The plant world is filled with thousands of varieties of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. It should be easy for people to select enough of these foods to keep themselves healthy and running at peak performance for a lifetime. Unfortunately, the reality is that fewer than 20 percent of Americans eat the minimum recommended servings of 5 fruits and vegetables daily, and even fewer consume the 9 servings recommended for cancer prevention.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently approved the statement “Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and chronic diseases.” And, while it is true that all plant foods provide vitamins, minerals, and enzymes important for good health, a few stand ahead of the pack for their cancer-fighting abilities. Here are the top 10 anti-cancer foods:

1.   Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a plant chemical that has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate, ovarian, and cervical cancer. Tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup are particularly concentrated sources.

2.   Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are an excellent source of sulforaphane, a plant chemical that may reduce the risk of stomach, breast, and skin cancer. While broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are also great sources of sulforaphane, broccoli sprouts are especially potent.

3.   Berries
Berries get their rich color from plant chemicals called anthocyanins. These compounds are potent antioxidants, and protect against a variety of cancers including colon and esophageal.

For more information on the health benefits of berries see the following articles from TheDietChannel: Why You Should Be Eating Berries and The Goji Berry and Goji Juice.

4.   Soybeans
Isoflavones present in soybeans and other soy foods (such as tofu, soy nuts, and soy milk) help to reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer by protecting cells from the harmful effects of estrogen.

5.   Tea
Green and black teas are natural sources of catechins, potent antioxidants that act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth, and may reduce the risk of liver, skin, and stomach cancer. The NCI is currently studying green and black teas for their cancer fighting abilities.

6.   Pumpkin
Pumpkin, along with carrots, squash, red and yellow peppers, and sweet potatoes, are excellent sources of beta carotene. Eaten regularly, these powerhouses help reduce the risk of many types of cancer through their potent antioxidant capacity.

7.   Spinach
Spinach is known as the “gold standard” of green leafy vegetables. Packed with lutein and vitamin E, both powerful antioxidants, spinach helps ward off cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon, and prostate.

8.   Garlic
Garlic has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer of the stomach, esophagus, and breast. Mince garlic 10 minutes before cooking to increase its cancer fighting potential.

9.   Pineapple
Pineapple is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C. In addition, it contains the enzyme bromelain, which may protect against breast and lung cancer.

10.   Apple
In addition to their antioxidant benefits, apples contain the plant chemical quercetin, which has been shown to reduce lung cancer risk and slow the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Each of these foods has been shown to impact cancer risk on their own. However, countless studies indicate a synergistic effect when eaten together, meaning that plant chemicals work together to produce a greater effect than if they were working alone. The best anti-cancer diet is rich in brightly colored fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with an emphasis on the foods highlighted above.

Depending on the type of cancer and the complications of the case, treatment costs have gone up significantly over the years. This obviously is a big deterrent for a majority of the population with a less net worth. Thus, free financial help for cancer patients becomes a must to improve the overall situation. The next few paragraphs have details about how to get financial help for cancer patients.

How to Get Financial Help for Cancer Patients?

Financial aid for cancer patients can be obtained from non profit organizations which provide the required finance after completing a few formalities. Generally, it will not be difficult to find organizations which are ready to take up majority of the costs of your hospital stay and surgeries. Non profit organizations receive grants from wealthy individuals and government bodies.

Money can be raised for the treatment of cancer patients by organizing programs and functions for individual contribution. By holding seminars and conveying the importance of these donations, the general public can be motivated to come forward for this cause. In order to meet the financial needs of cancer patients, many low cost hospitals have also been started. These hospitals are mostly controlled by the government and hence, provide treatments at very low costs. A non profit agency, known as Cancer Care, is engaged in providing financial assistance for cancer patients. This institution has special offerings for women from low income families and also for underprivileged people. Cancer patients who are unable to bear the high hospitalization charges can benefit from the Hill-Burton program, in which certain hospitals receive funds and proper directions from the federal government. By contacting the office of American Cancer Society (ACS), you can expect certain help when it comes to the cost of medicines and other medical expenses.

Health insurance can help to considerably reduce the burden of health costs, especially for medical conditions such as cancer. However, the fact is that very few people have their own health insurance. So, providing affordable health insurance in which insurance companies bear the total treatment costs on a payment of marginal premiums can be a huge relief for cancer patients. The Patient Financial Aid Program, which is floated and promoted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, can provide financial assistance to needy patients. Then, there is the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), which has a special patient care department which provides monetary as well as emotional assistance to cancer patients. The grants, which are offered by the Sarcoma Alliance, can be up to one thousand dollars. Medicaid, which is an initiative of the federal as well as the state governments, is also well known for offering financial help for cancer patients. This program can cover the costs which are incurred for nursing, surgeries, general care and chemotherapy for cancer patients.

