Can What We Eat Really Prevent Cancer?

According the the CDC, cancer is the second highest cause of death in the US, heart disease being the first leading cause of death. If we can prevent cancer by eating certain foods, why aren't we doing it? Or maybe a better question might be, why are so many people dying if it can be prevented? I think the answer lies in our preferences. Most of us don't think about our health until something major has happened to us. An example of that might be, one doesn't quit smoking, and lose weight until they have had a heart attack.

There is more education available now that can help us ward off cancer, but we have to be consistent. Our diets should mainly consist of green leafy vegetables, Besides the green leafy vegetables, we should also eat cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.

Why should we eat green vegetables? Green veggies contain chlorophyll which is a chemical that acts on the body's cells as a detoxifier. It's important to eat a lot of the green vegetables raw so that the nutrients are not cooked out of them. When I cook green vegetables I do not overcook them. I will stir fry cabbage and leave it a little chewy. I also make coleslaw quite a bit.

What do you eat as a snack food? Do you eat junk food or do you eat good wholesome fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, and grapes? If you are healthy now, and you want to remain healthy you will want to think about what you put into your body. We need to think of our bodies as machines that need proper fuel to keep running efficiently. If we make a habit of snacking on potato chips and other junk foods we are tearing apart our bodies, rather than building them up. Berries, grapes and even cherries are essential in the fight against developing cancer. These types of fruits contain antioxidants that act to boost the immune system and act as an anti-inflammatory. I mentioned in one of my other articles that one of my content producer friends eats cherries to relieve ankle pain. The cherries act similarly to an anti-inflammatory drug to relieve pain.

Besides relieving pain, berries, cherries, and other fruits such as cantaloupe and green vegetables helps to prevent weight gain, which in turn helps to prevent cancer. The National Cancer Institute and the American Heart Association suggest that we eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every single day. Studies show that being overweight or obese raises your risk of dying of cancer; therefore, people who continually eat high fat and high sugar foods run a greater risk of dying from cancer, than those who eat a healthier diet.

It's true that fruits and vegetables help to prevent cancer, but eating right isn't the only factor involved. Your lifestyle plays a significant role in preventing cancer. Eating the right foods alone may have a minor role in preventing cancer, but when you combine eating the right foods and changing from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active lifestyle will work together to decrease your risk of dying from cancer.

We are often at least partly to blame when we come down with a catastrophic disease such as cancer. Many of us still live a risky lifestyle. We need to look at how we live, as well as what we eat, which means if we smoke, we need to stop. Smoking cigarettes is poison. We might try to fool ourselves that if smoking is our only vice that we are doing better than many people in society. We have to change the way we think.

Would you put sugar in your gas tank and expect it to take you to work every day? Would you put sand where the oil is supposed to go? Of course not. We know without being told that it would 'kill' the vehicle to put sand or sugar in the oil or fuel tank; however, we don't seem to think the same way about our own bodies, which are indeed biochemical machines. We kill ourselves slowly every day when we don't live a lifestyle and make choices that is conducive to good health.

Making the right food choices is beneficial to preventing cancer, but that is only half of the equation. We have to live a proactive lifestyle, which means getting off our seats and on our feet. I'm as guilty as the next person. I sit here in front of my computer every day working to submit articles for a living. I had to make changes to live a healthier lifestyle. I have a starting time and quitting time for work, so that I can do other things. One of the things I do every day is get outside in the sun and walk for 20 to 30 minutes each day. I know from my own experience that I am healthier and feel younger now than I did 10 years ago.

Source:

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Do_Fruits_and_Veggies_Protect_Against_Cancer.asp

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