|
|
Overview
The Importance of Nutrition
Diet is widely held to be a key factor in helping prevent cancer, although
there is considerable disagreement about the precise influence of various
foodstuffs and drinks. Research is often inconclusive in this area.
However, many health authorities and independent nutritionists have
made the following recommendations:
- Avoid obesity
- Cut down on total fat intake
- Eat five portions of fresh vegetables or fruit per day
- Eat more high-fibre foods such as wholegrain cereals, vegetables
and fruits
- Eat unrefined rather than processed food
- Cut down on alcohol
- Cut down on smoked, salt-cured and nitrate-cured foods
Fruit and Vegetables: you can't get enough
Low fruit and vegetable consumption is linked with higher risk of cancer
of all kinds. If you eat more fruit and vegetables you increase fibre
consumption (particularly important for healthy stomach, bowel and colon).
Vegetables also contain antioxidant nutrients and flavonoids, sulphur-containing
compounds, and folate -all of which are reckoned to be important in
reducing cancer risk.
But what about added chemicals in fruit and vegetables?
Many foods and drinks of plant and vegetable origin contain trace residues
of chemicals such as fertilisers and herbicides. Fears that these might
be dangerous are causing more and more people to turn to organic produce
instead. But this is usually more expensive and not everyone can afford
it. The good news is that scientists reckon the protective substances
in non-organic fruit, vegetables and grains are strong enough to counteract
the effects of possible exposure to any carcinogens found in them. Still,
the whole question of how residues and additives affect health over
a lifetime needs to be explored further. It is therefore advisable to
take the usual precautions such as scrubbing vegetables and fruits before
eating.
Theories on how to tackle cancer
Research in the US has indicated that regular exercise can prompt changes
in the body that actively fight cancer. Colon cancer in particular,
the fourth most common type in the world, seems to be less prevalent
among people who lead more physical lives. This could be because food
moves more quickly through the digestive systems of people who exercise,
meaning that bile acids and dietary carcinogens spend less time in contact
with the cells lining the colon. Another theory is that regular physical
activity keeps the body's levels of triglycerides, glucose and insulin
in check. High levels of these blood compounds have been linked with
a syndrome that promotes cellular growth in general and growth of tumour
cells specifically.
 |
|