So, this was all about the financial help for cancer patients. These initiatives have helped many people deal with the disease successfully, without having to worry much about the finances involved. If each citizen understands his responsibility and contributes in his own way, then these organizations will be able to render even better services. So, let us try and help these needy patients to reduce the number of deaths related to cancer due to lack of timely treatments.

Cancer patients and their families should discuss with your doctor, social worker with the doctor or the hospital or clinic administration, any concerns they may have on the costs of health care.

The organizations and resources listed below may offer financial assistance. Organizations have been identified that provide publications in Spanish or have Spanish speaking staff.

• The national office of the American Cancer Society (American Cancer Society, ACS) can provide the telephone number of the local office serving the area where you reside. The American Cancer Society offers programs that help cancer patients, their families and friends to overcome the treatment decisions and emotional challenges they face. Information about these programs is available on the Web site shown below. Some materials are published in Spanish. They have staff available who speak Spanish.

  Phone:	1-800-227-2345 (1-800-ACS-2345)
  Web:	http://www.cancer.org

• Cancer Care is a national nonprofit that provides support, information, financial aid and practical assistance to people with cancer and their loved ones. Services are provided by oncology social workers and are available in person, by telephone and through the Web site of the organization. The extent of Cancer Care also extends to health professionals, providing education, information and assistance. A section of the Web site of Cancer Care and some publications are available in Spanish, and staff can respond to calls and e-mail in Spanish.Cancer Care AVONCares also manages the program, which provides financial support to women across the country that have low income to those without health insurance or limited health insurance or have inadequate access to medical services and who need support services (transportation, child care and home care) related to the treatment of breast and cervical cancer.

  Phone:	1-800-813-4673 (1-800-813-HOPE)
  Web:	http://www.cancercare.org

• The Foundation “Candlelighters” for Childhood Cancer (Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, CCCF) is a nonprofit organization that provides information, mutual support and defense of their cause through publications, an information center and a network local support groups. The CCCF maintains a list of organizations that can turn families who are eligible to apply for financial aid.

  Phone:	1-800-366-2223 (1-800-366-CCCF)
  Web:	http://www.candlelighters.org

• Voluntary agencies for community and service organizations such as the Salvation Army, Lutheran Social Services, Jewish Social Services, Catholic Charities and the Lions Club may offer help. These organizations are in your local telephone directory. Some churches and synagogues may provide financial assistance or services to their members.
• Fundraising is another mechanism to consider. Some patients find that friends, family and community members are willing to contribute financially if they are aware of a difficult situation. Visit your local library for information on how to organize fundraising programs.
• General Assistance programs provide food, shelter, prescription drugs and other medical expenses for those not entitled to other programs. Funds are often limited. Contact your state or local department of social services. This number is located in the local telephone directory.
• Hill-Burton is a program that some hospitals receive federal funds for construction. Hospitals that receive Hill-Burton funds are required by law to provide some services to people who can not afford hospitalization. Information about establishments that are part of this program is available by calling free telephone number listed below or visit the Web site indicated. A program brochure is available in Spanish.

  Phone:	1-800-638-0742
  Web:	http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/default.htm

• Tax Deductions: Medical costs not covered by insurance policies sometimes can be deducted from annual income before taxes. Examples of tax deductible expenses might be the distance in miles of travel to medical appointments and return-of-pocket payments for treatment, prescription drugs or equipment and the cost of meals during the visits that take much time. The local Internal Revenue Service (IRS), tax consultants or certified public accountants may determine medical costs that are tax deductible. These phone numbers are available in the local telephone directory.

  Web:	http://www.irs.ustreas.gov

• The Society for the Leukemia and Lymphoma (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, LLS) offers information and financial assistance to patients who have leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease or multiple myeloma. Callers can request a brochure describing the program of the LLS to help patients or they can ask the phone number for your local LLS. Some publications are available in Spanish.

  Phone:	1-800-955-4572
  Web:	http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org

• Medicaid (Medical Assistance), a health insurance program jointly funded by federal and state government for people who need financial assistance for medical expenses, is coordinated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS), formerly called the Health Care Financing Administration. The states must provide at least care home for people who receive federal income assistance such as Social Security Income and Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Medicaid coverage includes part-time nursing services, home care assistance and medical equipment and supplies. Information about coverage is available in the local state welfare offices, in state health departments, state agencies or social services in the state Medicaid office. Check the local phone number to call. Information on specific state offices are also available on the Web site shown below. Some offices have staff that speak Spanish.

  Web:	http://www.cms.gov/medicaid/consumer.asp

• Medicare is a federal health insurance program also administered by CMS. Individuals with rights to this program are those 65 years or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure and people with disabilities who are under 65 years of age. Medicare may offer reimbursement for some services from home care. Patients with cancer who are eligible for Medicare may also be entitled to palliative care services are covered if they are accepted into a hospice program certified by Medicare. For information on eligibility, coverage and explanation of related publications, call Medicare at the number listed below or visit their website. Some publications are available in Spanish.

