World Cancer Day: Know How These Food Habits Can Increase Your Chances Of Getting Cancer And Prevention Tips

The word 'cancer' is derived from the latin word 'crab' meaning malignant growth. Cancer is the abnormal division of transformed (not normal) cells in the body. Cancer is an abnormal division causing malignant tumour. Cancer cells spread to other parts of body through blood and lymph system.

Food and cancer: Cancer is one of the most prevailing disease in today's world. Here are some facts you should know 

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• Every 1 in 4 deaths is due to cancer.
• Breast cancer is most common in women.
• Lung cancer is currently most common in men.
• 70% cases is expected to grow in near future.
• Cancer starts from one single cell turning into cancerous cell and then this cancerous cell diving itself into many. The basic cause behind this is mutation of a normal gene.
• But the cause of cancer is not limited to proliferation. It is also related to our environment, lifestyle and dietary practices.

Living a healthy lifestyle can reduce risk of cancer
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: These Two Common Kitchen Ingredients Can Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk: Study

• Generally, the substances that are capable of giving birth to cancer are known as Carcinogens. These include chemical agents like smoke, tobacco , asbestos. Consumption of tobacco accounts for more than 50% of all cancers. Carcinogens also include biological agents like viruses, bacteria, UV rays, etc. But the most common and preventable carcinogen are the cancer-causing foods.
• Grilled Red meat, which releases a carcinogen 'heterocyclic aromatic amines' when grilled.
• Alcoholic and carbonated beverages.
• Burned or over cooked oils and foods- cooking under less than 240degrees can prevent oil and foods from turning into carcinogenic.

Also read: Skincare Tips: Can Deodorants Cause Breast Cancer? Dermatologist Tells The Truth

• Canned products- cans are lined with bisphenol-A (BPA) which can cause brain problems.
• Refined sugar- biggest known food with carcinogenic effect which increases the risk for all cancers.

Canned food, aerated drinks and sugary foods can increase risk of cancer
Photo Credit: iStock

• But can these carcinogens be prevented? Or what factors can inhibit carcinogenesis?
• To answer this to everyone's shock the most powerful and most forgotten tool is 'Food' in the prevention of cancer.
• Yes, our dietary habits play a major role in the prevention of cancer.
• Antioxidants ( vit A, C, E ,mainly) can neutralize and deactivate free radicals and prevent cancer. It includes foods like carrots, garlic, apple, tomato, onion, broccoli, etc.
• Phytochemicals is the another powerful range of micro nutrients found in mainly all fruits and vegetables , nuts, dairy products, egg yolk, and sea food.
• Cannabis oil is a natural prevention found in the cannabis or marijuana plant which helps in cancer prevention as well as cure.
• Sunshine because it helps to make large amounts of vitamin D3 in your body. And the right amount of fat-soluble vitamin D3 plays a major role in prevention of cancer.
• Turmeric and curcumin- Few laboratory tests has claimed that turmeric and curcumin can have the ability to prevent cancer.

Also read: High Fibre Diet Reduce Lung Cancer Risk, Says Study; Know Other Health Benefits And Food Sources Of Fibre

• Graviola , if consumed regularly prevents various forms of cancer. Its extracts are best known to kill liver and breast cancer cells.
• Fibre also called as roughage helps to keep our body clean and healthy. Dietary fibres like berries, oranges, peas, nuts, wholegrain breakfast cereals, or pulses keeps the breast cancer at the bay by lowering circulating level of estrogens.

Thus, right choice of food can keep you stay cancer free. Good food, balanced diet and seasonal-oriented dietary practices does wonders and is the key to perfect health.

(Monisha Ashokan is nutritionist at Nourish Me, Delhi)

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