Ever wondered how your daily food choices can impact your risk of cancer? Join us as we delve into expert-backed dietary tips for cancer prevention. Let’s get started!
In the quest to prevent cancer, experts have highlighted the crucial role of diet and nutrition. Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, underlines that while some cancer risk factors like age and family history are beyond control, dietary choices offer a path to cancer prevention.
A healthy diet not only reduces the risk of cancer but also alleviates fatigue and encourages physical activity, aiding in prevention efforts.
Registered dietitian nutritionist and cancer nutrition specialist, Nichole Andrews, shares six key recommendations for reducing cancer risk through dietary choices:
Cancer Prevention Diet: 6 Best Tips
1. The Power of Plant-Based Eating
Emphasizing plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, as the core of meals is essential. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, which have demonstrated links to decreased cancer risk.
2. Choosing the Right Proteins
Opting for unprocessed meats and limiting red meat consumption while favoring lean protein sources like poultry, fish, seafood, and plant proteins offers multiple cancer prevention benefits.
Such choices typically have lower levels of saturated fats and heme iron, associated with increased cancer risk, especially colorectal cancer.
3. Selecting Whole Grains
Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and oats, packed with fiber, promote healthy digestion and weight management, a key factor in cancer prevention. They also contain vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that combat inflammation and oxidative stress linked to cancer development.
4. Prioritizing Fiber
Andrews suggests aiming for a daily fiber intake goal of 30 grams, offering several tips to achieve this target, such as starting the day with high-fiber breakfast cereal, substituting white rice and pasta with whole grains, incorporating legumes like beans and lentils, and snacking on fruits, vegetables, and nuts instead of processed snacks.
Diverse high-fiber foods like artichokes, chia seeds, split peas, avocado, quinoa, raspberries, pear, and barley can significantly reduce cancer risk.
5. Healthy Hydration
Alcohol consumption has been strongly associated with an increased risk of various cancers, including mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal cancers. Reducing alcohol intake is crucial for cancer prevention.
6. Lowering Sodium Intake
To reduce the risk of stomach cancer, Andrews recommends keeping daily sodium intake below 2400 mg. Gradually adopting healthier eating habits can lead to lasting results that integrate seamlessly into daily life.
Both experts agree that the choice of a healthy and sustainable diet is paramount when considering cancer prevention. It’s not just about what you eat but also about making lasting changes to one’s lifestyle that support long-term well-being.
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