  Phone:	1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
  TTY:	1-877-486-2048
  Web:	http://www.medicare.gov

• The Foundation for Defense of the patients (Patient Advocate Foundation, PAF) provides cancer patients and survivors, information, legal advice and referrals concerning managed care, insurance, finances, employment discrimination and debt crisis. The Patient Assistance Program (Patient Assistance Program) is a subsidiary of the PAF. Provides financial assistance to patients who meet certain requirements. The number to call is 1-866-512-3861 for free.

  Phone:	1-800-532-5274
  Web:	http://www.patientadvocate.org

• Some drug manufacturers offer patient assistance programs to help pay for medications. Talk to your doctor or a medical social worker to see if a drug is available at a reduced cost through this program.
• Social Security Administration (Social Security Administration, SSA) is the government agency that oversees Social Security and Supplemental Security Income. The following describes each of these programs. More information on these and other SSA programs on the phone for calls shown below at no cost. It has staff who speak Spanish.

  Phone:	1-800-772-1213
  TTY:	1-800-325-0778

  Social Security provides a monthly income for elderly and disabled individuals with rights. The Social Security Administration has information available on eligibility, coverage and how to apply for benefits.

  Web:	http://www.ssa.gov/SSA_Home.html

  Supplemental Security Income (Supplemental Security Income, SSI) supplements the Social Security payments to individuals who have certain levels of income and resources. Supplemental Security Income is administered by the Social Security Administration. Information on eligibility, coverage and how to file a claim is available from the Social Security Administration.

  Web:	http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/index.htm

• Program State Children’s Health Insurance (State Children’s Health Insurance Program, SCHIP), is a collaboration of federal and state provides health insurance coverage of low cost or free to children who are uninsured and whose parents work low-wage . Callers will be directed to SCHIP in your state to get more information about what the program covers, about who has the right and the minimum requirements.

  Phone:	1-877-543-7669 (1-877-KIDS-NOW)
  Web:	http://www.insurekidsnow.gov

• Transportation: There are nonprofit organizations that arrange free air transportation or reduced cost for patients with cancer who are going to or returning from a cancer treatment center. Financial need is not always a requirement. For information on these programs, talk to a medical social worker. You can offer transportation services or reimbursement of miles traveled by the local American Cancer Society or the Department of Social Services state or locality.
• Veterans Benefits: Eligible veterans and their dependents may receive cancer treatment in a medical center in the Veterans Administration. It provides treatment for conditions related to military service and treatment for other diseases may be available based on financial need of the veteran. Some publications are available in Spanish and some offices have staff that speak Spanish.

  Phone:	1-877-222-8387 (1-877-222-VETS)
  Web:	http://www1.va.gov/health/

Cancer Insurance is the type of supplement health insurance plan that helps to cover the risk of cancer and reduce the expenses of cancer treatment. It is specifically designed to cope with the modern time medical expenses covering additional cancer cost that may be covered by one’s current policy.

You need not have to possess a pre-existing cancer condition to be eligible for cancer insurance.

What Does Cancer Insurance Plan Cover?

Cancer insurance coverage varies based on the insurance company and policy details but most plans cover both medical and non-medical expenses. Medical expenses include extended hospital stays, medical tests, procedures like stem cell transplants and other diseases specific treatments and more. Some of the non medical expenses include home health care, loss on income benefits, child care expenses and dietary restriction aids.

Before buying a cancer insurance plan, it is quite important to understand that what is covered in the policy. You should also be careful to compare the benefits with your current health insurance plan to see if there is any overlap in coverage. It is not necessary to buy a new cancer insurance policy plan if your existing health insurance plan covers all the events.

Is there a need for Cancer Insurance Plan?

There is always a discussion about disease specific health insurance plans, like cancer insurance. Some people firmly believe and support them, while others think that it is just waste of money as they are junk plans and are rarely needed.

But according to American Cancer Society, one into two men and one in three women can develop cancer in their lifetime. And to overcome this dangerous disease expenses, there is a step you can take to overcome expenses on diagnosis of cancer.

With a good cancer insurance plan in place along with your health insurance, treatment does not have to be economic strain. SWFL insurance firm offers affordable cancer insurance solutions that can help offset the costs of:

•    Out of network specialists
•    Experimental treatments
•    Travel and lodging expenses related to treatments
•    Child care costs
•    Day to day expenses – bills and mortgage payments

If you have strong family background of the history of cancer, then it is better to go for Cancer insurance plan. People with strong family background may look at the current health policy and how can current plan include cancer insurance.

So, it is better to go for cancer insurance policy to reduce the cancer treatment expenses if it has been diagnosis.

