Whether cancer runs in your family’s genes or not, or whether you are currently battling cancer, certain lifestyle factors, such as your diet, can make a big difference in helping fight the disease. Some of the things we eat can increase our risk of cancer.
Also, what you eat can strengthen your immune system and support your body. By making intelligent choices in your diet, you can feel better, protect your health, and boost your body’s ability to fight off cancer and other ailments.
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What you need to know about cancer and diet
Some health problems are unavoidable, but you have more control over your health than you think.
Studies have shown that a large percentage of cancer-related deaths — probably even the majority — are directly linked to lifestyle choices like drinking, smoking, a lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet.
Limiting alcohol, avoiding cigarettes, and regular exercise are great ways to start an anti-cancer lifestyle.
However, to boost your health, you should consider your eating habits. The things you introduce into your body and what you do not eat greatly influence your health, including your cancer risk.
You may unknowingly be eating foods that fuel cancer while depriving yourself of powerful nutrients and foods that can protect you. If you change your behaviors and your diet, you can minimize your risk of disease and maybe halt cancer in the tracks.
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Focus on plant-based foods
You should know something important: plants have more fiber, less fat, and more cancer-fighting nutrients. These three elements support your immune system and boost your body’s cancer-fighting abilities.
The best anti-cancer diet is mainly a plant-based diet comprising a variety of vegetables. A plant-based diet is primarily plant-based foods: fruits, nuts, vegetables, and beans. The less-processed forms of these foods are even better.
There are many ways to include plant foods in your diet. A rule of thumb is to target a plate of food that is filled at least two-thirds with vegetables, whole grains, fruit, or beans. Meat, fish, and dairy products should not occupy more than a third of the plate.
I’m not saying that you should go completely vegetarian. Instead, you should focus on adding to your diet “whole foods.” Whole foods are foods that are close to their original form.
Try to reduce or minimize your intake of processed foods as much as possible. For example, you can eat an apple in place of a glass of apple juice. Or you can take a bowl of oatmeal instead of an oatmeal raisin cookie.
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Bulk up on fiber
Plant-based foods also increase your fiber intake. Fiber is also known as bulk or roughage. It is the part of the plants that the body cannot digest. Fiber keeps your digestive system healthy and clean. It helps food move with ease through your digestive tract.
Fiber also flushes out carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds) before they can cause harm. Generally, unprocessed and natural foods have a higher fiber content than processed foods.
Cancer and supplements
I have to emphasize here that when it comes to cancer, it is worth noting that there is no dietary supplement that can prevent, cure, or treat cancer fully. But there are a couple of supplements that can potentially assist in recovery from cancer or prevention of cancer.
While many minerals and vitamins can benefit your health, many unregulated supplements on the market provide no benefits to human health. Some supplements may have a negative impact on cancer treatments. This is because some supplements can counteract medical therapies or medications.
Always consult your healthcare provider if you consider taking anti-cancer supplements or vitamins.
Some supplements that may help in the prevention or treatment of cancer include:
Garlic or garlic extract
Garlic is an excellent choice for giving your body a little extra fortification. Aim for at least one clove per day to reap the immense benefits of garlic. This is equivalent to 300 to 1,000 mg of garlic extract.
The positive effects of garlic include:
· A reduction in the spread of cancer cells
· Enhanced DNA repair
· Halting and blocking the activation of cancer-causing substances
· Antibacterial properties
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Matcha green tea
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant. In addition, several studies show that the anti-cancer properties of green tea can help protect against metastasis of some kinds of cancer.
Green tea contains polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
Cancer patients should drink up to three cups of green tea daily to experience the benefits.
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D absorbs calcium and enhances the function of the nervous, muscle, and immune systems. Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D.
Studies suggest that certain cancers, like breast cancer, can have a high risk of occurring when there is a deficiency of vitamin D in the body.
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 15 mcg. You can get vitamin D naturally through sunlight or foods like fortified milk, egg yolks, and fatty fish.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an Indian spice that can be very helpful in fighting cancer. Several studies show that curcumin in turmeric is toxic to cancer cells and may slow tumor growth.
The anti-cancer benefits of curcumin include:
· Slowing the growth of tumor
· Blocking cancer cells from multiplying
· Killing melanoma, prostate, breast, and colon cancer cells
You can add more turmeric to your next dish or take a curcumin-based supplement to experience the immense benefits of turmeric.
Other supplements include:
· Bromelain
· Melatonin
· Garcinia cambogia
· Alpha-lipoic acid
· Zinc
· Omega-3 fatty acids
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Takeaway
The best way to prevent cancer is by maintaining good health, like eating a nutritious whole-food diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and exercising.
While there’s no silver bullet vitamin, some anti-cancer supplements on the market may help keep the disease at bay or stop it from getting worse.
These supplements are merely a suggestion. Whether you’re living with cancer, a survivor, or just concerned for your health, talk to your doctor to determine the best treatment.
Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.
