Can you prevent cancer by merely changing your diet? The simple answer is Yes. Though you cannot eliminate the possibility of cancer, making certain changes to your diet can definitely reduce its possibility.
Genetics and the environment are leading causes of some cancer types. Yet, research shows that 70% of chances of cancer can be reduced by your actions and diet plays a crucial role in that. Avoiding cigarettes, reaching a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and exercising regularly are all great steps to reduce the chance of cancer.
Thus, the things that you eat and the things that you do not eat play a crucial role in preventing cancer. Certain dietary habits can have a profound effect on the risk of cancer. A diet that includes a portion of processed meat increases the chances of colorectal cancer. On the other hand, a Mediterranean diet (a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and olive oil) can lower the chances of cancer, even breast cancer.
Cancer Prevention Diet
The following are some of the types of food that you must include in your diet to reduce not only certain types of cancer but a few other common health hazards as well. You can work on building a diet that is rich in antioxidants, nuts, healthy fats, vegetables and whole grains. Similarly, you need to avoid unhealthy fats, sugars and refined carbohydrates as much as you can.
- Including fruits in your diet can lower the risk of lung and stomach cancer.
- Vegetables that contain carotenoids such as sprouts, carrots, and Brussels, may reduce the chance of lung, pharynx, larynx, and mouth cancer.
- Adding vegetables that are non-starchy can prevent oesophagal or stomach cancer. Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and beans are good examples.
- Tomatoes, watermelon, and guava are rich in lycopene, which might reduce the chances of prostate cancer.
Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is another great way to prevent some types of cancer. It is recommended that we have at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Another simple way to ensure that you receive the most out of what you are eating is to opt for the whole.
A simple example is, to try to eat an apple as a whole instead of relying on apple juice for its nutrients. If you are hungry and want to grab some snacks, make it a habit to have an apple or a banana, rather than some salty or sugary snacks. Having a trail mix of nuts and dried fruit is another simple yet effective way to snack up.
Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fibre and they play a key role in keeping the digestive system healthy and clean. They also help in the movement of certain compounds that can cause cancer before they can cause any damage. A fibre rich diet can prevent colorectal cancer.
Increasing the consumption of the above food and reducing bad fats such as trans fats and saturated fats is important towards building a healthier version of us and preventing cancer.