It did not work in her case but that does not mean it cannot work in other people and in other circumstances. After all, we are all different. So with that out of the way what can you do to help yourself? Well the main vegetables you can grow are Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower contain something called indole-3-carbinol. This is supposed to help combat breast cancer. Broccoli and sprouts are also supposed to help in preventing some types of cancer, such as colon and rectal cancer.

Apparently the more bitter tasting the broccoli the best it is supposed to be. Carrots contain beta carotene and it is though that this may help reduce a wide range of cancers. There has also been research that shows beta carotene may help cause cancer. Apparently you need to eat a lot every day though and I have seen it suggested that this needs to be as high as nearly 5 lbs or higher. Raw carrots are better for you than cooked carrot though. I have read that Chili peppers and jalapenos which contain capsaicin help against prostrate and stomach caners. My wife is convinced that I will not suffer from these diseases as I like my chilies so much. Garlic contains a lot of products which are supposed to be healthy for you.

It is a slight anti bacterial and is also reported to help increase the activity of immune cells which help to fight cancer. It also appears that chives, leeks and onions may also help. Studies have shown that eating raw garlic can lower that chances of developing certain cancers compared to those who do not eat raw garlic. Other research has shown that eating green and leafy vegetables has been linked with lower levels of stomach cancer and kale is thought to contain chemicals which suppress the growth of tumors. Sweet potatoes are thought to contain many anticancer properties. One of these is beta carotene as found in carrots.

Tomatoes are becoming recognized as a super food with regard to cancer as they contain lycopene which is an antioxidant which works against something called free radicals. These are thought to be linked to cancers. If it is hotter then tomatoes produce more lycopene. Apparently lycopene is concentrated on cooking so use lots of tomatoes in your kitchen. I always have a glut of tomatoes in the fall and either make (and freeze) tomato soup or just peel, chop and freeze to use later in cooking.

There are a lot of fruits which are supposed to help in the fight against cancer but I do not grow these so cannot offer any advice on growing them, but eating vegetables is generally thought to help especially with cancers associated with the digestive system. Please remember though that I am a gardener and not a cancer specialist so you need to consult an expert and carry out a lot more research to make your own mind up about the benefits of cancer fighting foods. Now for the gardening bit.

So how do you grow things? Well Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are all brassicas and as such more or less need to be treated the same. Brassicas are the only crops I grow where I compress my soil mix when planting. To do this once I have added compost I firm down the soil mix with my hands. This usually lowers to soil level by about two inches but brassicas need a very firm soil. After cropping has finished add more compost and fluff up the soil mix to allow water and air to work its way through the soil.

It is important to make sure your soil mix is firm and after adding compost press the solid mix down until it feels fairly hard. Make sure you have plenty of compost in the soil mix. Brassicas like a fairly sunny spot and apply Fish, Blood and Bone Meal a few weeks before planting.

Brassicas work well when grown in a greenhouse before planting into the mini plot in your High Density Garden. It is important to make sure that when you transplant your seedlings you place them firmly into the ground. You should be able to tug on a leaf and this should rip rather than the seedling pull out of the ground. Make sure you have a well composted mini plot when planting and watch out for slugs and also watch out for birds pecking at the leaves.

You could try covering your seedlings with netting to stop birds eating your crop. Water well in dry weather and add compost as a mulch when your crop is growing. Another problem is caterpillars. I pick these off and put them on the bird table but you may not be as cruel as me. I just think it is a natural process and I am just making it easier for the birds to find food.

If you plan to keep your plants in the ground over the winter, you can add more compost and make sure this is firm round the stems of the plants. It may also be sensible to tie the plants to canes to help them survive harsh winter winds. Carrots are a well known and regularly grown vegetable and although we all recognize the orange carrot different colored varieties are becoming more readily available. Until the 17th century colored carrots were the norm and the Dutch bred the orange carrot as it was sweeter than other colors. I have also seen it said that this also represented the orange on their national flag. Your soil in your High Density Garden needs to be deep and fertile but I have no problems growing in my six inch deep bed but remember that these have the old, (and dug over), lawn beneath them so the roots can go down deep if they want to. If you have a bed on a hard surface grow short rooted varieties.

I have also seen that you should not grow carrots on land where you have added manure in the past year – again I have ignored this and had no problems. However, after your first year if you just add home made compost this should not be a problem. I would recommend adding Fish, Blood and Bone Meal a couple of weeks before planting. Pick a sunny spot.

Space in a 6 by 4 pattering in a mini plot ( that is 24 in a 12 inch square mini plot) and plant about half an inch deep. Whilst this may mean you do not get the largest carrots I find that the fact they are smaller means they taste better. I have also grow carrots at a spacing of 2 inches which means 36 in a High Density gardening mini plot of . You will find it very hard to plant just one seed in each planting position as the seeds are so small. I have just sown some carrots and I would imagine there may be as many as ten seeds in some holes. I do not worry about this too much although it is a waste of seed.

