While no food can single-handedly prevent cancer, the right combination of foods may help. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of developing cancer or pain from the side effects of treatment. It’s essential to maintain a ratio of two-thirds plant-based foods to one-third of animal protein during meal times. Here are some dietary tips to help prevent and fight cancer.
Fighting Cancer with Color
Fruits and vegetables have cancer-fighting nutrients. When it comes to produce, the more color, the more nutrients. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can lower cancer risks by helping a person reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight increases the risk of being diagnosed with colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers. That’s why one should eat a variety of produce, including dark green, red, and orange vegetables.
Cancer-Fighting Breakfast
Naturally occurring folate is an essential B vitamin that helps protect against colon, rectum, and breast cancer. One can find this vitamin on the breakfast table. Fortified breakfast cereals, fruits, and whole wheat products are excellent sources of folate. Including orange juice, melons, and strawberries as part of a balanced diet, is recommended as well.
More Folate-Rich Foods
Other sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. Beans, sunflower seeds, and green vegetables are a source of this vitamin. Eating enough fruits, vegetables, and grain products is the best way to ingest folate. Pregnant women should take a supplement to ensure they get enough folic acid to prevent some congenital disabilities.
Pass up The Deli Counter
An occasional deli sandwich or hot dog isn’t particularly harmful. But, too much of it can affect one’s health. Hence, it’s best to avoid processed meats like bologna, bacon, ham, and hot dogs as they increase the risk of colorectal and stomach cancers. Eating meats preserved by smoke or salt also raises one’s exposure to toxins that can cause cancer.
Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes
Studies show that tomatoes can reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Processed tomato products like juice, sauce, or paste also increase the body’s cancer-fighting potential.
Grapes and Cancer
Purple and red grapes, including their juice, contain resveratrol. That’s why grapes have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. In studies, grapes prevented damage that could trigger the cancer process in cells.
