Eating Right and Simple Lifestyle Choices Can Keep Cancer Away!

Cancer Prevention

Prevention Add

In North America 40% of women and 45% of men will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Whatever is the situation, your dietary choices matter. Some foods actually increase your risk of cancer, while others support your body and strengthen your immune system.

By making smart food choices, you can protect your health, feel better, and boost your ability fight off disease

There are a variety of factors, including lifestyle choices and supplement options that can reduce your risk.

Not all health problems are avoidable, but you have more control over your health than you may think.

Research shows that a large percentage of cancer-related deaths, maybe even the majority are directly linked to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, a lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet.

Avoiding cigarettes, minimizing alcohol, and getting regular exercise are a great start to an anti-cancer lifestyle. But to best support your health, you also need to look at your eating habits.

Eating right!

The best diet for preventing or fighting cancer is a predominantly plant-based diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A plant-based diet means eating mostly foods that come from plants: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and beans.

The less processed these foods are or the less they’ve been cooked, peeled, mixed with other ingredients, stripped of their nutrients, or otherwise altered from the way they came out of the ground, the better.

There are many ways to add plant-based foods to your diet. A nice visual reminder is to aim for a plate of food that is filled at least two-thirds with whole grains, vegetables, beans, or fruit.

Dairy products, fish, and meat should take up no more than a third of the plate. Keep in mind that you don’t need to go completely vegetarian.

Instead, focus on adding “whole” foods, which are foods close to their original form. Just as important, try to minimize or reduce the amount of processed foods you eat. Eat an apple instead of drinking a glass of apple juice, for example. Or enjoy a bowl of oatmeal with raisins instead of an oatmeal raisin cookie.

The 10 best food choices:

1/ Tomatoes. The compound lycopene, is most easily absorbed from cooked tomatoes which has been shown to prevent prostate cancer, as well as cancer of the breast, lung, and stomach.

2/ Garlic. Garlic contains a number of compounds that can protect against cancer, especially that of the skin, colon, and lungs.

3/ Grapes. Grapes and red wine contain the chemical resveratrol, which is a very potent antioxidant that can prevent cell damage before it begins.

4/ Green tea. The flavonoida in green tea have been shown to slow or prevent the development of several types of cancer including colon, liver, breast, and prostate.

5/ Dark leafy greens. Dark greens are rich sources of antioxidants called carotenoids.  These scavenge dangerous free radicals from the body before they can promote cancer growth.

6/ Blueberries. All of the berries are the richest in cancer fighting compounds.  They are beneficial in the prevention of all types of cancer.

7/ Flaxseeds. Flax contains lignans, which can have an antioxidant effect and block or suppress cancerous changes.  The omega-3 fatty acids can also help protect against colon cancer.

8/ Whole grains. Whole grains contain a variety of anti-cancer compounds including antioxidants, fiber, and phytoestrogens.  TheseVegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts contain strong antioxidants that may help decrease cancer risk. can help decrease the risk of developing most types of cancer.

9/ Cruciferous vegetable. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts contain strong antioxidants that may help decrease cancer risk.

10/ Mushrooms.  Many mushrooms contain compounds that can help the body fight cancer and build the immune system as well.

Buy organic produce if it is possible, some pesticides found in commercially grown are also suspected carcinogens. Organic produce are free of pesticides.

Make lifestyle choices!

DO NOT USE TOBACCO. Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney — and chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to second-hand smoke may increase your risk of lung cancer.

 

MAINTAIN a HEALTHY WEIGHT and do PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DAILY. Maintaining a healthy weight may lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.

Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own may lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.  As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine and if you can do more, even better. Try a fitness class, rediscover a favourite sport or meet a friend for daily brisk walks.

 

REDUCE the BOOZE. Alcohol is estimated to be responsible for cancer. The World Health Organization recommends of less than one drink a day.

SEEK VITAMIN C. Evidence indicates that vitamin C and fruits consumption may be linked to reduce risk of cancer.

DO NOT SUN OVEREXPOSURE. Protect yourself from excessive sun exposure to lower your skin cancer.

Consider these all suggestions to help you maintain your health and aid in cancer prevention.