You Beat Cancer by How You Eat and the Manner You Live
Naturally, sickness is a part of life for all organisms, and it can’t be avoided. There is also a six-letter name for a devastating disease that no person wants to mention because of how much it alters their lives. The mere mention of that term is enough to induce weariness and dread in any human being. Cancer is the name of this terminal illness that kills humans prematurely.
The incidence of cancer is rising and is now the second leading cause of death worldwide. This is a diagnosis that no one wants to hear. We have made the decision to stop smoking because we know it’s bad for us. Sunblock is a must-have for us. We all have periodic checks for cancer. And when items appear in our news feed on social media purporting to be of cancer-preventing foods and supplements, we investigate more closely. The issue is that trying to find anti-cancer foods leads into a rabbit hole of unreliable information. Sirwiss spoke with our experts of cancer dietitians thus they’re able to filter through the myths and provide an overview of what a nutritious anti-cancer diet entail.
Can Dietary Changes Help Lower Cancer Risk?
Let’s be straightforward: no one diet can guarantee your cancer-free existence. At the same time, it cannot be traced back to a specific meal. Yet, a number of the most prevalent malignancies may be mitigated by adopting a healthy diet and way of life. “Healthy diet may help avoid many of the chronic illnesses that raise your risk of cancer,” say Sirwiss experts. “Genetics and other health issues may also effect cancer prevalence, although these tend to be more out of our control. The nourishment you provide your body, though, is something you have greater control over”. Medical associations believe that being overweight or obese (defined as a BMI of 30 or more) raises one’s susceptibility to various cancers.
The Correlation Between Food and Cancer
Some cancer risk factors, such as genetics and environment, are out of your control, but research suggest that about 70% of your lifetime risk of cancer is within your power to change, including your diet. What you eat—and don’t eat—can have a powerful effect on your health, including your risk for cancer. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise are all great steps for preventing cancer.
While research tends to point to associations between specific foods and cancer, rather than solid cause-and-effect relationships, there are certain dietary habits that can have a major influence on your risk. For example, eating a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats like olive oil can lower your risk for a variety of common cancers, including breast cancer. Conversely, a diet that includes a daily serving of processed meat increases your risk of colorectal cancer.
If you have a history of cancer in your family, adopting a healthy diet can also play a vital role. Making small changes to your diet and behaviors now can make a big difference to your long-term health. And if you’ve already been diagnosed with cancer, eating a nutritious diet can help support your mood and strengthen your body during this challenging time.
Add Cancer-preventing Nutrients to Your Diet
To lower the likelihood of many forms of cancer, as well as other serious illnesses, focus on a diet high in antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, and healthy fats. Simultaneously, try and reduce your intake of processed and fried meals, harmful fats, sweets, and refined carbohydrates.
1. Lower the Risk by Using Antioxidants
Plant-based meals are high in antioxidants, which enhance your immune system and help protect against cancer cells.
1.1. Fruity diets may lower the risk of stomach and lung cancer.
1.2. Carotenoids-rich foods including carrots, Brussels sprouts, and squash may lower the risk of lung, oral, pharynx, and larynx cancer.
1.3. Non-starchy vegetable diets including broccoli, spinach, and beans may help protect against stomach and esophageal cancer.
1.4. Oranges, berries, peas, bell peppers, dark leafy greens, and other vitamin C-rich foods may also help against esophageal cancer.
1.5. Lycopene-rich foods including tomatoes, guava, and watermelon may reduce the incidence of prostate cancer.
2. Improve Your Diet, Eat More Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
Most of us now don’t eat anywhere near the minimum of five servings of fruit and vegetables per day that experts suggest. You should try to include more “whole” foods into your diet, meaning those that are as near to their original form as possible. To avoid the added sugar in apple juice, try eating an apple instead.
2.1. Breakfast: Layer your whole grain, low-sugar cereal with fresh fruit, seeds, and almonds (such as oatmeal).
2.2. Lunch: Prepare a salad with your favorite beans and peas or other vegetable combination. Make a whole grain sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Serve with carrots, sauerkraut, or fruit as a side. Snacks: On your walk out the door, grab an apple or a banana. Hummus may be used to coat carrots, celery, cucumbers, jicama, and peppers. Have nuts and dried fruit trail mix on hand.
