Healthy Choices for Cancer Prevention

By Linda B. White and M.D.
Published on January 7, 2009
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From regular checkups to dietary changes, cancer prevention is often as not a matter of making healthy choices.
From regular checkups to dietary changes, cancer prevention is often as not a matter of making healthy choices.
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From chlorophyll to special compounds, fresh produce provides a range of benefits to help protect against cancer.
From chlorophyll to special compounds, fresh produce provides a range of benefits to help protect against cancer.
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Adding olive oil to your diet can help prevent cancer.
Adding olive oil to your diet can help prevent cancer.
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Minimize alcohol consumption to minimize your cancer risk.
Minimize alcohol consumption to minimize your cancer risk.
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Whole grains such as amaranth are another good addition to your diet for cancer protection.
Whole grains such as amaranth are another good addition to your diet for cancer protection.
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Dark berries — such as cranberries — offer protection from cancer.
Dark berries — such as cranberries — offer protection from cancer.
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Garlic can be added to meals or even raw, if you’re feeling adventurous!
Garlic can be added to meals or even raw, if you’re feeling adventurous!
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Regular exercise may significantly reduce your risk for cancer.
Regular exercise may significantly reduce your risk for cancer.
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Reduce your intake of red meat, processed meats, well-done meat and fried animal-based foods.
Reduce your intake of red meat, processed meats, well-done meat and fried animal-based foods.
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Cruciferous vegetables are as fun to eat as “cruciferous” is to say, and they break down in the body to form anti-cancer substances.
Cruciferous vegetables are as fun to eat as “cruciferous” is to say, and they break down in the body to form anti-cancer substances.
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Get regular medical screenings; early detection is invaluable.
Get regular medical screenings; early detection is invaluable.
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Stess is dangerous to your health; relaxing regularly is an important element of a healthy lifestyle.
Stess is dangerous to your health; relaxing regularly is an important element of a healthy lifestyle.
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Social isolation has been linked to degradation of mental and physical health. Make a point to make time to enjoy friends and family.
Social isolation has been linked to degradation of mental and physical health. Make a point to make time to enjoy friends and family.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Worldwide, in 2002, there were approximately 11 million new cases of cancer, 7 million cancer deaths, and almost 25 million people living with cancer. U.S. projections for 2008 estimate almost 1.44 million new cancer cases and over 565,000 deaths. However, cancer death rates have been slowly but steadily declining, thanks to earlier detection and treatment advances. While some people inherit genes that dramatically raise the risk for certain cancers, only 5 percent to 10 percent of cancers of the breast, ovaries, and colon are attributed to genetic factors. This means that environmental factors, many of which you can control, cause the majority of cases. For cancer prevention and risk reduction, here are some of the most important healthy choices you can make.

Nutrition Matters

A 1997 report from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research estimated that diet accounted for one-third of cancer deaths. Dr. Eleni Linos, who researches the impact of diet on cancer at Harvard Medical School, says, “The field of nutrition and cancer is complicated.” Linos says that dietary relationships can vary with different types of cancer. Nevertheless, because good diet is so important to overall health and especially cardiovascular health, it would be silly to throw up our hands and eat fried chicken and Twinkies all day. Here are some diet recommendations.

Follow a plant-based diet. Plant foods contain vitamins, minerals and fiber, plus plant pigments and compounds similar to estrogen. Many of these compounds protect us by acting as antioxidants, stimulating the immune system, enhancing detoxification and modulating hormones. Plus, all plants contain the green pigment chlorophyll, which turns on genes that crank out detoxifying enzymes, thus reducing exposure to carcinogens.

Graze on berries. Berries, cherries and red grapes all are nutrient dense. Anthocyanins (a type of flavonoid that provides those red, blue and purple pigments) are antioxidant and anti-inflam-matory, so they have anti-cancer effects.

Crunch cruciferous vegetables. This plant family — broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mung beans, alfalfa sprouts (Read more about cooking with sprouts in Kitchen Counter Gardening: Try Sprouting Seeds.), Brussels sprouts, arugula, watercress and others — contains glucosinolates, which break down in the body to form anti-cancer substances. Studies link increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables with reduced cancer risk. Broccoli is particularly famous for its anti-cancer power.

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