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Did You Know That Most Cancers Can Be Linked To Nutrition Deficiency?
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Foods
for Cancer Prevention
Of the many diseases that affect people these days, cancer
is among the most feared. But despite a wealth of scientific
data, most people remain unaware of how they can reduce
their risk of developing cancer. According to the National
Cancer Institute, as much as 80 percent of all cancers are
due to identified factors, and thus are potentially preventable.
Thirty percent are due to tobacco use, and as much as 35
to 50 percent are due to foods. It is easy to control these
and other risk factors.
What Is Cancer?
Cancer begins as a single abnormal cell that begins to multiply
out of control. Groups of such cells form tumors and invade
healthy tissue, often spreading to other parts of the body.
Carcinogens are substances that promote the development
of cancerous cells. They may come from foods, from the air,
or even from within the body. Most carcinogens are neutralized
before damage can occur, but sometimes they attack the cell’s
genetic material (DNA) and alter it. It takes years for
a noticeable tumor to develop. During this time, compounds
known as inhibitors can keep the cells from growing. Some
vitamins in plant foods are known to be inhibitors. Dietary
fat, on the other hand, is known to be a promoter that helps
the abnormal cells grow quickly.
Fiber Fights Cancer
In 1970, British physician, Dennis Burkitt, observed that
a high-fiber diet reduces diseases of the digestive tract.
He observed that in countries where diets are high in fiber
(that is, plant-based diets), there were fewer cases of
colon cancer. Around the world, this has proven true. The
highest fiber intakes are found in non-industrialized nations
where meat is scarce and plant foods fill the menu. Animal
products contain no fiber. The U.S. and other Western nations
whose diets are based upon animal products have the highest
rates of colon cancer.
While no one is certain exactly how fiber protects against
digestive tract disorders, there are several possibilities.
By definition, fiber cannot be digested by humans early
in the digestive process. It moves food more quickly through
the intestines, helping to eliminate carcinogens. It also
draws water into the digestive tract. The water and fiber
make fecal matter bulkier, so carcinogens are diluted.
Bile acids are secreted into the intestine to help digest
fat; there, bacteria can change the acids into chemicals
which promote colon cancer. Fiber may bind with these bile
acids and evict them from the intestines.1 Also, bacteria
in the colon ferment the fiber creating a more acidic environment
which may make bile acids less toxic.
Fiber is also protective against other forms of cancer.
Studies have shown that stomach cancer and breast cancer
are less common on high-fiber diets.2,3 Fiber affects levels
of estrogens in the body. Estrogens are normally secreted
into the intestine, where the fiber binds with the hormone
and moves it out of the body.4 Without adequate fiber, the
estrogen can be reabsorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream.
High levels of estrogen are linked to a higher risk of breast
cancer.
In the U.S., the average daily fiber intake is 10 to 20
grams per day. Experts recommend 30 to 40 grams per day.
The best sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, peas,
lentils, vegetables, and fruits. Foods that are closest
to their natural state, unrefined and unpeeled, are highest
in fiber.
Fat Raises Cancer Risks
Cross-cultural studies have revealed that the populations
with the highest levels of fat consumption are also the
ones with the highest death rates from breast and colon
cancer. The lowest rates are in groups with the lowest consumption
of fats.5 Migration studies help to rule out the influence
of genetics.6
Many studies indicate that fat in foods increases one’s
risk for cancer, and it may also adversely affect breast
cancer survival rates for those who have cancer.7
Although the total amount of fat one eats is of concern,
there is evidence that animal fat is much more harmful than
vegetable fat. One study noted a 200 percent increase in
breast cancer among those who consume beef or pork five
to six times per week. Dr. Sheila Bingham, a prominent cancer
researcher form the University of Cambridge, notes that
meat is more closely associated with colon cancer than any
other factor.8 Meat and milk are also linked to both prostate
and ovarian cancers.9
How Fat Affects Cancer Risks
Fat has many effects within the body. It increases hormone
production and thus raises breast cancer risks. It also
stimulates the production of bile acids which have been
linked to colon cancer.
The average diet in the U.S. is about 37 percent fat. The
National Cancer Institute suggests that people lower that
percentage down to 30 percent; however, studies have shown
that fat intake should be well below 30 percent to have
an anti-cancer affect. Ten to 15 percent is more likely
to be helpful.
