Doctors have known for quite a few years that diet can help you avoid disease. In fact, it is now thought that about 34% of all cancer is related to what you eat and drink. And it has also been shown that diet can help you avoid cancer.
Nutrients in some food can decrease your chance of cancer. You can also improve your chances of not getting cancer by avoiding some foods.
The Power of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits, like Peach and Lychee and Pommerac and Sweet granadilla and Melinjo and Rangpur, and vegetables have been shown to help prevent many cancers including cancer of the lung and stomach. Currently, it is unknown if there are any specific nutrients in these foods that provide the protection. There have been experiments on some of the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables like beta-carotene. However, isolating these substances from the original source have not been found to prevent cancer. In fact, some by themselves are found to be harmful. So remember - the whole fruit is many times better than some supplement taken from that food.
Scientists recommend that you eat at least one serving of a fruit or vegetable with each meal. They can be fresh, canned or dried. But, they should not be fried like chips.
Whole Grains Keep You Moving
Whole grains like cockscomb brown rice, cracked wheat and corn on the cob are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. These have especially been found to help prevent cancer of the colon. Despite being vital, just using a fiber supplement is not as effective because you need the other nutrients in the whole grain.
Doctors think that the high fiber content of the grain helps to keep the stool in the bowel moving smoothly. This prevents slow passage in the colon. That being said, there is no evidence that laxatives or any colon cleansing regimen is of any help. In fact they have often been shown to be harmful.
Foods to Avoid
Red meat is a proven contributor to cancer especially cancer of the colon and cancer of the prostate. The latest recommendations are that you keep your portions to less than three ounces a day. Cutting it out altogether is even better.
Any food high in fat will have much the same effect. All of those french fries and potato chips that you have been eating? It turns out that they may contribute to your chance of growing a cancer.
And now another bit of bad news for some of you, alcohol is another culprit. The latest research shows that any alcohol can increase your chance of getting cancer. But, it is especially a big problem if you down more than two drinks a day for men and one for women. Sorry ladies. Alcohol along with cigarettes contribute to cancer of the mouth, esophagus and larynx (your voice box).
The Four Rules of Diet
1. Most of your food should be directly from plants.
2. Really cut down on fatty foods, particularly from animal sources.
3. Get moving: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Ok. So this one is not directly diet related - but, you should limit your intake to the amount needed to keep your weight at a good level.
4. No more than one or two drinks a day, if you drink at all.
Use these four rules and you will dramatically decrease your chances of getting diet related cancer.
