Cancer prevention: foods to eat and foods to avoid

According to the American Cancer Society’s Global Cancer Facts and Figures, there were an estimated 7.5 million people who died from cancer in 2007. In Western Africa alone, 69,992 women lost their lives to cancer. Many researchers and cancer specialists believe that up to 60% of those deaths can be prevented if people adopt healthier lifestyles. According to Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute,                           “The easiest and least expensive way to reduce your risk for cancer is just by eating a healthy diet.”

1. Garlic	Garlic is known to fight bacterial, fungal and viral infections. It also reduces inflammation and benefits the heart and circulatory system. The sulfur compounds in garlic are thought to be the main source of its immune system-boosting effect, because they support the action of killer cells - cells designed to fight off foreign bodies. Anyone prone to recurring infection should eat garlic regularly, as it is thought to be an effective antibacterial treatment.
2. Dark leafy greens and vegetables	Dark greens are rich sources of antioxidants called carotenoids.  These scavenge dangerous free radicals from the body before they can promote cancer growth. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts contain strong antioxidants that may help decrease cancer risk.
3.   Green tea	Green tea (drunk without milk) is attracting an increasing amount of attention as a healthy alternative to caffeinated drinks such as coffee, black tea and colas. Caffeinated drinks - if drunk on a regular basis - can cause sleep disturbance, breast tenderness, recurrent headaches and increased blood pressure. This is because the effects of caffeine can over-stimulate the nervous system. Green tea containing relatively low levels of caffeine, also contains a high level immunity-boosting antioxidants - which help the body fight bacterial and viral infections which can lead to more serious diseases such as cancer
4.   Grapes	Grapes have been shown to play an important role in protecting against cancer. This is because of important phytochemicals - plant-based chemicals which produce 'antioxidant' activity. This is our body's defence mechanism against free radicals - highly-reactive molecules that may lead to premature ageing and disease. Eating grapes can also lower cholesterol levels, reduce incidence of allergies and help promote an efficient circulatory system. For maximum benefits, choose red or purple grapes - as they contain higher levels of antioxidants compared to green grapes.
5.   Tomatoes	Tomatoes, watermelons, guavas and grapefruit are rich in carotenoid lycopene. This is a fat-soluble nutrient which appears to have a powerful action on the immune system by producing antioxidant activity in the body. More and more evidence is stacking up to suggest that lycopene might be a useful tool in the fight against a wide range of life-threatening conditions, including cancer.
6.   yoghurt	Probiotics - or friendly bacteria found in live yoghurt and other cultured or fermented foods - are being seen as essential allies in our efforts to enhance immunity. Yoghurts containing friendly bacteria appear to inhibit the reproduction of viruses, while also reducing inflammation in the gut.
7.   Whole grains	Whole grains contain a variety of anti-cancer compounds including antioxidants, fiber, and phytoestrogens.  These can help decrease the risk of developing most types of cancer. Remember, along with a healthy diet, a physically active lifestyle is important for cancer prevention as well.

In summary to prevent cancer you eat unprocessed foods and base your diet largely on plants. Consume foods that have omega-3 fats and other essential fatty acids. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables; many common ones have known cancer-fighting properties. Get regular vigorous exercise, since tumors cannot thrive in highly oxygenated environments. Keep your blood sugar stable to avoid being an all-you-can-eat buffet for cancer cells.

Eat foods high in natural vitamin C, a nutrient that deters the conversion of nitrite into nitrosamine and promotes healthy immune function. Make sure you get adequate amounts of cancer-fighting vitamin D through exposure to sunlight-- about 10 to 15 minutes each day if you have fairskin, or ten times as long if you have dark skin pigmentation. Stay well hydrated to ensure that your body rids itself of toxins. Avoid smoking and don't use conventional fragrance, cosmetics and personal care products-- virtually all of them contain cancer-causing chemicals.

SOME CANCER CAUSING MEALS INCLUDE:

• Any processed foods that are dehydrated, preserved with chemicals, 


canned or vacuum-packed. In other words, most 'instant' snacks or meals that suggest all you have to do is add water and stir. Why? These foods contain sodium nitrate. During the digestion process, sodium nitrite is converted to nitrosamine, and that's where the cancer problems begin. Nitrosamine is a carcinogen, but since it is not technically an ingredient, its presence can be easily overlooked on the packaging. Nitrosamines are also found in food items that are pickled, fried, or smoked; in things such as beer, cheese, fish byproducts, and tobacco smoke.











• Items that are very high in fat such as sausages, smoked meat or salami.

 Apart from their generous fat content, such foods also tend to be high in salt and additives. WHY? These foods contain Acrylamides. Acrylamides are not added into food; they are created during the frying process. When starchy foods are subjected to high heat, acrylamides form. A Swedish study found that acrylamides cause cancer in rats, and more studies are under way to confirm the understanding that acrylamides also cause cancer in humans.





• Convenience foods made from refined (white) flour and sugar,

 especially if they also contain saturated fat - high intakes of some saturated fatty acids can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and therefore increase the risk of heart disease. .Also Besides being a cancer factor, trans fats (or processed fatty acids) promote heart disease, interrupt metabolic processes, and cause belly fat that crowd the organs and strain the heart. The essential fatty acids that the hydrogenation process removes are responsible for a number of processes in your body. When trans fats replace these essential fatty acids, they occupy the same space without doing the same job. The "anchor" portion of the fatty acid is in place (which is how the body recognizes the fatty acid and puts it to work) but the chemically active part of the fatty acid is twisted, distorted, and missing vital parts.

After the hydrogenation process, the fatty acid can't biochemically function in the same way. Things like brain cell function, hormones, gland function, oxygen transport, cell wall function (keeping things in or out of your cells) and digestive tract operation (putting together nutrients and blocking allergens) are adversely affected.

Food manufacturers don't tell you this on the product label, of course. Your body needs essential fatty acids and you are programmed to keep eating until you get them. If you're only eating trans fats, you'll never feel fully satiated, because your body will never get the fatty acids it needs for essential function. Since cancer needs high blood sugar and low oxygen levels, a person with lots of belly fat who just can't seem to put down those trans fat cookies or crackers (also loaded with flour and simple sugars) presents the ideal environment for the development of cancer.

• Indian or Chinese take-away meals. 

samosa and chili bites

Although fine as a rare treat, Indian dishes tend to contain high amounts of saturated fats, and Chinese food tends to contain chemicals and colourings. Instead, try making healthy stir-fries, using olive oil and chopped vegetables, seafood, poultry or fish.