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Did You Know That Most Cancers Can Be Linked To Nutrition Deficiency?
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Nutrition & Cancer:
What is the Connection?
Does what we eat really affect our risk?
The National Cancer Institute estimates that at least 35%
of all cancers have a nutritional connection. When lifestyle
factors such as smoking and exercise are included the associated
risk becomes much stronger and may be as high as 85%. What
we eat makes a big difference in our energy levels, our
mood and even our self esteem. When we choose foods rich
in protective factors such as fruits and vegetables we are
also doing something positive for our health and well-being.
Which foods are important for health?
Foods that come from the plant kingdom rather than the animal
kingdom have many protective botanical factors: plants cannot
move away from danger, unlike animals. These phyto (meaning
plant) nutrients can be beneficial to us also.
Antioxidants, anticarcinogens and bioflavonoids are some
of the terms used to describe the actions of phytonutrients.
Foods rich in botanical factors or phytonutrients include
berries, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes
(beans of all sorts including soy) and whole grains.
Which foods are less important for health?
If we emphasize those that are supportive to our health
then we will find ourselves eating less of the foods that
contain "empty" nutrients. These foods may provide
pleasure so we need to keep them in our diet at low levels
only. Such foods include desserts, cakes, candies and many
items made with saturated animal fats. I prefer to think
of the 80:20 rule when selecting foods. 80% of the time
we should choose healthful foods from the plant kingdom
such as those listed above, and 20% of the time we can choose
foods that provide pleasure and may not be quite as healthful.
What evidence is there for soy or other isoflavone
rich foods being protective?
Studies are ongoing in many centers looking at the benefits
of soy protein in those at risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Soy protein contains several active phytonutrients that
may protect against hormone sensitive cancers partly by
blocking receptors with plant estrogens called genistein
and daidzein and partly by the action of the Bowman Birk
inhibitor or other protease inhibitors naturally present
in the beans. Lecithin is also an important component of
soy foods.
Why should we "eat our broccoli"?
Broccoli is one of the group of vegetables called cruciferous
(from the word for cross as the flowers are in the shape
of a cross and Brussels sprouts also grow out crosswise
from the stalk). These vegetables contain isothiocyanates
that are protective against carcinogenesis in laboratory
studies. Other vegetables in this grouping include cabbage,
cauliflower, Swiss chard, watercress and kale.
Why is dietary fiber important in cancer prevention?
Dietary fiber is the indigestible part of foods of plant
origin (it doesn't occur in any foods that come from animals,
e.g. butter, meat, eggs, fish).
Fiber provides bulk to our diet and helps to maintain a
healthy colon. It does this in several ways; first, it stimulates
muscle contractions and hence reduces colon transit time
(minimizes constipation). Secondly, it dilutes any potentially
hazardous or carcinogenic substances and also reduces the
amount of time these substances would be in contact with
the colon wall. Thirdly, it provides an environment that
is conducive to "friendly" bacteria or acidophilus.
These are supportive to us as they partially digest some
of the fiber and provide us with nutrients and they also
maintain a healthy acidic level in the colon. All of these
factors are synergistic and hence eating dietary fiber throughout
the day provides the best environment in our colon that
is reflected in our overall health. Cholesterol and steroid
hormones that are similarly structured including the sex
hormones, estrogen and testosterone as well as vitamin D
and cortisol are regulated in part by secretion into the
digestive tract via the bile and reabsorption. Dietary fiber
plays an indirect part in regulating the reabsorption as
the bacteria acts on some of these bile acids and assists
in their excretion.
Most Americans eat about 10 grams of dietary fiber each
day but this is about half of what is ideal. The suggested
range is 25-35 grams spread over the day. This is best accomplished
by eating fiber rich foods at each meal such as whole grain
cereals, breads, pastas, beans, leafy vegetables, fruits,
nuts and seeds.
Is food cooked at high temperatures unhealthful?
Frying or charbroiling meat or fish may cause carcinogens
on the surface by the action of the heat. Smoking or nitrite
curing meats may also form carcinogens. These carcinogens
may not be harmful when consumed in small quantities and
particularly when we eat them with fruits and vegetables
that contain protective botanical factors. It is wise to
use lower heat methods for most of our cooking methods such
as steaming, braising, poaching, stewing or microwaving.
Marinades help to make cooked meats safer.
Can eating fish be protective?
Oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, halibut and
tuna contain oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Docohexanoic acid (DHA) and Eicosopentanoic acid (EPA) are
two of these long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that
occur in fish and in certain vegetables. These are protective
in animal studies. It is recommended that you try to eat
foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids several times each week.
Fish is a good source but berries, mushrooms and Brussels
sprouts are also dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
http://www.cancernutrition.com/
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