Once the seeds start to grow you need to remove the extra seedlings and I pinch off the tops between my fingers. The developing seed just withers away and dies. If you pull the seedling out you risk disturbing the seedling you want to leave behind. I have seen it recommended that you should thin carrots late in the evening. This is to try and deter the dreaded carrot root fly. Keep the soil moist which makes sure your developing carrots have all the water they need to swell into a good crop.

Carrots can be ready as early as 3 months after planting although at this stage they will be fairly small. You should be able to just pull them out of your soil mix as this should be fairly loose but if it becomes compacted then use your fork to ease the soil round them Chilies like a fertile soil mix and plenty of sun. They also like it warm so if you live in a cooler part of your country like I do, I suggest growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel. Dig in some home made compost before planting and also add a dressing of fish, blood and bone meal a few weeks before planting your crops.

As mentioned I start my plants off in a warm environment. I usually do so on a windowsill in my house and once the plants are growing move them to the greenhouse. They are still in small pots at this stage and I can bring them inside if it looks like frost as they are a very tender plant when it comes to frost. I may even plant them into larger pots depending on the time of the year. If you can plant them out after the risk of frost has passed then do so, but if frost could still be a problem pot on into bigger pots. Keep watered and keep warm. Protect from frosts otherwise it may well kill your plants. I stake my chili bushes but stakes are not supposed to be needed.

Maybe I am over protective but I know I want a good crop. As my chilies are in a greenhouse they are on an automatic watering and fertilizing system so they are fed with the same soluble food as the tomatoes. This is a specialist purpose tomato food and I do not start feeding my chilies until I start feeding my tomatoes. Chilies are fine with this type of food. This is a high potash feed. I harvest chilies when they have turned red although they can be eaten green. As I dry most of my chilies I want them as dry as possible before harvesting so I tend to leave them on the plant until they start to dry.

I pull them off with the stalk attached as I understand this can act as a wick when drying and helps moisture evaporate. If you are growing outdoors you need to keep them as dry as possible and try to get as much sun on the plants as possible at harvest time. Garlic grows well on most sites but particularly likes a free draining soil which is exactly what you should have. Try to pick a sunny and sheltered spot but I have found that garlic needs a long rotation period and should not be grown on the same spot twice in six years. This means moving it about a lot so just be aware of this. It is not much good moving to the next mini plot either as this may be too close. I have three High Density Gardening beds so I plant on the lines of at the end of one bed one year, the other end the next and them move to the second bed and so on.

Garlic does best when planted in the Fall or Autumn as it likes a fairly long growing time and seems to grow better after it has been exposed to frost. When you buy garlic it comes in bulbs. You need to split these into cloves and plant each one with the root area downwards. I make a hole to plant in by pulling my finger sideways across where I want to plant. This does not compact the soil mix as much as just making a hole straight down with your finger. Plant them about an inch below the ground. Buy specialist garlic to grow from a garden center or an online specialist. Do not grow what you find in the supermarket as this will not produce the best bulbs.

Watch out for birds trying to pull the emerging shoots out of the ground. Other than that keep weed free and water when they are dry. You should not need to water over winter but do not let them dry out. Garlic is ready when the leaves begin to turn brown and become dry. If the weather is fine, leave it for about one more week and then lift the bulbs and store on a wire mesh above the ground. This will allow the sun and breeze to dry the bulbs. If this is a problem due to rain, I usually dry them off in my greenhouse but you could just as easily use your garage or windowsill. If you do dry it in the house watch out for the smell.

The site and soil for tomatoes depend on whether you are growing in a green house or outside and I am going to concentrate on what to do when growing outside in your High Density Gardening bed. You want to add plenty of home made compost over the winter before you plant your seeds and a few weeks before add some fish blood and bone meal and dig this in and let nature start to release the food value in it. I dig the soil fairly deep which allows the roots to penetrate deeply as this helps to support the plant when it is windy. Remember though the plants will also need support later on as they grow.

You need to pick a sunny spot which is fairly sheltered. I always start my tomatoes off very early in January but I will be planting these out into my greenhouse. As you will be planting these in your raised beds you need to make sure that the risk of frost has passed before planting them out. Because of this, sow them about eight to ten weeks before you want to plant them out. I start my seeds off in a seed tray, (flats), in the house and they usually germinate within a week or just a little longer. After this you need to plant them into pots and I usually find that they have grown too tall in the seed trays. For this reason I prick them out into pots and do this so that I cover most of the stems. In other words I bury part of the stem. Surprisingly the stems will go on to develop extra roots which helps the plants grow even stronger. I usually buy a packet of seeds and there are always too many so I save them until next year and use the rest of the seeds.

