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What Should I Eat To Reduce My Risk Of Cancer?
Eating is widely regarded as one of life's basic joys. It is not easy for anyone to change their dietary habits in response to advice about their health. However, with increasing awareness of cancer, people are starting to pay attention to the kinds of diet that may reduce the risks of eventually developing cancer.
We have less hard evidence on this subject than we would like, reflecting the difficulties involved in reliably comparing dietary behaviours of people over a long period. However, the enormous amount of data which has been reported allows us to propose certain links between diet and cancer, as summarized in Table A:
Table A
| Dietary factors that increase risk of some cancers |
Dietary factors that reducerisk of some cancers |
| Obesity |
Ideal body weight |
| Processed foods such as canned meats or “fast” (fried) foods such as hamburgers and french fries |
Wholesome grains and fibre, e.g. whole wheat, bran, oatmeal, multigrain bread |
| Preserved (salted, cured, or smoked) foods |
Fruits and vegetables e.g. broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes |
| Red meat, especially if char-grilled |
White meat: fish and lean(de-skinned) poultry
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| Fat, especially animal fat(or other saturated fat)
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Low fat foods, and other unsaturated fats e.g. olive oil, omega-3 fatty acids (in fish) |
| Excessive calories in any form (e.g. sugar, starch, cakes, chocolates, soft drinks) beyond your daily energy requirement |
Regular daily exercise (30 mins) |
| Alcoholic drinks -- especially if more than one per day |
Folic acid found in green leafy vegetables e.g. spinach, asparagus, kai lan, peas and beans
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| Foods that are contaminated by fungi that release mycotoxins (poisons produced by fungi), or by Helicobacter bacteria, for example, rotten peanuts, stale meats or uncooked meat, certain mushrooms. |
Properly stored (e.g. refrigerated) foods
Prompt disposal of foods that havegone bad
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| Chewing betel nut or tobacco |
Meticulous oral hygiene (including dental floss) to reduce bacterial proliferation
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