I Love Peanut Butter - Michael Novakovich

Vicki, our Director of Finance & Operations, and I at
our "Let's Make Pink Just Another Color" event.

I love peanut butter. Yup, it’s true…I love peanut butter. It is a staple in my diet. My daily breakfast always contains some amount of peanut buttery goodness: peanut butter on a banana with coffee, all natural rolled oats with peanut butter and banana (yum!) or a peanut butter and banana smoothie made with frozen strawberries (no sugar added) and organic soy milk…delicious! I don’t go in for the sugary peanut butter the choosy moms choose. No sir. I love all natural, nothing but peanuts, peanut butter. Mmm…

Seems we have a few peanut butter lovers down here at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center. Earlier this week Marilin, Administrative Assistant to our Clinical Director, wandered into my office at around 7 a.m. with a jar of peanut butter. Even though I had just enjoyed my daily dose, I got excited. Convinced she came to share some of her spreadable deliciousness I began to reach for the spoon I keep in my desk drawer for just such an occasion! Turns out she was having trouble opening the lid on her new jar of Jif®. Marilin proceeded to tell me she has been enjoying peanut butter as a breakfast tradition since she was in college. Just yesterday I saw our Patient Registrar, Brenda, enjoying what looked like a milkshake first thing in the morning. When asked what she was drinking she provided the in-depth details of a delightful sounding peanut butter smoothie! A woman after my own heart…

So, you might be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with cancer?” Peanuts are actually “legumes” which are high in nutritional value and according to the National Cancer Institute, have shown to lower the risk of prostate cancer.  Be sure to select an all-natural, organic variety, which does not contain any pesticides (carcinogens/cancer-causing agents). Organic, all natural, peanut butter is also free of nasty preservatives and contains a good amount of vitamin E, which helps to fight free radicals (damage caused by free radicals may lead to cancer).  

If you are a cancer patient or at high risk for cancer be sure to speak with your physician to see if peanut butter is a healthy option for you.

As for me, I’m off to get a spoonful of my favorite treat! - Michael


Michael Novakovich
Director of Business Development
Tri-Cities Cancer Center