How, when, where.

Ready to make the leap to optimum health as you simultaneously fight cancer for life? Follow these simple guidelines outlined by the American Institute for Cancer Research (www.aicr.org). Also, ask your heavenly Father to make the journey with you, bringing comfort and joy each step of the way.

GUIDELINE 1: Move Plant-based Foods to Center Stage

1. Try something new once or twice a week. Whether it's an exotic fruit (guava, star fruit), unusual vegetable (bok choy, acorn squash), grain (bulgur, quinoa), or new-to-you bean (lentil, pinto), make the process fun and increase the variety of cancer-fighting foods in your diet.

2. Make it stir-fry. Use a variety of frozen, canned, or flesh vegetables, quick-cooking brown rice, and left-overs. Season with your favorite sauce.

3. Keep canned beans in your pantry. You'll love the nutritious and flavorful boost they provide your meals. Add them to salads, stews, soups, or grain dishes--to replace meat. Try different kinds, such as cannellini, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, or black beans.

4. Once a week, go totally meatless. Enjoy a whole day meat-free. Substitute with vegetables, beans, whole grains, or tofu. Include small amounts of nuts or seeds.

5. Buy a vegetarian cookbook. Discover just how delicious a plant-based diet can be. You'll also get a sense of the enormous variety of foods and flavors that await you.

GUIDELINE 2: Maintain a Healthy Weight

1. Fill up on vegetables and fruits.

They're full of fiber, which fills you up, not out. Besides being more able to fight cravings for fatty, salty, or sugary foods, you'll enjoy the added benefit of powerful vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

2. Order small. By ordering the smallest size possible when you eat out, you'll eat until satisfied, not stuffed.

3. Eat mindfully. At mealtimes, switch off the TV or computer and put down the magazine. Research shows that "unconscious" eating generally means overeating. Pay attention to why you're eating. Is it boredom, stress, or sadness instead of true hunger?

4. Work a little exercise into your day. Put more spring into your step as you go about your duties. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the corner market instead of firing up the SUV.

5. Choose activities you enjoy. Get your blood pumping and your energy level up while you lower your cancer risk by doing exercises you actually enjoy. Getting together with like-minded friends makes everything more fun.

GUIDELINE 3: Watch Out for Fat and Salt

1. Read the label. The nutrition-facts labels on packaged food products are trustworthy sources of information. Regulated by the U.S. government, they tell you how much fat and sodium the food contains. When choosing frozen entrees, try to limit to no more than 10 grams of fat per 300 calories. Aim for no more than 800 milligrams of sodium per entree.

2. Use low-fat foods wisely. Watch out! While low-fat and reduced-fat cheeses, peanut butters, chips, cookies, cakes, and ice creams do offer flavor with less fat, most replace fat with added sugar or salt. Choose sensible portion sizes.

3. Try healthy cooking techniques. Frying (or sauteing) in oil or butter adds a hefty dose of fat and calories to foods. Baking and stir-frying with a small amount of oil are healthier options. When you cook vegetables, steaming them until crisp-tender locks in both nutrients and flavor.

4. Choose fresh over processed. Processed foods can be high in sodium. When you can't cook from scratch, compare labels and select lower-sodium frozen dinners, canned soups, and frozen vegetables. For rice mixes, use only a part of the seasoning packet. Rinse canned beans to wash away some of the salt.

5. Add spice to your life. Experiment with herbs and spices. You'll open up a world of new flavors and aromas without the risks associated with excess fat and salt. Spices contain protective phytochemicals, too.