Your Health and You!
Reducing your risk of cancer
How Diet Can Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer
Australian research has compared the rates of cancer in native-born
Australians with Southern European migrants. The migrants had
low rates of cancer of the bowel, rectum and pancreas. Their
diet included a high intake of fibre and antioxidants from fruit,
vegetables, legumes, pasta and bread. They also used olive oil
freely in their cooking. Conversely, native-born Australians
have high rates of pancreas, bowel and rectum cancer. Researchers
found that the longer the migrants lived in Australia, the more
their cancer rates increase, approaching those of native-born
Australians. After an average residence of 16 years, southern
European migrants suffered a similar level of cancer to Australians.
The Reverse Pattern
Japan has a very high rate of stomach cancer, while the USA
has a low rate. Japanese who migrated to the USA, in successive
generations, dropped their incidence of stomach cancer from
very high to very low, even though there was no inter-marriage
with Americans. Unfortunately, they also developed the higher
rate of bowel and breast cancer.
How To Protect Yourself
It is estimated that our daily diet plays a role in 35-40%
of avoidable cancers, supplying both ‘promoters’ and ‘inhibitors’
to the process of cancer development.
-
Cut back on fats, especially saturated (animal) fats.
There is good evidence from animal and human studies that
excess fat and sugar increase the risk of bowel cancer.
Especially, cut back on red meat. There is good evidence
that red meat and processed meat are a risk factor in bowel
cancer, and also in pancreas, lung, oesophagus and uterus
cancers.
-
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Combined studies show
diets high in fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of bowel
cancer. The effect was greatest in those who increased their
intake from very low levels.
-
Avoid overweight. Obesity raises the chances of hormone-dependent
cancers of the breast, cervix, endometrium and prostate.
A Swedish study of 2000 obesity surgery patients, comparing
them with similar patients who did not have surgery, found
that the rate of cancer in the women who had surgery was
almost half that of the no-surgery group after 11 years.
An analysis of several studies shows that increased body
weight is linked to several types of cancer. An increase
of BMI by 5 points was associated with oesophagus, thyroid,
bowel and kidney cancers in men; and uterus, gallbladder,
oesophageal and kidney cancer in women.
-
Eat more fibre. Fibre plays a key role in the prevention
of cancer of the bowel. Wheat bran is particularly effective
through its laxative effect. One of fibre’s actions is to
speed the transit of food through the digestive system.
This lessens the contact time of any ingested carcinogen
with the inner lining of the bowel.
-
Minimise salt-cured and smoked foods like smoked fish,
hot dogs, corned beef, bacon and ham. These foods contain
nitrates and nitrites, compounds which in the stomach can
form nitrosamines. These are among the most potent agents
of stomach cancer.
-
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol particularly if combined with
smoking is associated with cancers of the mouth, throat,
oesophagus and rectum (especially for beer consumers). It
is more harmful for women than for men. In a study of 1.3
million women in the UK, alcohol drinkers had higher risk
of cancers of the breast, oesophagus, throat, liver and
rectum. Every 1 drink per day contributes to about 15 cancers
per 1000 women. One researcher concluded: “There is no safe
level of alcohol consumption.” The European Cancer Conference
of 2007 reported on 70,000 women over 7 years. It showed
that 1-2 drinks per day increased breast cancer risk by
10%; and >3 drinks per day increased it by 30%. There
was no difference seen between beer, wine and spirits.
-
Minimise browned and charred foods. Cooking meat, chicken
and fish to produce charring can create potent end-products
which are carcinogenic, especially in the bowel. So when
grilling, barbecuing or toasting, do not produce overdone
meat or burnt toast and you can cut the risk of bowel and
rectum cancer.
-
Eat natural; avoid supplements. Antioxidants and vitamins,
such as Vitamin C and carotenoids, are protective against
cancer, when eaten in foods. However, when taken in supplement
form, they don’t protect as well, and some are actually
harmful. Among almost 300,000 men followed for 5 years,
it was found that those using daily multivitamins and other
supplements, had 32% more prostate cancer than those not
on supplements. They also had twice as many deaths from
prostate cancer. Vitamin E supplements were found to increase
prostate cancer risk by 1.6 times among over 35,000 men
followed for 7-12 years. Another study found that Vitamin
D from natural sources did reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Conclusion
To reduce cancer risk, eat less fat, in particular animal
fats, less meat, less grilled and fried meat and fish, eliminate
alcohol, maintain an ideal body weight, exercise regularly,
avoid supplements and consume more fibre-rich cereals, fruit
and vegetables.
[Acknowledgments to Sibilla Johnson, Dr. Winston Craig, and
the Sanitarium
Nutrition Service]
(Article by Dr Peter Tung)
|