Many people recommend that if you grow a bush variety you do not need to support the plant but I do just to be on the safe side. Cordon varieties which will need to be tied to a support such as a bamboo cane need treating a little different from bush varieties. You can often just leave a bush tomato to grow, but growing one up a stem usually requires a little help. You will find that tomatoes will develop a side shoot which grows from the joint of a leaf stalk and the shoot. These need to be removed. What I do is just pull them off by nipping them between my finger and thumb. Keep the soil moist and check every day. If you apply too much water after the soil has dried out your tomatoes can develop blossom end rot or even split. If any do split, remove them.

I just cut the split out and cook with the rest of the tomato. You will also need to feed your growing plants regularly and I use a specialist tomato feed as these have been formulated just for tomatoes. Organic tomato feed is available but I do not use one, maybe I should. Harvest when ripe and pull the tomatoes from its stem by breaking it off at the first joint above the tomato. This is on the stem that holds the tomato and this point is known as the knuckle. The best way to eat is fresh, try them before you get back to your house while they are still slightly warm.

I love tomatoes fresh but they will keep for about a week if stored correctly. You can bottle tomatoes, can them, dry them (and store in quality olive oil) and you can also freeze them. Try chopping before freezing and freeze in bags in quantities you would use. You can also freeze them whole but they do not keep their texture on thawing which is why I chop them before freezing. I also skin them first. To do this just cut a small cross in the base and drop them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Plunge them into cold water and then the skin rubs off fairly easily.

Median out-of-pocket medical spending was more than $1500 in 2003-2004 for secretly insured adults with cancer, and ten percent of those had out-of-pocket costs surpassing $20,000. In a 2006 survey of adults in homes impacted by cancer, just about a quarter of insured respondents reported using most of their savings during treatment, and a similar proportion asserted their insurance plan paid less than anticipated for a medical bill.

Though more than four out of five oncologists report that their concerns about patients’ out-of-pocket spending influence their treatment suggestions, less than half say that they customarily debate monetary issues with their patients. The general increase in spending for cancer care is due to increases in both the price and the amount of care. As an example, between 1998 and 2009, both the percentage of patients receiving chemical treatment for breast cancer and the price tag of the chemo treatment approximately doubled. One report found that the amount of breast cancer patients receiving chemical treatment increased from 11% to 24% and the median cost of this treatment, in 2003 US greenbacks, went from $6642 to more than $12,000. Similar trends have been noted in other sorts of cancer. Increases in both the price and amount of cancer treatment services can be linked to the advent of new medicinal technology. More recent cancer cures aren’t only dearer than the previous standard of care, but they also expand the pool of treatment applicants.

Centered biologic agents, robot- aided surgical methodologies, and computer-optimized radiation treatment, which have reduced toxicities or wider suggestions, are also utilized for more patients than prior treatments. As an example, minimally intrusive growth resections and highly targeted radiation treatment are utilized for patients who previously should have been considered untreatable because they were poor applicants for open medical techniques. Advances in supportive medications have made wide spread chemical treatment a choice for older and frailer patients. In a number of cases novel cures have made a new treatment paradigm for patients who formerly had few options, for example imatinib for persistent myelogenous leukemia.

Fee-for-service doctor payment strategies, employed by most non-public and public payers, reward doctors for the volume of services they supply instead of the standard of care they deliver. Evidence proves that doctors are respondent to economic motivations and responsive to changes in repayment. As technology and new treatments continues to improve the cost of tratment for cancer will get a little cheaper but how much, nobody really knows but it will help our love ones to hope for a better life.

One of the leading causes of death in the world today is cancer. In a 2008 study by the World Health Organization, it has been ascertained that cancer “accounted for 7.6 million deaths” around the globe. Low income earners and even those who are from the middle class of the society are greatly affected by this disease. In as much that most individuals from those two classes comprise the very large percentage of people who suffered and died from cancer in recent years.

The Price of Cancer

It is a cold hard fact that cancer is an expensive disease. Chemotherapy and medications alone can cost as much as $5,000 per month. To add to that, regular laboratory visits and frequent checks by cancer specialists, may push the cost to as much as $30,000 per month. For some families today, $30,000 is big difference between poverty and survival. Not everyone can afford to shell out thousands of dollars per month, for even just 2 years, to pay for the hospitalization, treatment and even the medications to survive cancer. That is why many people fear this disease – and not because of its potency, but mostly due to the inability to afford a cure.

Prevention is Always a Cheaper Alternative

One of the best remedies for this dilemma, is to try and find the means to prevent cancer from happening. Prevention is one of the best solutions to steer clear of the physical, emotional and the financial pains of cancer and just about any other disease.

By regularly eating superfoods like organic wheatgrass powder, and by living a healthy and active lifestyle a person can discover the most effective means to stop cancer in its tracks. Of course, staying away from vices like drinking hard liquor or smoking cigarettes or taking drugs, can help give the body a fighting chance to ward off ailments and problems that may trigger cancer-cells within the body.

Organic wheatgrass powder is probably one of the best diet options for those who want to discover a natural method to staying cancer-free. Wheatgrass powder contains high levels of vitamins a,c and b12, as well as amino acids and proteins that are well known to break down toxins and acidic compounds in the body. Organic wheatgrass powder can be purchased in any local health store, and many people today can even buy whole foods online, like wheatgrass, barley grass, and apricot kernels.

What are you waiting for? Discover the wealth of health benefits in every pack of organic wheatgrass powder today.

1. The best breast cancer inhibitors are vegetables that reduce estrogen levels. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy and spinach contain indole-3-carbinol that effectively blocks estogen.
2. Red or orange fruit and vegetables like tomato, carrot, capsicum, pumpkin, sweet potato, plum, red grapes, watermelon and guava contain lycopene, a powerful phytochemical that fights cancerous bacteria. Red or purple cabbage is excellent as it fits into category 1 above as well as like category.
3. Omega-3 rich foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, rainbow trout and flaxseeds decease tissue growth that cause tumours. Studies are also suggesting that omega-3 may protect against estrogen dependant cancers.

Bonus #1 — Kelp and other sea vegetables common to the Japanese diet, has pytoestrogenic properties and fatty acids that help prevent cancer. It contains fucoidian that prevents cancer cells from multiplying. In appropriate doses fucoidian extract can cause apoptosis or the death of cancer cells.Sea vegetable are rich in essential minerals like potassium, iodine, magnesium, calcium and iron. When your body’s mineral levels are in balance your body functions at optimum efficiency to absorb the vitamins it needs from different food to fight disease.

Bonus #2 — Technically, sunlight isn’t a food, but it is a substance that reduces breast cancer risk. Sunlight causes your body to produce vitamin D or calcitriol in your tissues. This powerful hormone is able to destroy cancer cells and tumors by regulating the level of calcium, phosphorous and other minerals in your body.

Some people claim that tofu and other soyabean products contain isoflavones that are potent anti-cancer agents. People in South-east Asia consume a lot of soya products. They say that this is a major contributor to the reduced risk of breast cancer for women in this part of the world. However, the lower risk could be due to the lower consumption of dairy products and more reliance on soy protein rather than animal protein. Conflicting evidence has emerged.

Two Indian spices are also very powerful anti-cancer agents. As mentioned earlier the lycopene in red food and vegetables are beneficial to reducing the risk of cancer. Paprika is made of dried capsicum crushed to a fine power. Tumeric is a root vegetable similar to ginger. It is boiled then dried and ground into a yellow-orange powder. Both of these have potent anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties that naturally detoxify the body and destroy possible cancerous cells.

A healthy diet consisting of a range of colourful vegetables, more white meat instead of red meat and regular exercise in sparkling sunshine is the best way to reduce your risk of breast cancer and other diseases. Statistics show that people from countries with lower socio-economic conditions like African and Asian nations have lower incidence of cancer. Is this mainly because they eat more vegetables, they cannot afford meat? North Americans and Western Europeans, who eat the most red meat, have the highest incidence of cancer according to statistics. So consider your cancer risk before you eat anything.

There are also other tests that and screenings that will pay you up to $100 as well. This in itself greatly lowers your out-of-pocket expenses. For example, with the Individual Premier Plan from Allstate, at age 40, costs just $369 a year. So, as a woman, if you get a mammogram and a pap test, your policy’s premiums for the year are already covered!

Health Care Only Covers Half the Cost of Cancer – Cancer Insurance Fills in the Gaps. The time away from work, co pays, medications, etc. can throw any of us in the poor house in seconds – all not covered by health care! The American Cancer Society has a call center in Austin, Texas that fields about a million calls a year. Half of the calls that are received each year are because people have quickly reached their lifetime limits on their health insurance policies or are having trouble maintaining their insurance coverages when they find themselves unable to continue working .

This is something that many face each year. When diagnosed with cancer, they are finding that the costs of treatments quickly use up the limits of their health insurance policies. Once the lifetime benefit is gone, there is nothing else that the health insurance company will pay out, which results in families having to use their life savings, cash in their investments, or rely on the charity of others, just to pay their bills and afford their treatments.

One way to fill in the gaps that health insurance policies can leave is to purchase cancer insurance. Those gaps can easily be filled through this type of insurance, as well as your chances for survival. When purchased when you are well, you are encouraged to get your regular cancer screenings, which will help detect early any cancers that may develop. Early detection is the best way that you can fight cancer as it drastically increases your survival rate. In addition to that, cancer insurance policies also pay you back for just keeping your regular screenings, which you should be doing anyway. How great is that?!

An additional way that purchasing a cancer insurance policy is of benefit to you is that by catching cancer early, through regular routine screenings, you will avoid missing work due to illness. Also, you will not have to pay numerous co-pays for appointments or medications. As you can see, when you have cancer, it can throw any of us into the poor-house very quickly.

