Dietary Recommendation

Dietary Recommendation

Lower Your Risks of Cancer through a Healthy Diet

There is a variety of risk factors and causes of cancer. While some of them including genetics are uncontrollable factors, the others are modifiable. There may not be any factors that could ensure cancer prevention, but healthy diets could reduce the risks of its development. Diet is an important aspect of health as the rates of cancer development are rising worldwide.

Alcohol consumption and low-fruits, vegetables and whole grains diet can potentially lead to cancer.

Alcoholic drinks are mostly associated with oral cancer, pharynx and larynx cancer, esophagus and liver cancer. A higher consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains plays a vital role in preventing colorectal cancer.

Generally, poor diets that raise the risk of cancer include fast food, high-calorie food, and excessive consumption of red meat, processed food, packaged and salty food.

When it comes to reducing the risks of cancer, there are many types of diets that are highly recommended. These include the rainbow diet, which contains colourful fruits and vegetables, as well as the Mediterranean diet that emphasizes complex carbs, whole grains and lean protein.

Rainbow diet consists of apples, asparagus, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, grapefruit and kale. The whole grains include flaxseed, riceberry, legumes and beans. The recommended lean protein sources include boiled eggs, white-fleshed fish, tofu, plain yogurt and lean beef.

Experts advise to not stick to only a single diet, instead consume a variety of healthy food.
Apart from regular meals, supplements or vitamins may help reduce the chance of cancer development as certain anti-cancer substances may be hard to find in food. For instance, vitamin D supplements are recommended for breast, colon and prostate cancer prevention.

A healthy diet is claimed to help lower the risks of cancer by 10 – 20% on average. It also boosts immune system to prevent cancer and contributes to the maintenance of a healthy BMI (body mass index).

If the BMI is elevated out of the healthy range due to a poor diet, it may indicate obesity, which causes inflammations in the body. Inflammations may progress to cancer.

Following a healthy diet will not entirely eliminate the risk of cancer but it lowers the possibilities of cancer development and many other chronic diseases. It may be difficult to make sudden changes in diet for those are who are not keen on plant-based meal. The tip is to start and gradually make progress while not expecting perfection. Consistency is certainly the key.