Can you prevent cancer by simple behavior modification and adding cancer fighting foods to your diet? Yes, it’s been proven possible. Good nutrition will prevent many illnesses. Cancer is no exception. Our current environment, lifestyle and diet cause more cancers today than ever before. Therefore, it follows that if we change these factors we’ll reduce our risk of contracting this deadly disease.
You can’t eradicate all chemicals from your environment.
You can limit them. Avoid yard and garden pesticides. Eat organic foods. Use natural household products whenever possible. Try using natural hair dyes. Switch to natural make-up and toiletries. Avoid dry-cleaning your garments. In short, stay as far removed from man-made chemicals as you can.
Some people are not aware that dry-cleaning is a chemical process.
Many dry cleaners still use perchlorethylene to clean your clothes. This is a cancer causing chemical, which can also damage liver and kidneys. Perchlorethylene may linger in clothing after processing. It can build up in the cloth presses at the cleaners. Even if a cleaner offers “green” service as an option, clothes may be coming home with “perc” in them. Exclusively green cleaners are the best bet. Make sure they are using water based processes only.
Quick cancer prevention tips:
Green tea has been shown to protect against several forms of cancer. It fights the disease through it’s ingredient EGCG, a powerful antioxidant.
Eating a few Brazil nuts a day can lower the risk of cancer. This is because Brazil nuts contain selenium, which not only kills cancer cells, but also helps to repair cellular damage.
Consume as much garlic as possible or take garlic supplements. Garlic contains sulfur compounds. These will stimulate immune defenses and reduce tumor growth. Garlic also thins the blood, which keeps the heart healthy.
It’s important to use sunscreen for long exposure to the sun. However 15 minutes of sunlight per day is actually essential to good health. A decrease in sunlight causes an increase in certain cancers, due to the lack of Vitamin D.
The fermentation process used in making sauerkraut produces several cancer fighting ingredients.
Tomatoes are a cancer fighting super-food. Lycopene in tomatoes protects against colon, bladder, and prostrate cancers.
Calcium and Vitamin D will reduce the risk of developing polyps in the colon. Polyps can lead to the development of cancer over time.
Cantaloupes are delicious and nutritious. They contain carotenoids. These are plant chemicals which reduce lung cancer risk.
Broccoli has proven to be a powerful anti-oxidant. Suggested cooking methods are steaming or eating raw. The microwave has been shown to destroy flavonoids, the cancer fighting ingredient.
Blueberries, pomegranates, and acai berries are all very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants destroy free radicals, which can cause cancer cell development.
Artichokes prevent skin cancer. They contain an ingredient known as silymarin. This is an antioxidant linked to skin cancer prevention.
Drink plenty of water. Water is the lubricant for the body. It cleanses the systems and reduces the risk of colon and bladder cancers.
Avoid charring meat on the grill or stove. Charring causes the formation of cancerous chemicals. To prevent charring, coat the meat with sauce to lesson grill contact.
Smoked foods also contain carcinogens. Stay away from ham, lox, herring and other smoked delicacies.
Grapes have the same cancer fighting ability as wine, without the harmful alcohol. Stick to grape juice and forget the wine.
Citrus fruit has cleansing properties. It reduces the risk of digestive and mouth cancers. Try a glass of water with fresh lemon. Lime or other citrus juice added. Skip the sugar.
All fruits are healthy choices, but kiwi contains Vitamins C & E plus copper and lutein. These are powerful antioxidants.
Sexually transmitted diseases are no joke. HPV causes cervical cancer. If you are young enough, get vaccinated. All women should be sure their partner wears a condom and that they reduce the number of sexual partners to reduce the risk. Mutually exclusive relationships are a must.
Get some exercise. Moderate exercise reduces estrogen levels which decreases breast cancer risk in women. Exercise also metabolizes insulin which helps to prevent pancreatic disease.
Switch from tanning beds to spray on tan. Overexposure to the suns rays, even artificial sun, can cause skin cancer.
Decrease stress. Take up a hobby. Stress on the mind and body can cause wear and tear on the immune system leading to a greater risk of developing disease, including breast cancer.
Stay away from fried foods. Chemical changes occur in fried and baked foods. Acrylamide is one cancer causing compound that is formed in fried potatoes and baked desserts.
Avoid high fat content meats. Meat fat is saturated fat. It not only causes cancer, but is a contributing factor in high cholesterol and heart disease.
Raw onions contain an ingredient that reduces prostrate cancer risk. So toss those onions into a salad or sprinkle on other foods as a garnish.
As a general rule for fighting any disease, increase nutrition and exercise. The foods you eat should be nutrient dense. Get out there and get active. Decrease chemical exposure by staying away from activities involving chemical usage. Doing these three things will greatly reduce disease risk.
