Foods that Aid in Cancer Prevention

Consuming a diet that is balanced and healthy enhances the body's natural defences that it need to prevent and fight of illnesses. This includes serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. If you currently eat a diet that is high in fats, sugars and processed foods, it is not too late to reverse your behavior and increase your chances of having and maintaining a healthy body.

There are some foods that actually trigger and feed cancer cell growth, while others suppress and prevent them from developing. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones are key for a lifetime of health.

1. According to the American Cancer Society, eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables helps to fight off and prevent cancer by fighting off the free radicals that cause cancer cells to grow. Some of the best cancer fighting fruits include blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, and tomatoes, while some of the best vegetables for cancer fighting properties include spinach, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, asparagus, and mustard greens.

2. Decreasing or eliminating your consumption of meat, especially meats that are particularly high in saturated fats such as pork and beef can help to prevent the onset of cancer. Instead, choose white meat skinless poultry, or even better yet, choose fish. Most fish is very high in omega 3 fatty acids which not only helps in the prevention of heart disease but in the prevention of cancer as well.

3. Avoid foods that are processed. Eating whole grains as opposed to bleached or over processed ones will increase your body's natural immune and digestive systems, which are said by the American Cancer Society to decrease the chances of getting cancer. The reason for this is that when foods are processed before entering the body, the foods are easily turned in to sugar and then into fat. This forces the body to digest foods without actually doing the work that nature meant it to do in order to process foods in the digestive system. This is a leading cause of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer. Allow your body to process the foods- not a factory!

4. Make a habit of purchasing foods that are organically grown. Food that is treated with pesticides and herbicides are known to contain carcinogens, while foods that are grown organically are absent of these cancer causing chemicals. Many of these foods can be found and local farmers markets and even in the organic section of your local supermarket. The price is generally a little higher, however, the health benefits are priceless.

5. Increase the fiber in your diet. Fiber keeps your digestive system regular, thus, flushing out substances and free radicals that cause cancerous cells to grow in the body. A good choice of healthy high fibre foods include whole grain rice, berries, buckwheat, chickpeas, lentils, beans, broccoli, spinach, flax seeds and yams.

6. Eat fish 3 times per week, at least four to five servings of leafy green vegetables per day, flax seed oil daily and two servings of fruits.

References and Resources:

http://www.cancer.org/

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_cancer_prevention.htm