World Cancer Day 2020: Dietary Changes You Must Make To Lower Your Cancer Risk

World Cancer Day 2020: With each passing year cancer has become one of the major causes of mortality in India and all over the world. Report says lung cancer, breast cancer in female and colorectal cancer are the topmost cause of mortality. When you look into the risk factors, you must think about the prevention. Simple dietary and lifestyle changes can help you fight the risk of cancer. You can make some healthy dietary changes which can reduce your risk. Here are some foods that can be a part of your diet to prevent cancer.

Dietary Changes To Lower Your Cancer Risk

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1. Obesity management

Obtaining or maintaining normal body weight helps you control the risk of several diseases.

To prevent obesity-

Choose liberally: high fiber food such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains i.e millet, brown rice, ragi, whole wheat flower, legumes.

Choose sparingly: bakery product including desert, cookies, pastries & cakes, soft drinks, juice etc.

A healthy weight can help you control the risk of several diseases
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Fat moderation

A moderate fat diet benefits as total calorie consumption can be limited. But high fat intake increases the level of cytotoxic free fatty acid or bile acid in the linen of large intestine. Omega-3 is helpful for cancer over Omega 6 in moderation. Also avoiding trans-fat is beneficial.

Choose liberally: Omega 3 sources i.e. chia seeds, flaxseeds, fish in moderation

Choose sparingly: Bakery products, chips containing trans fats

3. Avoid preservatives

Preservatives including salt preserved food increase the risk of stomach cancer by increasing DNA synthesis or more cellular growth in gastric mucosa and destroy the mucosal barrier which leads to damage.

Choose liberally: Fresh foods

Choose sparingly or Avoid: Salted fish, cured meat, canned food etc.

4. High fiber diet

Fiber plays a major role in digestive health. It softens stool and helps to move it through the intestinal tract in less time. Other hand fermentation product of fiber, short chain fatty acid has an inhibitory effect on colon carcinogens thus prevent colon cancer.

Choose liberally: Fruits and vegetables, oats, whole grains etc.

Choose sparingly: Products made with Refined flour i.e. cookies, pastries and fruit juices, soft drinks etc.

Fibre rich foods should be an essential part of your diet
Photo Credit: iStock

So, now we can mark few more factors which actually act against cancer.

Phytochemicals: These are naturally occurring plant chemicals and perform functions including-

• Stimulate immune system
• Anticarcinogenic
• Reduce oxidative damage to cells
• Help to prevent DNA damage and repair
• Help in hormonal regulation

Choose liberally:

• Carotenoid found in red, orange and green fruit and vegetables i.e. tomato, broccoli, carrot, leafy vegetables etc.
• Flavonoids found in apple, citrus fruits, onion etc.
• Indole in cruciferous vegetables i.e. cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli etc.
• Polyphenol in green tea, apple, whole grain etc.
• Antioxidants: Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, thereby damage the cells.

Choose liberally:

• Ascorbic acid containing foods such as orange, guava, amla, lime etc.
• Vitamin A or retinol in leafy vegetable, orange, papaya etc.
• Vitamin E in nuts and seeds, bran etc.

Although there are many foods may have cancer preventive effect including turmeric, onion, garlic, cabbage etc. but still researches are going on to narrow down the list of foods which prevents Cancer.

(Soumita Biswas, Chief Nutritionist, Aster RV Hospital)

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