Sometimes the best medicine to reduce the risk of cancer isn’t
medicine at all. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 30 to 40 percent of all cancers can be prevented
by lifestyle and dietary measures alone.
Eating too much food is one of the main
risk factors for cancer according to
the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In a recent cancer prevention study,
overweight or obesity accounted for 14
percent of all cancer deaths in men and
20 percent in women. Links were found
between obesity and higher death rates for
the following cancers: esophagus, colon
and rectum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas,
kidney, stomach, prostate, breast, uterus,
cervix and ovary.
According to the American Institute
for Cancer Research (AICR), being
a healthy weight is one of the most
important ways to protect yourself
against 12 types of cancer. To find your
Body/Mass/Index (BMI), which helps to
track a healthy weight, visit CDC.org,
which has an adult BMI calculator that
allows you to type in your height and
weight and does the math for you.
What Foods to Avoid
Diets that can cause cancer are those
diets that lead to obesity. Certain foods,
which are low in nutrients, yet high in
sugars and refined flour products, low
in fiber, contain red meat, or are high in
certain fats, can not only lead to heart
disease and diabetes, but can also lead
to cancers.
- Cutting down on foods that are high
in fat and sugar means you are less likely to
gain weight. Being a healthy weight can reduce
your risk of cancer.
- Limiting sugar-sweetened drinks helps
to prevent weight gain, which reduces your
cancer risk.
- Limiting your intake of red meat and
processed meat to three portions or less a
week (12-18 oz cooked weight) can protect
against colorectal cancer.
Building a Cancer-Prevention Diet
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables in their
most natural form will lower cancer risk.
Your aim should be to build your diet around
a variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and
vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains and
healthy fats.
Plant-based foods are rich in nutrients
known as antioxidants that boost your immune
system and help protect against cancer
cells. These include: vegetables containing
carotenoids, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts
and squash; non-starchy vegetables, such
as broccoli, spinach and beans; foods high
in vitamin C such as oranges, berries, peas,
bell peppers and dark greens; and foods high
in lycopene, such as tomatoes, guava and
watermelon.
Fiber, also called roughage, is found in
fruit, vegetables and whole grains and keeps your digestive system healthy. It also helps cancer-causing
compounds move through your digestive tract before they
can create harm.
Eating a diet high in fat increases your risk for many types
of cancer, however, healthy fats may protect against cancer.
Aim to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
like those from fish, olive oil, nuts and avocados. Omega-3
fatty acids found in salmon, tuna and flax seeds can fight
inflammation and support brain and heart health.
Cut down on sugar and refined carbs. Instead of sugary
soft drinks, sweetened cereals, white bread, pasta and
processed foods like pizza opt for unrefined whole grains like
whole wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, barley, quinoa,
bran cereal, oatmeal and non-starchy vegetables.
Limit red meat and processed meats such as bacon,
sausages, hot dogs, pepperoni and salami. The safest strategy
is to limit the amount of processed meat you consume and
vary your diet by seeking out other sources of protein such
as fish, chicken, eggs, nuts, and soy, rather than relying just
on red meat.
Benefits of Moving More
According to AICR, being moderately active for at least 150
minutes or vigorously active for at least 75 minutes a week
helps protect against three types of cancer. Doing 45–60
minutes of moderate activity a day increases the benefit
even more.
If you haven’t been as active as you should be, start
with easy ways to incorporate moving more into your daily
routine: if you have stairs in your home, go up and down
them a few extra times a day; park farther away from
your destination; walk around your yard or around your
neighborhood until you feel you can tolerate greater levels
of vigorous activities.
Timely Screening Vital to Early Detection
Getting screening tests when age and situation appropriate
can identify breast, cervical, colon and lung cancers before
there are symptoms and when they can be more easily and
successfully treated.
While we recognize that every person is unique, at
CalvertHealth, our oncology team generally recommends
following the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
(NCCN) guidelines for cancer screening. To learn more, go
to:
CalvertHealthMedicine.org/CancerScreeningGuidelines.
Vaccines also reduce some cancer risks.
But, overwhelmingly, making healthy eating and
exercise choices are the most effective ways to reduce your
risk of cancer.