Worldwide, 1 in 5 men and 1 in 6 women will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime. Thanks to improvements in screening, early detection, vaccination, and treatment, many cancer patients are now being saved. Although some cancers are curable with treatment if detected early, prevention is the most effective way to avoid cancer. By following the rules of cancer prevention, the number of cancer patients can be greatly reduced.
Cancer can be caused by many reasons but environmental factors and lifestyle are now largely blamed. Small changes in diet can help prevent cancer. The risk of cancer can be greatly reduced by making a healthy diet and eating according to it.
Foods or drugs that contain carcinogens should not be consumed. It damages the body's cellular metabolism. Smoking, tobacco and alcohol intake are among the causes of carcinogens. It is possible to reduce the risk of cancer by giving up these addictive products.
Here are some of the best foods to help prevent cancer, as well as some foods you should avoid to prevent cancer :-
Eat a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and beans :
Make whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and pulses (legumes) such as beans and lentils a major part of your daily diet. There is strong evidence that eating whole grains protects against colorectal cancer.
Fish :
Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially marine fish. These types of fatty acids are very effective in preventing the formation of cancer cells in the body.
Garlic :
Various studies have shown that one of the main benefits of garlic is that it acts as a preventative against various types of cancer in the body, especially colon, stomach, intestinal, and prostate cancer. Garlic is a beneficial and powerful food with anti-bacterial properties that can prevent the spread of cancer cells in the body.
Turmeric: :
Turmeric has a substance called curcumin that gives it its yellow color. Curcumin is a very beneficial antioxidant. Experts opine that curcumin can destroy tumor cells.
Eat herbal food :
Some herbal foods contain antioxidants. Which is effective in stopping cancer cell membrane formation. Herbs like ashwagandha, tulsi, triphala.
Drink Green Tea :
Green tea is very beneficial in preventing cancer. This green tea contains the antioxidant catechin, which is capable of preventing various cancers. Studies have also shown that green tea prevents tumor formation. Green tea is more beneficial than regular tea.
Foods to Avoid :
Avoid sugary drinks/beverages :
Sugary drinks are a major cause of obesity and diabetes. Research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health found that drinking drinks that contains sugar increases the risk of cancer by up to 87 percent. So such drinks should be avoided as much as possible.
Limit alcohol consumption :
According to doctors, alcohol consumption causes cancers of the mouth, liver, colorectal and breast. Consuming every 10 grams of alcohol per day increases the risk of cancer by 4-25%.
Limit consuming red and processed meat :
Red or Processed meats help in cancer formation. While both red and processed meat were suggested to increase the risk of a number of other cancers, the evidence was most convincing for colorectal cancer. The risk of colorectal cancer increased by 16% with every 50g/day of processed meat intake, and by 12% with every 100g/day of red meat intake. Because meat can be a valuable source of nutrients, in particular protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, the recommendation is to limit rather than completely avoid minimally processed red meat. Very little, if any, processed meat should be consumed.
Limit alcohol consumption :
According to doctors, alcohol consumption causes cancers of the mouth, liver, colorectal and breast. Consuming every 10 grams of alcohol per day increases the risk of cancer by 4-25%.
Limit fast food :
There is strong evidence that diets containing higher amounts of fast foods and other processed foods high in unhealthy fats, starches, or sugars, (characterized by a high amount of added sugars, meat, and fat), are causes of weight gain, overweight, and obesity, which are a risk factor for many cancers.
Many cancer patients die of malnutrition. Cancer patients lose their appetite due to the side effects of the drugs used in the treatment. So proper diet management can give strength to fight cancer. So we all should add a variety of nutritious foods in our diet.