JULY 13, 2007 | SAN DIEGO, CA

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Buddies For Life: Moores UCSD Cancer Center Offers Nutrition Classes

We've all heard the saying, "you are what you eat." And research has shown that what you put on your plate can result in a healthier you. In this Buddies for Life report, News 8's Barbara Lee-Edwards reveals the tools patients and their families can use to cook and eat wisely.

"I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I felt out of control, you know in my life and I decided there's got to be something I can do to take back some of that control," said Karen Georgens a breast cancer survivor.

Georgens found that control in her kitchen.

Diagnosed in 2000, Georgens is now a breast cancer survivor and says changing her diet and the way she prepares her meals has made a big difference in her life.

"Yes, you can feel it, yeah there's definitely much more energy and more vitality from doing that," continued Georgens.

Georgens says she learned how to improve her eating habits with the help of nutrition classes offered monthly at Moores UCSD Cancer Center.

"The classes have taught me how to make better choices in my food, that little, silly little label you know, nutrition label, now I read it," Georgens explained.

Registered dietitian Vicky Newman developed the classes.

"We think that eating better, a healthy diet helps prevent cancer and helps make the experience of getting through cancer treatment easier," said Newman a dietitian with the Moores UCSD Cancer Center.

Newman says the classes give participants a variety of different recipes and encourages them to go for the bold and pay attention to what she calls "big color and big flavor."

"It turns out that nature really cues us to go for those foods, those are the foods that have the most protective components in them," noted Newman.

Newman adds that healthy eating means enjoying three to five servings of vegetables a day, two to four servings of fruit, two to three servings of whole grains and half of a serving to one serving of beans and or legumes.

"There's lots of evidence that the foods we eat help the body prevent or reduce the chances of cancer," added Newman.

Back at Georgens' house that's good news, because she says she'll continue to find joy in the foods she prepares, knowing that they don't just taste good, but are good for her health.

"I do not want to have cancer back and so I'm going to do everything I can to preclude that and boy if they tell me that eating healthy is one of them, I'm going to do it," Georgens said.

Reminder: News 8 reminds you to call your buddy and ask her if she's completed her monthly breast self-exam. Make sure you do yours as well.