Last week I wrote about Jenna and that’s a little hard to follow. The highs and lows of our domestic life seem less significant these days. It’s a sense of perspective that I am trying not to lose. Everything I have to complain about seems ridiculous. And yet, finding humour in the little things is good for the soul. So here goes ….

A few days ago, I was standing on the verge of East Broadway, waving at the traffic and trying not to throw up. We were promoting our new season of Beat the Couch (which is going to be awesome by the way so you need to check it out!) and greeting the commuters as they drove in for work. But Sergio (one of our trainers) gets motion sick watching moving traffic. I thought it was hysterically funny until I started experiencing the same thing. So there we were, promoting our big health event …. and trying not to vomit on our shoes.

Aside from the virtue of empathy, it’s amazing what an hour or two observing traffic can teach you. Watching everyone whistle by, I also learned the following:

1. Bermuda is divided into two very clear categories — those who are cheerful in the morning and those who are not. No matter how much you smile and holler, the latter category are not going to wave back. Uh uh. No way.

2. All teenagers fall into the latter category, except they have also perfected the face of exasperated contempt. I am really looking forward to that phase of parenting ….

3. A subcategory of the latter category (I do hope you are keeping up) is reserved for the British. They are not smiling either. They are too busy pretending they haven’t seen you. All this frolicking about by the side of the road! How embarrassing!

4. Sergio knows all the cheerful people. This says a lot about who he is.

5. Despite the teenage huffs and occasional grump, there is a lot of positivity in Bermuda. It is amazingly encouraging to get a beep and a wave when you are putting yourself out there for your cause.

So, from now on, I promise to beep like mad for groups on East Broadway. Unless you are selling Froot Loops — then it will be my turn for exasperated contempt. I was in a school this morning talking to kids about healthy food. It’s amazing how excited they got when I brought out the box of Froot Loops. Who doesn’t love multicoloured cereal? Well me, because those colours (in this instance red 40, blue one, blue two and yellow six) are attached to attention disorders and hyperactivity in kids. Not to mention tumour growth.

As I mentioned last week, healthy eating is an important part of a preventive health strategy and works best when it’s done cumulatively. On that note, I promised I’d give you some nutritional tips for cancer prevention so I’ve added those for you below. But before we dive into those, I just wanted to add a few words from Jenna. After reading this column last week, she had this to say: “I want to add also how I now see healthy people walking, running, eating delicious foods and wish wish wish I could be doing that right now. I hope your article inspires us all to not take for granted having a healthy body. I look forward to the day I can be strong and healthy!”

So next time you get bored of salad or can’t find the motivation to get exercising, perhaps keep Jenna’s words in mind. Sometimes it’s as simple as remembering that you should eat healthy and exercise because you can. Imagine your frustration if you had the option taken away. Have I won you over? I hope so! Here are five things to focus on this week:

1. Eat your fruit and veg

Five a day isn’t a goal, it’s a baseline. Try aiming for five servings of fruit and veg at the very least. This way, you will pack your diet full of the antioxidants and fibre that are associated with lower levels of bowel and colon cancers (among others). And remember, it’s not just what you are eating, but what you are NOT eating too. The more fruit and veg you eat, the less room you will have for junk.

2. Avoid refined sugar

In nutritional therapy, the theory is that refined sugars “feed” cancers and contribute to their growth. These sugars (white table sugar, candy, cookies, ice cream, sodas, jello etc) are also often coupled with other questionable food additives such as flavour enhancers (eg monosodium glutamate) and artificial colours (eg the ominous red 40). Keep in mind too that by eating these kind of “food” items you overstimulate your palate with an artificially high level of “sweet”. It’s hard to find healthy options satisfying when that is the case. The answer? Gradually reduce the amount of refined sugars (and artificial sweeteners) in your diet, allowing your taste buds time to adjust. Once you find that fruit is sweet enough, give yourself a pat on the back!

3. Easy on the booze, or give it up

True, some studies show that a moderate amount of red wine can improve cardiovascular health but that’s often in conjunction with the Mediterranean diet, which is more heart healthy anyway. The sad fact is that any alcohol intake (not just heavy drinking) is associated with a corresponding increase in risk for cancers of the oral cavity, throat, oesophagus, liver, breast, colon and rectum.

4. Choose non-GMO and organic

Here’s the issue with genetically modified foods. There is little science to prove that individual strains are conclusive dangerous, but there is little to prove that they are safe either. Genetically modified foods, especially in the random combination that individuals consume them, are essentially a giant experiment. For an understanding of the basics, read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food and download the Food, Inc and Genetic Roulette documentaries. I am not saying that genetic engineering can never be a good thing (there are a few studies regarding certain projects that have kept my mind open) but the extent to which we unknowingly participate in this method of food production is terrifying. What the science does show us is that the incidence of preventable chronic disease increased exponentially with the advent of refined sugar and changes to our farming methods.

When it comes to organic there are two things to consider — that people who eat non-organic food do have higher traces of pesticides in their bodies, and that there are carcinogenic associations with some of these chemicals. Organic can be hard to afford, so check my Facebook page for some tips on how to get the biggest bang for your buck.

5. Consider turmeric

Superfoods come and go but this one has been around for a long time. Turmeric, or curcumin, is currently being formally investigated for its anti-cancer properties. Unlike many other natural agents, the most exciting thing about it is that it appears to function as a cancer-preventer in three different (and complete) ways — preventing cells from transforming, proliferating and invading.

Try adding turmeric to soups, curries and even your smoothie! You can take it as a supplement but you should seek guidance from a qualified practitioner.

Before I sign off, a quick mention! The new season of Beat the Couch is here and kicks off on October 1. This is one of our most popular programmes and focuses on getting sedentary people 5K fit within ten weeks. We’ll give you expert guidance and all the support you need to get over the finish line on December 14! Check out the details at www.natural.bm.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda