Living with CLL - quinoa part 1

When my husband was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2011, his Oncologist put him on a very strict diet.  One of the foods he was told to eat was organic quinoa (pronounced keeh-wah).  He eats quinoa with dinner each night.  In my opinion, quinoa is the healthiest food on the planet yet most people have never heard of it. 

If you ‘google’ quinoa you will find thousands of sources of information to read plus hundreds of recipes.  Quinoa is not just for people with a health condition though.  It’s excellent for runners as it puts more oxygen in your blood or for those on a diet as it digests so slowly it keeps you feeling fuller longer. 
If you are a vegetarian or vegan it is the perfect replacement food for
red meats because it is so high in iron and protein.  

Quinoa is sodium-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, sugar-free and saturated fat-free.  It is high in fiber, high in anti-oxidants, has no cholesterol and even helps lower cholesterol levels.  If you are allergic to grains like wheat, corn, rye, barley or oats quinoa is a very non-allergenic grain.  Quinoa is the perfect replacement food for white rice.

Non-organic quinoa has an outer shell called Saponin which has a very bitter taste.  Some Saponin can even be toxic.  I recommend buying organic.  It has been washed and the shell has been removed.

Below are some of the vitamins and minerals in quinoa and their purpose.

AMINO ACIDS:      

Are building blocks of proteins.  There are 22 amino      acids, 9 of which cannot be made by the body.  They come from protein-rich foods like quinoa.

B1 (Thiamin):         Converts carbohydrates to energy.

B2 (Riboflavon):     Is necessary for natural energy production in cells.

B6 (Pyridoxine):     Is water-soluble and is essential to the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids.  Also helps keep the lymph nodes, thymus and spleen healthy.

B9 (Folate):            Builds red blood cells and helps reduce the chance of gettingsome forms of anemia.  It is needed to make DNA and RNA , the building blocks of cells. 

B12 (Cobalamin):   Is a water soluble nutrient.  It keeps the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA.   It also helps prevent anemia.

CALCIUM:                Is a mineral needed to maintain strong bones and teeth.  It is also needed for muscles to move and for nerves to carry messages between the brain to every body part.

COPPER:                  Is a micronutrient.  It helps transport oxygen throughout the body.

FIBER:                     Is a complex carbohydrate.  Some of the many health
benefits of fiber is that it lowers the absorption of sugar and lowers bad LDL cholesterol.

IRON:                      Is needed to make red blood cells, which increases oxygen in the body.

LYSINE:                   Helps your body produce protein.

MAGNESIUM
and PHOSPHORUS:  Both are essential minerals aiding in bone, heart,
cardiovascular, nerve and brain health.

MANGANESE:              Neutralizes damaging FREE RADICALS from attacking our organs.

POTASSIUM:                Assists in the release of energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein.

PROTEIN:                     Quinoa is a complete (or essential protein).  This means it contains all the essential amino acids to build, maintain and replace the tissues in your body.

SELENIUM:                   Is an essential trace mineral that is an important part of ANTIOXIDANTS that protect cells from the damage done by FREE RADICALS.  Selenium is essential for the normal functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland.

VITAMIN C:                  Even though I can’t find any research that firmly states that vitamin C is in quinoa, vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant.  It ‘captures’ the free radical and neutralizes it.

VITAMIN D:                  Promotes calcium absorption.  It also helps with breast, colon and prostate health.

VITAMIN E:                  Is an ANTIOXIDANT that protects cells from the damaging effects of FREE RADICALS.

ZINC:                            Is an ANTIOXIDANT and is crucial to the immune system, wound healing, growth and vision.

FREE RADICALS:       Are unstable molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage and diseases like dementia, asthma, cancer and heart disease to name a few.  They bond with healthy cells and destroy them.    NOTE:  A few of the leading causes of free radicals are:  smoking, car exhaust, stress, alcohol, pesticides and air pollution.

ANTIOXIDANTS:         Are phytochemicals, vitamins and nutrients
that prevent free radicals from destroying healthy cells.  They are compounds that neutralize free radicals to stop the chain reaction of forming new free radicals.

If you would like to learn more or have any questions, please email:  LivingWithCLL@aol.com

There is a warning with quinoa though.  If you have or had kidney stones containing Oxalate you cannot eat quinoa.  Oxalic acid will form a bond with minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.  If present in high enough levels, can solidify in the kidneys or urinary tract to form calcium crystals.