Changing your nutritional habits can help you go a long way in decreasing cancer risks. Here are some tips to feed your body right against the fight.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Phytonutrients in cruciferous veggies stop the spread of cancer and cancer cells forming. They also change oestrogen metabolism so your body produces a kind of oestrogen that doesn’t initiate breast cancer. So anything with broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale will do.
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Leafy veggies are loaded with folate, a B vitamin that empowers your DNA. So increase your levels of folate and decrease your risk of cancer by piling on spinach and kale. Remember, the darker the leaves, the better.
Fatty Fish
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish may decrease inflammation in the body. Researchers believe chronic inflammation may encourage breast cancer development. Chomp at least two servings of fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel each week.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are crammed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that makes them red and protects against breast cancer by ending cancer cell growth. Since your body absorbs lycopene best when tomatoes are cooked, concentrated or processed, you don’t have to feel naughty indulging in a Margherita!
ANTI-CANCER SNACK PACK:
Walnuts
Walnuts have the highest quantity of antioxidants out of all nuts, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats, which means they provide good protection against cancer.
Carrots
Eating carrots may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. A long study conducted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia and the University of California in the US suggested the link between higher blood levels of alpha-carotene, which is found in carrots, and a reduction in risk of these diseases.
Seeds
Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E, which is thought to restrain cancer cell growth and battle free radicals, those dreaded cancer-inducing molecules.
Berries And Cherries
As well as being tasty, berries contain particularly powerful antioxidants, so they can stop the naturally occurring process in the body that creates free radicals that can damage your cells. Compounds in berries may also help keep cancers from growing or spreading, giving berry picking much added value! Meanwhile, cherries are rich in dietary fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. They could help control your oestrogen levels, and oestrogen is a fuel for many cancers.
Red Grapes
The skin of red grapes is a particularly rich source of an antioxidant called resveratrol. It can also be found in grape juice and red wine. According to the American National Cancer Institute, resveratrol may be useful in keeping cancer from beginning or spreading.
EASY DOES IT
Red Meat
Grilling is especially bad as it creates compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA), which initiate cancers. Red meat also has amino acids that stimulate insulin production and increase oxidation in the body, both of which encourage cancer risk. While you don’t have to become a vegetarian, it’s good to set a limit.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit may raise oestrogen levels, which is associated with increased breast cancer risk. In a study from the “British Journal of Cancer,” women who ate a quarter grapefruit or more a day had a 30 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
Vegetable Oils
Vegetable oils like soybean, safflower, sunflower and corn are high in polyunsaturated fats, which increase cancer-promoting oxidation in the body. Unfortunately, this includes avoiding foods that contain these oils like mayonnaise, margarine and peanut butter. When you’re at the supermarket, aim for the aisle with extra virgin olive oil or canola oil instead.
Use extra virgin olive oil whenever you can, which will help your body absorb more nutrients. As well as being loaded with risk-reducing antioxidants, it has more monounsaturated fat than other oils. Monounsaturated fats don’t oxidize in the body, a process that increases cancer risk.
Sweets
A diet with lots of refined carbohydrates like those found in sweets is associated with higher levels of blood glucose. The released insulin encourages cancer cells to grow and could result in higher levels of oestrogen, which may promote the development of breast cancer.
Go For The Garlic
Since there’s a lot of garlic in Arabic cuisine, it’s good to know several large studies have found garlic eaters are less likely to develop various kinds of cancer, especially in digestive organs. Whatever’s in the tasty bulbs may keep cancer-causing substances in your body from working and cancer cells from increasing.
