Why Eating like Popeye Can Lower Risk of Cancer

You may have heard the saying you are what you eat. But did you know what you eat can possibly make a difference between cancer coming back or not coming back?

Some of the doctors and researchers at John Hopkins have found some potentially good foods that look like part of a line of defense against polyps turning into cancer in the colon or rectum. You're reading and seeing the words potentially and possibly and thinking, "Well, does eating like Popeye work or not to lower risk of cancer?"

Bottom line there's no guarantee a diet can prevent cancer coming back. Saying that means every single time and every single case of polyps and cancer of the colon or rectum could be prevented. All the research isn't done yet but the cancer experts at John Hopkins are saying they are seeing some trends and suggestions dietary changes can make a difference, an important difference in the prevention of cancer of the colon or rectum from coming back.

What does that mean to you if you've had polyps or cancer of the colon or rectum before? You can change your diet and it may help or you can wait until all the test results are in. What are you willing to risk or gamble on?

Here's what John Hopkins cancer experts are saying about healthy eating.

Use plant sources for your food. Follow suggestions for eating fresh vegetables, fruit, grains, with dry beans and nuts.

Avoid foods that have been processed. This means meat and grains as well.

When choosing protein in your diet, go for fish, chicken and beans, not red meat.

When snacking or eating avoid junk food, sodas and sugary snacks.

If you choose to drink wine, beer or other alcoholic drinks, keep it at one drink a day.

One of the encouraging results from John Hopkins is how dry beans when cooked help your health. For those who say eating healthy is too expensive, the positive effects of eating dry beans is a way to eat healthy inexpensively.

It's the nutrients in beans, which seem to be the reason dry beans can be helpful. Also beans don't raise blood sugar like a lot of other foods. In studies low glycemic foods like beans have been tied to lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Like Popeye the scientists have shown eating green leafy vegetables like spinach can help in the fight against cancer of the rectum or colon. But for those of us who like the convenience of taking a supplement instead of eating spinach, be aware folic acid supplements didn't help. In fact a study showed supplements could increase risk of polyps turning cancerous.

Calcium supplements showed a positive effect and decreased polyps changing to cancer of rectum or colon.

What does this mean if you have a history of polyps or cancer of colon or rectum? Eating healthy looks like you could decrease your risk of recurring colon or rectal cancer. Spinach anyone?