Added: 02/13/2006 |
Diet and Cancer Prevention - What Works and What Won'tThe certain origin of cancer hasn't been clarified yet. But despite this, the influence of certain factors on cancer producing or prevention has been undoubtedly proven. For example, it is a well known fact that tobacco smoking considerably increases the risk of certain types of cancer, like lung, oral, and larynx cancer. There are such cancer risk increasing factors as age and genetic inheritance, which we cannot change. But a great part of known factors that increase the risk of cancer can be modified.
Modifiable cancer risk factors include alimentation, tobacco and alcohol use, body weight, sun exposure, physical activity, and exposure to environmental and workplace harmful factors. All of these factors are controllable. Making some changes in our lifestyle and quitting some of bad habits is not as difficult as it seems, and can help us prevent cancer and save our money and sanity. It is especially important to know some basic facts about the link between diet and cancer.
The relationship between diet and cancer presents a great interest for the medical scientists. Although the facts we know about diet and cancer are still insufficient, it is evident that a healthy alimentation and an optimal body weight have a very positive impact on our overall health. Researchers from all over the world have been paying a special attention to the role of alimentation in cancer prevention.
The most important utilized methods for studying the link between diet and cancer prevention and treatment are epidemiologic data, migrant studies, case control and prospective cohort studies. As a result of multiple tests, statistical and practical studies, there have been clarified several facts about an optimal diet for cancer prevention. Let's check up some of them. There is no food that will provide you all the necessary nutrients and assure you a minimal cancer risk. That is why a healthy diet should definitely include various foods: different fruit and vegetable, cereals, meat, fish, beans, lactates and so on.
There have been established a link between obesity and certain types of cancer. Obesity also increases the risk of other serious diseases development, such as heart diseases and diabetes. So, it is important to maintain an optimal body weight. Specialists recommend us to avoid too much fat in alimentation, especially saturated fats. They seem to be related with specific types of cancer, such as colon and rectum cancer.
Some of the most important alimentary elements in cancer prevention are fibers (contained in dry peas, whole grains, apple, peaches and pears skin, cabbage). Also it is important to consume an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals, and it is better to get them from food rather than from supplements. Most effective vitamins in cancer prevention, and maybe even treatment, are antioxidants (vitamins A, E, and C).
Researchers came to conclusion that beta-carotene may slow or even prevent the development of cancer. Beta-carotene is the precursor of retinol (vitamin A) that is mostly contained in red, yellow and orange fruit and vegetable. Healthy lifestyle, balanced alimentation, physical activity, avoidance of harmful factors and bad habits can minimize the risk of cancer and definitely improves the quality of our life.
So eat right and live longer as a result. It's just that simple.
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