So, plan ahead and get a cancer insurance policy. It pretty much pays for itself and you will have coverage you need in the event that you do get cancer later on in life. Having this coverage cannot stop you from getting cancer, but it can help prevent your financial ruin if you are diagnosed with cancer.

Toward that end, he called on each specialty to come up with a list that “would consist of five diagnostic tests or treatments that are very commonly ordered by members of that specialty, that are among the most expensive services provided, and that have been shown by the currently available evidence not to provide any meaningful benefit to at least some major categories of patients for whom they are commonly ordered.”

In the NEJM last week, two oncology specialists — Thomas Smith and Bruce Hilner of Virginia Commonwealth University — took up the challenge. They created a “top five” list of common oncology practices, which, if limited to situations where they were truly clinically useful, would sharply lower the cost of cancer care. Their lead paragraph noted the need for taking these steps:

Annual direct costs for cancer care are projected to rise — from $104 billion in 2006 to over $173 billion in 2020 and beyond. This increase has been driven by a dramatic rise in both the cost of therapy and the extent of care. In the United States, the sales of anticancer drugs are now second only to those of drugs for heart disease, and 70% of these sales come from products introduced in the past 10 years. Most new molecules are priced at $5,000 per month or more, and in many cases the cost-effectiveness ratios far exceed commonly accepted thresholds. This trend is not sustainable.

Look closely at the second to last sentence of that paragraph: “In many cases the cost-effectiveness ratios far exceed commonly accepted thresholds.”  It’s worth noting that there are no commonly accepted thresholds for cost of care in the U.S. That’s not true in Great Britain, where the National Health Service, based on recommendations from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, will refuse to pay for certain drugs when their costs exceed certain levels. But in the U.S., Medicare, which is the primary payer for most cancer care since cancer is primarily a disease of aging, is forbidden by law from taking cost into consideration. If the Food and Drug Administration has approved a specific approach, and the doctor prescribes it, Medicare will pay for it. If the oncologist tries an approach that is not specifically approved by the FDA — either as an “off label” use or combination of approved drugs — the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will still pay for the treatments long as the approach is listed in clinical practice guidelines. And when it comes to most testing and imaging, most insurers including Medicare will pay for whatever the doctor orders, even though the medical literature is loaded with studies suggesting their lack of usefulness in many situations where commonly used.

That’s why oncologists themselves have to take this issue on. Here’s their top five list of new rules for controlling the cost of cancer care:

1. Only use testing and imaging where “benefit has been shown”;
2. Limit second-line and third-line treatments to metastatic cancer to sequential monotherapies for most solid tumors. “Patients will live just as long but will avoid toxic effects. . . Society will benefit from cost reductions associated with less chemotherapy, fewer supportive drugs, and fewer toxicity-associated hospitalizations”‘;
3. Don’t give chemotherapy to people when their cancer has made them so weak that a positive response is highly unlikely;
4. Lower chemo doses to eliminate the routine use of drugs that replace the white blood cells destroyed by toxic chemo drugs; and
5. Stop treating patients if they haven’t responded to three different drug regimens — unless they are enrolled in a clinical trial actually testing the fourth regimen.

They also came up with a list of five changes in physician and patient attitudes that must take place to cut the cost of care, ranging from support for end-of-life counseling to more support for hospice and palliative care. “We understand that this will be extraordinarily difficult, since one person’s cost constraint is another person’s perceived lifesaving benefit and yet another’s income,” the two authors write. However, “there really is no other way. Our intention is to encourage other specialties to do the same and flatten the cost curve so that patients can continue to get the best new therapies.”

Now, here’s my top five list of how the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal will respond to this call for rationing based on science and common sense:

It’s rationing that abrogates physician autonomy;

1. It’s rationing that prevents individual choice in evaluating the trade-offs between benefits and risks;
2. It’s rationing that denies very ill patients hope;
3. It’s rationing that puts cost ahead of best practices; and
4. Did I mention that it’s rationing?

And as far as end-of-life counseling is concerned, we’ve already heard right-wing politicians crying “death panels.”

I congratulate Smith and Hilner for taking on the Brody challenge. But there was one other issue I wish they had addressed. Why are cancer drugs of marginal efficacy so expensive? Why does a drug that extends life by a month or two cost $5,000 to $10,000 a month for the last year or two of a person’s life, thus adding up to a quarter million dollars to the cost of end-of-life care?

One could write a book about why there’s no economic justification for these sky-high prices (See this one, for instance). Last year, two Sloan Kettering researchers, writing in Health Affairs, proposed pricing new cancer drugs at the medical value they deliver — so-called reference pricing.

There’s a lot that oncologists can do to reduce the cost of care through eliminating unnecessary tests, images and treatments. But they should also begin raising their voices when they see drug companies charging an arm and a leg for products that they know, better than anyone else, really aren’t worth the money.