet rich in fresh vegetables and fish, which was shown to reduce the risk of developing fibroids by one-third.