CANCER-FIGHTING FOODS
The right combination of foods may
help you lower your risk of getting the disease.
Are you stocking your kitchen with these good choices?
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No single food can prevent cancer,
but the right combination of foods may help make a difference.
- At mealtimes, strike a balance of at least two-thirds plant-based foods & no more than 1/3rd animal protein
- This 'New American Plate' is an important cancer fighting tool, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
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BETTER CHOICES
COLOR
- Fruits & vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients
- The more color, the more nutrients they contain
- These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach & maintain a healthy body weight
- Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus & kidney cancers
- Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red & orange vegetables
DARK GREEN LEAFT VEGETABLES
- Dark green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, lettuce, kale, chicory, spinach & chard have an abundance of fiber, folate & carotenoids
- These nutrients may help protect against cancer of the mouth, larynx, pancreas, lung, skin
& stomach
CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
- Include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy & kale
- These members of the cabbage family make an excellent stir fry & can really liven up a salad
- Most importantly, components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung & cervix
BEANS
- Beans are so good for you & they may help fight cancer also
- They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body's cells against damage that can lead to cancer
- In the lab these substances slowed tumor growth & prevented tumors from releasing
substances that damage nearby cells
SPICE
- Curcumin is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric & a potential cancer fighter
- Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation & invasion of cancerous
cells for a wide array of cancers
FOLATES
- Naturally occurring folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of
the colon, rectum & breast - Breakfast foods that have folates are fortified cereals, whole wheat products, orange juice, melons, strawberries
- Other good sources of folate are asparagus,eggs, beans, sunflower seeds, leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce
- The best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables &
enriched grain products.
FRUITS
Fruit offers a sweet alternative in a vitamin-rich package
TOMATOES
- Some studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancer,
including prostate cancer - Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce, or paste
increase the cancer-fighting potential
BERRIES
- Strawberries & raspberries have a phytochemical called ellagic acid'
- This powerful antioxidant may actually fight cancer in several ways at once
1. Including deactivating certain cancer causing substances
2. Slowing the growth of cancer cells - The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health
starting with cancer - Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their" damage to cells
- Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries
TEA
- Tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter
- In laboratory studies, green tea has slowed or prevented the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast & prostate cells
- Teas has also had a similar effect in lung tissue & skin
- In some longer term studies, tea was associated with lower risks for bladder, stomach & pancreatic cancers
RESERVATOL
- Grapes & grape juice, especially purple & red grapes, contain resveratrol
- Resveratrol has strong antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties
- In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer
process in cells - There isn't enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine
(or taking supplements) can prevent or treat cancer
WATER
- Water not only quenches your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer
- The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents
in the bladder - Also, drinking more fluids causes you to urinate more frequently which will lessen the amount
of time those agents stay in contact with the bladder lining
LIMIT THESE CHOICES
ALCOHOL
- Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver & breast are all linked with drinking alcohol
- Alcohol may also raise the risk for cancer of the colon & rectum
- The American Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks per day for men & 1 for women.
- Women at higher risk for breast cancer may want to talk with a doctor about what amount of alcohol, if any, is safe based on their personal risk factors
SUGAR
- Sugar may not cause cancer directly but it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer
- Sugar also increases calorie counts, which contributes to overweight & obesity
- Excess weight is also a cancer risk
PROCESSED MEATS
- An occasional Deli sandwich or hot dog isn't going to hurt you
- But cutting back on processed meats like bologna, salami & hot dogs will help lower your
risk of colorectal & stomach cancers - Also, eating meats that have been preserved by smoking or with salt raises your exposure to chemicals that can potentially cause cancer
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COOKING METHODS CAB MAKE A DIFFERENCE
- Frying, grilling & broiling meats at very high temperatures causes chemicals to form that
may increase cancer risk - Other cooking methods such as stewing, braising, or steaming appear to produce fewer of those chemicals
- When you stew the meat, remember to add plenty of healthy, protective vegetables
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DON'T RELY ON SUPPLEMENTS
- Vitamins may help protect against cancer but that's when you get them naturally from food
- Both the American Cancer Society & the American Institute for Cancer Research emphasize
that getting cancer-fighting nutrients from foods like nuts, fruits & green leafy vegetables is definitely superior to getting them from supplements. - Eating a healthy diet is best.
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Cancer Symptoms | Cancer Symptoms Women & Men Shouldn't Ignore
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