Cancer Prevention Food

One of the factors in prostate cancer and other cancers is diet.  As a way of lowering your risk factor for cancer and managing your health when diagnosed with cancer, doctors may suggest lifestyle changes that include changes to the food you eat.  Here are some suggestions for dietary changes to help reduce your risk factors.

In countries where red meat and foods high in fat are not eaten routinely or at all, the incidence of prostate cancer is low if at all.  That suggests that food plays a role.  It has been determined that animal fat increases the level of some hormones in the body, like testosterone and estrogen.  High levels of these hormones help cancerous tumors to grow faster.

Lower your risk by eating more whole grain foods.  This includes whole wheat, oats, and other grains.  A whole grain contains the germ, bran and endosperm.  Anything other than whole grains is missing vital nutrients.  Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is important as well.

Vegetables and whole grains provide fiber.  Fiber does many helpful things in the body.  First, it helps to lower cholesterol.  Insoluble fiber can’t be broken down by the body, but it does carry some of the fat from your diet along for the ride when it is excreted from the body.  Lowering cholesterol can lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants are substances in the body that lower the amount of free radical damage.  Free radicals come from the environment, foods and lifestyle choices like smoking.  They contribute to a higher incidence of cancer.  An important antioxidant in cancer prevention and reduction is lycopene.  It is found in cooked tomatoes and other tomato products.

Increasing your intake of antioxidants through food can reduce your risk of cancer.  Where are these antioxidants found?  Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries contain antioxidants.  With vegetables, stick with roughage.  Eat broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens to increase your antioxidant intake.  Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant counts of any food.

Antioxidants are also found in other foods.  Consider flaxseed.  You can buy it in seed form and use it as a complement in cereals, yogurt and other foods.  They contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids – good fats.

To get your protein each day, instead of reaching for meats that contain animal fats, try soy products.  You can purchase soy milk, yogurt, tofu and soy snacks.  Unlike beef, soy is a protein that comes from plant sources and is lower in fat.

Speaking of fat, restricting your fat to healthier sources is the key to lowering cancer risk.  Instead of animal fat, use liquid vegetable oil and extra virgin olive oil.  Avoid oils from tropical sources like palm oil.

Lower your risk factor of cancer; change your eating habits.  Reduce or eliminate red meat and increase plant food sources.

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  5. Low Carb / High Protein Diets Explained

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