Cancer Prevention Diet

Cancer Prevention Diet

A diet low in fat, alcohol, and salt but high in fresh fruits, vegetables, andwhole grains may help prevent certain types of cancer. Staying physically active willalso help. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.Seven out of every ten cancer cases have been directly linked to diet and lifestyle factors.

What is the information for this topic?

According to the National Cancer Institute, studies show that manysubstances found in fruits, vegetables, and grains may slow or prevent cancer growthand development. Other experts have found that groups of people who eat largeamounts of plant-based foods have less risk for certain types of cancers. The AmericanInstitute for Cancer Research suggests the following guidelines for cancer prevention.

  • Choose a diet rich in a variety of plant-based foods. Vegetables,fruits, beans, and whole grains contain natural defenses. They help your body destroysubstances that cause cancer before they do any damage. Include more rice and beans,salad, and steamed vegetables in your main meal of the day. Also, cut down on theamount of meat you eat.
  • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Diets high in these foods mayprotect against cancers of the colon, stomach, rectum, esophagus, lung, and pharynx.The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables play a role in cancer prevention.Substances called phytochemicals also help with this. Most experts believe that eatingfoods that contain these substances will help you prevent cancer better than takingsupplements. Try to eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
  • Maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise. Obesity mayincrease the risk for cancer of the uterus. Regular physical activity has been shownto protect against colon cancer.
  • Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all. Experts believe alcoholincreases the risk of esophageal, liver, colon, and oral cancers.It also increases the risk of breast cancer in women. The risk is even greater for some ofthese cancers in drinkers who also smoke.
  • Select foods low in fat and salt. High-fat diets may increase therisk for lung, colon, rectum, breast, uterus, and prostate cancers. A high-fat diet canalso lead to obesity. Diets high in salt and salted foods may increase the risk forstomach cancer.
  • Prepare and store food safely. Cooking meat, poultry, or fish athigh temperatures over an open flame causes the formation of heterocyclic amines.When fat drips into the fire, the smoke and flames that rise up onto the food leavebehind cancer-causing substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A diethigh in meat cooked by grilling, barbecuing, broiling, or pan-frying may increase therisk of stomach, colon, and rectal cancers. To limit the formation of thesesubstances, cut visible fat off your meat before you cook it. Marinate your meat withan oil-free marinade. Precook meat before you grill it. And avoid flare-ups whenbarbecuing. When cooking meats, it’s best to use lower-heat options such as baking,poaching, stewing, roasting, and microwaving.
  • Making relatively minor changes in food selection and preparation maysignificantly reduce your risk of developing cancer.

    Article type: xmedgeneral