Did you know there is a link between diet and cancer? There are various cancer types, and each cancer has specific causes such as genetics, environmental factors, family history, and health conditions. However, according to the National Cancer Information Center, 18% of all cancers and 16% of cancer deaths are caused by poor diet and excess body weight.
Following a poor diet can increase your risk for developing various cancers, including:
Therefore, you should follow a healthy diet to prevent cancer.
Here are foods and simple lifestyle changes that can decrease your risk for developing cancer:
1. Limit Eating Foods Containing Added Sugars and Solid Fats
Limit your intake of foods with solid fats and added sugars, including sugar-sweetened beverages, highly processed snacks, and desserts, granola bars, bread, and salad dressings. While providing fewer nutrients, these calorie dense foods add more calories that may lead to weight gain.
2. Include Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains in Your Diet
Whole grains, whole fruits, and non-starchy vegetables are rich in nutrients that can help lower your risk for cancer. These include carrot, broccoli, tomato, spinach, strawberries, cabbage, cucumber, beans, peas, avocado, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, garlic, and blueberries.
3. Focus on Plant Proteins
Adding plant-based proteins to your diet can lower the risk of several types of cancers, including tofu, beans, lentils, and tempeh. Beans and lentils are also rich sources of iron, dietary fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients.
4. Include Moderate Portions of Red and Processed Meats In Your Diet
Intake of red and processed meats such as bacon, ham, and hot dogs can increase your risk for colon and other types of cancer. Therefore, eat them in moderate portions and fill the rest of your plate with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
5. Choose Food items Containing Healthy Fats
Eating foods rich in saturated and trans fats can increase your risk for cancer, including dairy products, red meats, pie crusts, muffins, cakes, cookies, French fries, pizza dough, hard taco shells, and fried chicken.
Therefore, eat foods with healthy fats (unsaturated fats), such as fish, nuts, avocados, flaxseeds, olive oil, tuna, and salmon.
6. Take Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D deficiency can increase your risk for colon, breast, and pancreatic cancer. Therefore, eat foods rich in vitamin D, including fortified foods, soy milk, mushrooms, beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese.
7. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity or excess body weight can lead to various cancers. Therefore, maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of developing cancer. It is best to keep your weight under control if your body mass index (BMI) is in the obese or overweight range.
8. Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption is the major risk factor for cancer. Even a moderate amount can increase your risk for various cancers, including breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, liver cancer, and esophageal cancer. Therefore, limit your alcohol consumption to:
A healthy lifestyle along with a healthy diet and cancer prevention are closely connected. Along with these diet ideas, another way to ensure a healthy life and reduce cancer risk is to be physically active. Adults should get between 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of high intensity workouts every week. You can also combine these as per your preference. Children or teenagers should get at least 60 minutes of moderate or high intensity workouts every day. Additionally, you should limit sedentary behavior like sitting down, screen based recreational activities, lying down, etc.
Though cancer is a life-threatening condition, it can be cured if diagnosed and treated earlier. Contact Chesapeake Oncology Hematology Associates today for cancer diagnosis and treatment or if you have any questions concerning the condition.
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