adminWHETHER you have a history of cancer in your family, or are currently battling the disease, lifestyle factors, including your diet, can make a huge difference in helping you fight off cancer. 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 to fight off cancer and other diseases.
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 are directly linked to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, a lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet.
Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise are a great start to preventing cancer. But to best support your health, you also need to look at your eating habits.
Women who are overweight may have a greater risk for cancers of the breast (after menopause), endometrium, cervix and ovaries.
The weight that is gained during adulthood may also increase the risk for cancer of the endometrium, and breast in post-menopausal women.
Women who gain weight around their waistline are at great risk for these cancers. The body mass index can indicate if a weight is healthy.
The BMI is calculated using a person’s weight in relation to their height.
Studies show that moderate and vigorous physical activity are linked with lower breast cancer risk, and may protect women against post-menopausal breast cancer.
Physical activity may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and diabetes.
A good starting point is to do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Moderate activities include dancing, brisk walking, and bicycling.
To help prevent excessive weight gain, 60 minutes or more of moderate activity every day, or 30 minutes or more of vigorous activity is suggested. Vigorous activities include jogging, running and tennis.
Women over 50 years of age, with serious medical problems should check with their doctor before starting any intense physical activity programme.
Processed meats are generally smoked, cured or salted.
Processing of cold cuts, sausage, bacon, ham and hot dogs adds cancer-causing substances like salt or sodium nitrite.
Studies have linked eating large amounts of processed meats with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Health experts recommend that red meats like beef, lamb, and pork should be limited to no more than 18 ounces a week. If meat is part of the diet, it is better to eat lean meats, fish, poultry, or beans.
Prepare meat by baking, broiling, or poaching, rather than by frying or charbroiling.
Cooking meat and fish at high temperatures causes cancer-causing agents to form.
Two ways to alleviate this are to use a marinade that contains lemon or vinegar marinade before you put the meat on the grill, and to avoid having the fire flare up.
Women who drink alcohol should drink no more than one drink a day. Drinking alcohol can cause cancers of the breast, mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, colon and rectum.
Studies show that the risk for breast cancer increases, when the drinking of alcohol increases.
Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death. It damages nearly every organ in the human body.
It is linked to at least 15 different cancers and accounts for some 30 percent of all cancer deaths, and 90 percent of all cases of lung cancer — the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women.
What you eat and don’t eat has a powerful effect on your health, including your risk of cancer.
Without knowing it, you may be eating many foods that fuel cancer, while neglecting the powerful foods and nutrients that can protect you. — Online.
Online Reporter