Improving Your Chances Against Cancer

Kudos to the non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) helping us fight the battle against cancer principally through advocacy. Cancer seems to be on the increase with people knowing someone who has been diagnosed of one form of cancer or another.  Hence it’s one disease we fear most, aside AIDS.  People cringe at the mention of cancer. Immediately say ‘God forbid’, or show pity and deep emotions for a cancer patient, aware of the pain and agony, and that sometimes the chances of survival can be very low. In view of the swiftness this disease can spread, if untreated, and subsequent deadly consequence, it’s vital to optimise our chances by working more on preventive care. First aim is to adopt a healthy lifestyle: eating a healthy balanced diet and taking part in regular physical activity.  A healthy lifestyle is major in protecting against diseases such as cancers as well as coronary heart disease. 

Cancer remains deadly

Cancer remains one of the biggest killers in the world, second only to cardiovascular diseases.  With the increase in life expectancy, excluding accidental and natural disasters, the number of people at risk from cancer also increases because 65 -70% cases occur in the over 65 year old.  There are over two hundred different cases of cancer but the four major ones are breast, lung, large bowel cancer, and prostrate which make up 50% of cases diagnosed.  Breast cancer occurs most (in women), followed by lung cancer, and cancers of the bowel and stomach.  Though there are many causes of cancer, majority is influenced by environmental factors, in particular smoking and diet, with a third of cancers caused by smoking.

A healthy lifestyle to the rescue

Diet is the next biggest contributor to cancer deaths, after smoking.  Over indulgence in the wrong foods, overeating and indiscipline with food consumption accounts for about 30% of all cancer deaths. If this is the case, then in terms of cancer risk, a healthy diet can prevent up to a half of all cases of breast cancer and three out of four cases of stomach, colon and rectal cancers. 

• Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables

Ever if there’s limited scientific evidence that some of the dietary recommendation can prevent cancer, at least they are unlikely to lead to an increase in cancer, while consistency with the principles of healthy eating may actually be beneficial in the long term. The key to healthy eating is to eat everything in moderation from different types of foods that is low in fat and high in unrefined carbohydrates.  Also low consumption of fruits and vegetables has been linked to an increased risk of most cancers.  For instance there is evidence that those who eat the recommended diet of at least five portions of fruit or vegetables a day are much better protected against cancer than those who don’t.  The average consumption in most homes is two or three portions, which we must double to reach five.

What is a Portion of Fruit and Vegetable? 1 large slice of a very large fruit, e.g. melon or pineapple 1 whole medium fruit, e.g. apple, pear, orange, mango, Sharon fruit, banana. 2 small fruits e.g. African plum, cherries, tangerine, tangelo, apricot, cashew fruit. 1 cupful of a very small fruit, e.g. grapes and berries 2-3 tablespoons of fruit salad – fresh, stewed or canned 1 tablespoon of dried fruit 1 glass (150ml) of unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice 2 tablespoons of vegetables – fresh, frozen or canned 1 dessert bowl of salad Note: These are just suggestions to guide you in selecting fruits available in your areas.

The five portions a day of fruits and vegetables meet the recommended daily fibre intake of 12-18g per day.  Eating enough fibre has the exclusive task of reducing large bowel cancer. Also, vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants, folate, flavonoids and isothiocyanates, shown to affect positively factors that reduce cancer risk.  It is good to note that such positive influence relates to food, not supplements of vitamins, minerals and purified extracts. In other words, supplements are not recommended as a means to alter cancer risk, but healthy lifestyle and eating do help.

As regards the effects of fat on breast cancer risk, research result has revealed damaging effect of saturated fact, in particular.  The advice is to reduce consumption of meat, mainly red and processed meat, linked to a higher risk of bowel, breast and prostate cancers.

• Reduce, or shun, Alcohol

 

Moderate alcohol consumption, or total abstinence, is also recommended especially for people with a family history of cancer.  Liver cancer is associated with heavy drinking and there may also be an increased risk in cancers of the mouth, throat and breast.

• Control Your Weight

Avoid being underweight or overweight through diet and physical activity. Excess body weight increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and also several cancers including colon, breast (post menopause), endometrial, kidney, and oesophagus. Controlling your weight means balancing the energy you consume through food and drinks with the energy you burn off through exercise. To lose weight, you need to burn off more energy than you take in from food and drinks, which means either exercise for longer or harder or combine a little exercise with eating a bit less, in particular those empty calorie and fatty foods.

• Be Active

Exercise helps reduce the risk of many chronic diseases including certain forms of cancers. Research has shown that regular physical activity helps to reduce the risk of cancers of the colon, breast and endometrium.  People who exercise have a 30-40% reduction in risk of colon cancer and for active women a 20-30% reduction in risk of breast cancer, compared with sedentary people. The data also suggest a 20% reduction in risk of lung cancer in active individuals (although difficult to separate the effect of smoking on lung cancers risk), but confusing for rectal and prostate cancers. In any case the message is to accumulate thirty minutes or more of physical activity in at least five days of the week, better still throughout the week.

The lifestyle to focus on in terms of cancer prevention is not different from those for general health and wellbeing.  They are simple:

• Be physically active and stay that way – your goal should be 30 mins a day
• Keep your weight under control
• Eat more unrefined carbohydrates
• Eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day
• Reduce your consumption of fat, particularly saturated
• Eat moderate amounts of protein
• Eat two portions of fish a week – one should be oily
• Don’t smoke and try to avoid smoky places (passive smoking)
• Drinks moderate amounts of alcohol, or abstain
• Reduce your salt intake
• Control, and be on top of stress

So, all the more reason to start indulging in healthy living asap.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons.