Habits And Foods To Prevent Cancer
Too often, we all feel a great Cloud of Confusion while engulfing even the simplest questions about nutrition.You may have heard the conflicting reports about cancer prevention.
In many cases, what’s known about cancer prevention is evolving still. However, it is well accepted that your chances of developing cancer are affected by the prevention choices you make.
Cancer risk is related to the genes as well as the exposure to several environmental toxins. While certain risks are almost unchangeable such as genes, some
lifestyle factors if modified can help you prevent the occurrence of cancer.
So if you are concerned about the prevention, take comfort in the fact that some simple changes can make a big difference.
A Healthy Weight
Keeping your weight in check is easier said than done. However, a few simple tips can help. First off, if you are overweight, focus initially on not gaining any additional weight.
This by itself a factor that can
improve your health. Then, when you are ready, try to take off some extra weight for an even greater health boost.
Tips
- Eat a diet rich in protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Integrate physical activity and movement into your life
- Choose smaller portions and eat more slowly.
Regular Exercise
Few things are as good for you such as regular physical activity. For some people, it can be really hard to find time.
But it is important to fit in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you can do more, then it is even better, but something is better than nothing.
Tips
- Make exercise a habit by setting aside the same time for it every day. Try going to the gym at the mid of your lunchtime or taking a regular walk after your dinner.
- Choose activities that you really enjoy. Plenty of the things counts as exercise, like walking, gardening, and dancing.
- Stay motivated by exercising with someone.
Quit Smoking
You have heard it before, at least a hundred times. If you smoke, quitting is certainly the best thing you can do for your health. Of course, it is hard, but it is also far from impossible. More than thousands of people stop for good every day.
Skin Protection From The Sun
While the warm sun is absolutely inviting, too much exposure to it may lead to
skin cancer, which includes serious melanoma.
Our skin damage starts early in childhood, so it is especially important to protect our children.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Along with the other problems, sexually transmitted infections such as HPV – Human PapillomaVirus are linked to a number of various cancers.
So, protecting yourself from these infections is vital and can lower your risk of cancer.
Tips
- Never rely on your partner to have a condom. Always be prepared.
- For all other situations, always ensure to use a condom and follow the safe-sex practices.
- Besides, not having sex, the best protection is to be in a monogamous relationship with someone who doesn’t have any sort of sexually transmitted infection.
Foods That Can Prevent Cancer
Apple
It contains epicatechin, quercetin, anthocyanins as well as triterpenoids that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help to lower the risk of cancer especially Colorectal cancers.
Moreover, apple peel is the most nutritious as 80% of Quercetin is found in it. Other cancers in which apple can help are breast, lungs, and stomach.
Grapefruit
It is grown mainly in America. The name derives from the fruit’s appearance as it grows: the grape-like clusters on trees.
However, grapefruit contains this naringenin as well as other flavonoids such as limonin and other limonoids, lycopene, and beta-carotene in the pink and red varieties.Also, foods containing lycopene lower the risk of
prostate cancer.
Cherries
When it comes to cherries both sweet and tart cherries are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. And the dark red color comes from anthocyanins, that are antioxidants.
Walnuts
The major actives found in walnut are Gamma-tocopherol, Ellagitannins, Alpha-linolenic acid, Melatonin and phytosterols.
Laboratory studies show that consuming walnuts not only helps in breast cancer, but also in colon tumor and prostate cancer.
The studies also show the reduced damage to DNA by regular intake of walnut.
Cruciferous Vegetables
All plant foods such as fruits, grains, and vegetables contain a few phytonutrients. These are the naturally occurring chemical compounds which are just as important as minerals and vitamins are for maintaining health.
There are thousands of known phytonutrients, many of that have demonstrated the potential to protect us against cancer.
The Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, as well as cabbage contain phytonutrients known as glucosinolates, that can help inhibit the metabolism of some carcinogens as well as stimulate your body’s production of detoxification enzymes.
Hazardous Things Which We Do On A Daily Basis Can Cause Cancer
Birth Control
Yes, birth control pills have been known to increase the risk of breast cancer as well as cancers of internal organs such as the cervix and liver.
It is not bad to take birth control pills in emergency cases but then you should be really careful and calculative in its consumption.
Cosmetics
There are many cosmetics products which are available in market contains harmful ingredient which can cause cancer and hence it is always advisable to read the label carefully and also too much use of cosmetic can lead to skin cancer as it do not allow the skin cells to breathe and stop the passage of air.
Hot Tea
Tea does have health benefits undoubtedly, the habit of drinking freshly brewed tea is good and is advised, but in-spite of tea being with packed with antioxidant power drinking piping hot tea may cause cancer of the esophagus.
Burnt Food And Preserved Food
When you consume grill food items, especially fish, chicken and meat, the little burnt and blackened portions might provide a smoky flavor and visual appeal that many of us may find attractive. But they can also increase the risk of stomach, colon, and pancreatic cancers.
When browned protein foods such as amino acids that make up protein get converted to HCA – heterocyclic amines.
Most of them are highly carcinogenic since they cause damage to the DNAs and they induce mutations. So, cooking meat as well as other animal foods on high heat, no matter if you fry them or boil them, they can also produce HCA.
Microwave Popcorn
Even though you can make popcorn in a frying pan or in an air pop the kernel, who can deny that making microwave popcorn far easier and is less messy?
But this convenience comes with the risk of cancer. And here, the culprit is the waxy coating of the popcorn bags which produces perfluorooctanoic acid that is a carcinogen implicated in prostate and liver cancer.
Canned Foods
The convenience of canned foods might be hard to resist, they’re not particularly healthy and it can be dangerous at the same time.
Vacuum sealing in metal containers lined with plastic coating reduced fears of contamination with heavy metals from the cans and the use of harmful chemical preservatives. However, it has raised new concerns.
The plastic lining of the Bisphenol A is incriminated in DNA changes and hormonal disturbances that resulted in the breast cancer.
Diet soda
You may be avoiding sugary beverages in regards to the fear of weight gain as well as metabolic diseases. Maybe you would have heard about the pancreatic cancer risk.
But if diet soda is taking their place, still you are at no less risk of developing cancers. The artificial sweeteners become the villains here. Numerous studies have linked Cyclamate and Saccharin with bladder cancer, as well as Aspartame with brain tumors.
The anti-cancer diet is vital to reduce your risk of cancer. If you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and eat the right amount of food as well as precautions to stay healthy. Make room for your diet and physical activities to fight cancer.
