Cancer Prevention & Survival Cooking Course

WHEN: June 8 to June 29 (Mondays), 6 to 8 p.m (four classes).

WHERE: Ida’s Café, UCSF Medical Center, 2356 Sutter St., San Francisco

SPONSOR: The Cancer Project

COST: FREE (suggested $20 donation per class)

REGISTRATION: Contact the Cancer Resource Center at 415-885-3693

Free Cancer Prevention and Survival Cooking Course Begins June 8

Participants Will Learn How Proper Diet Can Help Them Prevent and Survive Cancer

The Cancer Project, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing cancer prevention through education and research, is offering a FREE, four-session cooking course designed to help San Francisco residents prevent and survive cancer through proper diet and nutrition.

“The single easiest and best thing most of us can do to prevent cancer or its recurrence is to eat right,” says Jennifer Reilly, R.D., a senior nutritionist for The Cancer Project. “More than a third of all cancer deaths in this country are due to poor diet.”

The Rx for better health? It’s a low-fat vegetarian diet. Load up on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, Reilly says; they’re naturally low in fat, chock-full of fiber, and filled with cancer-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals. Cut down on fatty foods and added fats and oils, particularly saturated fats, which have been linked to an increased risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Likewise, look for healthy substitutes for dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, which have been implicated in the occurrence of breast and colorectal cancers.

The challenge, Reilly acknowledges, is not only to teach people which foods are good for them, but also to show them how to make the foods taste good. Each class centers on important cancer-nutrition topics as local cooking instructor

Kristin Doyle, R.N., C.N.C., guides students through the preparation of tasty and easy-to-prepare recipes.

The class lineup is as follows:

June 8, 6 to 8 p.m., Introduction to How Foods Fight Cancer

6/08/09: Introduction to How Foods Fight Cancer

6/15/09: Fueling Up on Low-Fat, High-Fiber Foods

6/22/09: Discovering Dairy and Meat Alternatives

Each class includes a nutrition video followed by a cooking demonstration and sampling of the food prepared. Classes are open to cancer survivors, friends, family, and anyone interested in cancer prevention and healthy eating.

Attendees will receive a loaner copy of The Cancer Survivor’s Guide, which has extensive nutrition information and 100 pages of recipes. These books will be available for use throughout the class series, but must be returned after the series has ended. Or purchase your own copy before the start of the series.

For specific questions on the material presented in the classes or recipes, contact info@cancerproject.org.

These classes take place Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $15 to $20 per class.

To register, call the Cancer Resource Center at 415-885-3693.