Well, we seem to be stuck in one of the coldest winters ever. Snow, ice, sleet and sub-freezing temperatures that chill the marrow of your bones.

What are you going to do about it? Put your feet up in front of the fire? Brew a hot pot of tea? Roll yourself up in a fleecy blanket and just wish this winter would go away?

All great strategies. But why not fight Cancer with food while you’re at it?

Some of the world’s warmest spices – hot, tropical flavors that tickle your taste buds and send blood coursing through your veins – are also natural Cancer Fighting foods. What a coincidence!

Spices contain lots of natural phytochemicals that aid in cancer prevention. And they taste great, too.

So, here are three great spice to add to a cancer fighting diet that can keep you healthy, and, maybe make this terrible weather feel a tad less frosty. 

Cancer Fighting Spices #1: Ginger

It’s warm. It’s saucy. It tastes great in soups and curries.

Before this Southeast Asian plant spices things up in the kitchen it looks like a gnarly root – and its main ingredient, the antioxidant gingerol, may help block cancer-related inflammation, slow tumor growth and destroy cancer cells.

Ginger is also great for soothing nausea and vomiting, so it may have benefits even after a cancer diagnosis.

One more interesting factoid about ginger: Its scientific name is Zingiber officinale. Bet you didn’t know that.

Cancer Fighting Spices #2: Turmeric

Turmeric is ginger’s warm-hearted cousin from India. You’ll find it in chill-chasing curry blends and hot chilies and – fun fact – in yellow mustard. (That’s where the yellow comes from!)

Best of all, turmeric’s “active ingredient,” the antioxidant curcumin, helps reduce inflammation and inhibit the growth of several types of cancer cells, including stomach, breast, skin, mouth and colorectal cancer.

That’s great, because March just happens to be Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! So if you’re going to pick one cancer-fighting spice to heat up your life this month, try turmeric.

Cancer Fighting Spices #3: Cloves

Pumpkin pie spice or clove-laced cider? Yes, please.

While cloves provide the perfect pinch of winter comfort, they alsomay help fight lung cancer.Isn’t it strange that this cancer fighting food smells good, but one of the things that causes lung cancer smells bad?

You wouldn’t have thought it would be so intuitive, would you?

So, why not enjoy a post-holiday slice of pumpkin pie on March 19 for Kick Butts Day. After all, if you can stay warm and fight cancer, go for it.

For more Cancer Fighting Foods to add to your diet, read about these cancer preventions foods to eat.

Talk to us in the comments!What are you doing during this long, cold winter to beat the cold and help prevent cancer?

(Images via SheKnows, Bits of Wellness and Savory Spice Shop.)