The Importance of Vegetables
Not only are vegetables low in fat and high in fiber, they
also contain many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids,
the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark
colors, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Beta-carotene,
present in dark green and yellow vegetables, helps protect
against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the
bladder, mouth, larynx, esophagus, breast, and other sites.
Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, cauliflower,
and Brussels sprouts contain flavones and indoles which
are thought to have anti-cancer activities.
Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and many vegetables, may
lower risks for cancers of the esophagus and stomach. Vitamin
C acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing cancer-causing chemicals
that form in the body. It also blocks the conversion of
nitrates to cancer-causing nitrosamines in the stomach.
Selenium is found in whole grains and has the same antioxidant
effects as vitamin C and beta-carotene. Vitamin E also has
this effect. Caution is advised in supplementing selenium,
which is toxic in large doses.
Alcohol
Excessive intake of alcohol raises one’s risks for cancers
of the breast, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus. When combined
with smoking, these risks skyrocket. It also raises risks
for stomach, liver, and colon cancers.10
Vegetarians Are Better Off
All the evidence points to a low-fat, high-fiber diet that
includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
and beans, as being the best for cancer prevention. Not
surprisingly, vegetarians, whose diets easily meet these
requirements, are at the lowest risk for cancer. Vegetarians
have about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters.11
Vegetarians have higher blood levels of beta-carotene. They
consume more vitamin C, beta-carotene, indoles, and fiber
than meat-eaters. Vegetarians also have stronger immune
systems. German researchers recently discovered that vegetarians
have more than twice the natural killer cell activity of
meat-eaters.12 Natural killer cells are specialized white
blood cells that attack and neutralize cancer cells. Also,
vegetarians tend to eat more soy products than meat-eaters.
Soybeans contain many substances that are anticarcinogens,
including lignans and phytoestrogens. A diet that is rich
in soybeans may be one reason for the lower incidence of
breast cancer in Asia.
Conclusion
A cancer prevention diet is one that is high in fiber, low
in fat (especially animal fat), and includes generous portions
of fruits and vegetables. It also minimizes or excludes
alcohol. The best diets are pure vegetarian diets.
References
1. Kritchevsky D. Diet, nutrition, and cancer: the role
of fiber. Cancer 1986;58:1830-6.
2. Risch HA, Jain M, Choi NW, et al. Dietary factors and
the incidence of cancer of the stomach. Am J Epidemiol 1985;122:947-59.
3. Lubin F, Wax Y, Modan B, et al. Role of fat, animal protein
and dietary fiber in breast cancer etiology: a case control
study. J Natl Cancer Inst 1986;77:605-12.
4. Goldin BR, Adlercreutz H, Gorbach SL, et al. Estrogen
excretion patterns and plasma levels in vegetarian and omnivorous
women. N Engl J Med 1982;307:1542-7.
5. Lan HW, Carpenter JT. Breast cancer: incidence, nutritional
concerns, and treatment approaches. J Am Diet Assoc 1987;87:765-9.
6. Minowa M, Bingham S, Cummings JH. Dietary fiber intake
in Japan. Human Nutr Appl Nutr 1983;37A:113-9.
7. Wynder EL, Rose DP, Cohen LA. Diet and breast cancer
in causation and therapy. Cancer 1986;58:1804-13.
8. Bingham SA. Meat, starch, and non-starch polysaccharides
and bowel cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 1988;48:762-7.
9. Rose DP, Boyar AP, Wynder EL. International comparisons
of mortality rates for cancer of the breast, ovary, prostate,
and colon, and per capita food consumption. Cancer 1986;58:2363-71.
10. Breslow NE, Enstrom JE. Geographic correlations between
cancer mortality rates and alcohol-tobacco consumption in
the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst 1974;53:631-9.
11. Phillips RL. Role of lifestyle and dietary habits in
risk of cancer among Seventh-day Adventists. Cancer Res
1975;35(Suppl):3513-22.
12. Malter M. Natural killer cells, vitamins,
and other blood components of vegetarian and omnivorous
men. Nutr and Cancer 1989;12:271-8.
http://www.pcrm.org/
health/prevmed/
foods_cancer_prev.html
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