Cancer affects many individuals in Anguilla, whether directly or indirectly. The cause of many cancers is unknown, but it has been shown that the foods we eat can influence many cancers.
A variety of foods
No single food can reduce your risk of cancer, but the right combination of foods may help make a difference.You should try to decrease the amount of animal proteins and try to get at least two-thirds plant based foods in you meals. Eating a wide variety of foods could make a difference in cancer formation.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients — and the more colourful, the better. Try to get at least four to five servings of vegetables prepared in a healthy way. These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers – including colon, oesophagus and kidney cancers.
Folate rich foods
Folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum and breast. Many foods such as oranges, melons and strawberries contain folates. Other good sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. Leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce also contain folate. According to the American Cancer Society, the best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables and enriched grain products.
Processed foods
There is growing evidence that large amounts of processed foods are not good for you. Try cutting back on processed meats like bologna, ham and hot dogs, as this might help lower your risk of colorectal and stomach cancers. Also, eating meats that have been preserved by smoking, or with salt, raises your exposure to agents that can potentially cause cancer.
Tomatoes and cancer
A few clinical studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancers. It is not clear whether it is the lycopene — the pigment that gives tomatoes their red colour — or something else. Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce or paste increase the cancer-fighting potential. Therefore avoid crushed tomatoes in cans as much as possible.
Excess alcohol and cancer
Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver and breast are all linked with drinking alcohol. Alcohol may also raise the risk for cancer of the colon and rectum. 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. Excess use of alcohol has many other serious side effects, but increasing the risk of cancer is very important, especially for those using alcohol from an early age.
Water and cancer protection
Drinking water is important for many body functions. Taking adequate amounts of water may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder.
Beans and cancer
Beans have many benefits. They have been shown to help fight cancer. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body’s cells against damage that can lead to cancer.
The cruciferous vegetables and cancer
Many cruciferous vegetables are widely available here in Anguilla. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. These members of the cabbage family make an excellent salad. It has been shown that components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung and cervix.
Dark green leafy vegetables
Dark green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, kale and spinach, have an abundance of fiber, folate and carotenoids. These nutrients may help protect against cancer of the mouth, larynx, pancreas, lung, skin and stomach.
Curcumin and cancer
Curcumin is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric and a potential cancer fighter. Lab studies show it can suppress cancer development
Cooking methods and cancer
How you cook meat can make a difference in how big a cancer risk it poses. Frying, grilling and broiling meats at very high temperatures cause chemicals to form that may increase cancer risk. A barbecue chicken now and then may not harm you but excessive use of foods prepared in this way might harm you. Other cooking methods such as stewing, braising or steaming appear to produce fewer of those chemicals.
Blueberries for health
The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health, including cancer protection. Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells.
Supplements and cancer prevention
Several studies have suggested that Vitamins may help protect against cancer, but that is when you get them naturally from food. Both the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research emphasize that getting cancer-fighting nutrients from foods like nuts, fruits and green leafy vegetables is vastly superior to getting them from supplements. Eating a healthy diet is best.
Conclusion
A number of clinical studies have shown a link between cancer and the foods we eat. No one food can help prevent cancer or reduce your risk of getting cancer, but a variety of healthy foods can certainly make a difference. Eat wisely and talk to your doctor about ways you can decrease your risk of getting cancer, includinggetting appropriate screening tests and regular medical check-ups.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in the Johnson Building in The Valley.