2.3. Dinner: To your favorite spaghetti sauce or rice meal, add fresh or frozen vegetables. Baked potatoes may be topped with broccoli, sautéed vegetables, or salsa.
2.4. Dessert: Instead of sweet treats, choose fruit.
3. Eat Abundance Fiber
Fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Fiber-rich foods keep you satisfied for longer, preventing you from reaching for a snack 10 minutes after completing lunch. According to research, fiber-rich meals produce the anti-appetite chemical acetate, which signals the brain that we’re full. It aids in the movement of cancer-causing substances through your digestive system before they may cause damage. A fiber-rich diet may help prevent colorectal cancer as well as other frequent digestive system malignancies such as stomach, mouth, and throat.
4. Choose the Good Fats
High-fat diets are associated with an increased risk of many different forms of cancer. On the other hand, several forms of fat may help prevent cancer.
1. Stay away from packaged and fried foods that include trans-fat or partly hydrogenated oil, such as cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza dough, French fries, fried chicken, and hard taco shells.
2. Eat no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, which mostly comes from red meat and dairy.
3. To boost your intake of healthy fats, increase your intake of fish, olive oil, almonds, and avocados. The omega-3 fatty acids in foods like salmon, tuna, and flaxseeds provide anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits.
5. Reduce Your Intake of Refined Foods and Sugar
Blood sugar spikes after consuming refined carbohydrates have been related to an 88% increased risk of prostate cancer and other major health concerns. Choose unrefined whole grains like whole wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, barley, quinoa, bran cereal, oatmeal, and non-starchy vegetables instead of sugary soft drinks, sugary cereals, white bread, pasta, and processed meals like pizza. It may help you lose weight and reduce your chances of colorectal and prostate cancer.
6. Cut Down on the Red and Processed Meats
Consuming processed meats including bacon, sausages, hotdogs, pepperoni, and salami has been linked to an increased risk of cancer in a number of studies. You should expect a rise in your risk of colorectal cancer if you consume around 50 grams of processed beef every day. Cancer-related risk factors rise as a result of consuming red meat, which may be attributable to the nitrate preservatives or other compounds employed in the preparation of the meat. In order to play it safe, it’s best to cut down on processed meat and diversify your protein intake with foods like fish, poultry, eggs, almonds, and soy instead of depending just on red meat.
7. Use Healthy Ways to Cook Your Food
Choosing healthy foods is important, but it’s not the only thing that can help prevent cancer. How you prepare, cook and store your food is also important.
Here are a few recommendations to help you get the most out of your consumption of cancer-fighting foods, such as fruits and vegetables:
7.1. Consume at least some fresh fruits and vegetables, since they often contain the most vitamins and minerals, but heating certain veggies may make the vitamins more bioavailable. Steam veggies just until they are soft. This maintains the vitamins more. When vegetables are overcooked, many of their vitamins and minerals are lost. If you want to boil veggies, use the boiling water in a soup or another meal to preserve the vitamins.
7.2. Wash all fresh produce properly. Use a vegetable brush to clean your vegetables. However, washing reduces the amount of pesticide residue left behind.
7.3. Flavor meals with herbs and spices that improve the immune system. Garlic, ginger, and curry powder not only offer taste, but also a powerful dose of cancer-fighting elements. Also recommended are turmeric, basil, rosemary, and coriander. Consider incorporating them into soups, salads, and casseroles.
While trying to lessen contact with cancer-causing agents:
7.4. Never use oils at high temperatures. When oils or fats are cooked or baked at low temperatures (less than 240 degrees), they do not become carcinogenic. Prepare your food in more healthful ways by baking, boiling, steaming, or broiling instead of frying, pan-frying, or sautéing.
7.5 Try to restrain yourself from overcooking the meat on the grill. Charring or burning flesh produces carcinogenic chemicals. If you insist on grilling, be mindful of the temperature and turn the meat often to prevent it from burning (not too hot). Fat drops into the flames and releases a carcinogenic chemical, so trim the fat before grilling.
7.6 Oils become rancid rapidly when exposed to light, heat, and air, so keep them in an airtight container and store them in a cold, dark area. Moldy food is dangerous because it may contain aflatoxin, a powerful carcinogen often found in spoiled peanuts. Keeping nuts in the fridge or freezer extends their shelf life.
7.7 Carefully consider what you put into the microwave. Wax paper is preferable than plastic wrap for microwaving food. Never put non-microwave-safe containers in the microwave.