What you put in your body affects it. We don’t have total control over our environment or the world we live in, but we can make small choices every day that can impact our health greatly. Everything is fine in moderation, but eating a well balanced diet will help you stay healthy and prevent cancer.
The simple answer: make sure you’re fueling your body with the good stuff.
Aim for whole foods when possible, including whole fruits and veggies, whole grains, and high fiber foods. Try to make healthy swaps when possible to find balance throughout the day. Grab an orange instead of candy, make a sweet potato instead of french fries, or reach for quinoa instead of potato chips.
A good rule of thumb with ingredients is if you can’t pronounce it, stay away from it. Opting for items with fewer ingredients will also help you eat less processed foods.
Try to eat organic if possible. At the least, refer to the Dirty Dozen list to understand what produce you should buy organic 100% of the time. Be careful of processed foods that are labeled organic too. Sometimes it’s tricky marketing instead of the real deal. Opt for the whole food when you can.
Your body is good at telling you what it needs if you know how to listen. Do a gut check by asking, “What’s my body telling me after I eat different foods? What am I actually craving?”
They are the experts after all.
What you consume can be all consuming, but you’re doing the best you can. Make the choices that make sense for you and if you’re not sure, talk to your doctor.
Didn’t expect that from us? Here’s the deal – life is hard, busy, complicated, and 238 other things, but it doesn’t have to be strict. Sometimes life happens and we roll with it, but it’s important to limit how much you consume the following items to help lower your overall cancer risk.
Especially red meat and processed meats like deli meat, hot dogs, and salami.
We like a spicy marg as much as the next person but unfortunately the research doesn’t lie. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your cancer risk.
In this case sugar ain’t so sweet and it’s added everywhere, even in foods you wouldn’t suspect. Read those labels and try to avoid extra sugar when possible.
Your body runs better on food straight from the earth, so limit processed foods that have been made in a factory or by heavy duty machinery.
When you drink, your body breaks alcohol down into a chemical called acetaldehyde. This chemical damages your DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage. Basically it’s a hangover your cells can’t get over. DNA is your cell’s “instruction manual” it controls your cell’s normal growth and function. But when DNA is damaged, a cell can begin growing out of control and create a cancerous tumor. Which means, the more you drink, the higher your cancer risk.
Charcuterie boards are cute and all, but they aren’t doing our cancer risk any favors. Bottom line. We eat too many processed animal products in North America.
If you eat meat, try to eat grass-fed, pasture-fed, and/or organic, and consume it in small amounts. When cooking, try to avoid burning the meat, as that increases the amount of carcinogens in your food.
A diet high in sugar and scary chemical alternatives puts added stress on the body and leads to imbalances in blood sugar levels and stored fat. Anytime there is a state of imbalance, your body’s energy is directed to correcting the imbalance rather than healing and destroying cancer.
What can you do about it?
If you make banana bread, sweeten it by soaking some dates and mashing them up instead of using sugar. Bet you won’t be able to taste the difference!
Prepackaged, processed foods are typically high in fat, salt, and sugar and have been linked to cancer. Basically, if it sounds too good to be true, like a meal in a minute or sugar and fat free cookies, it probably is. Steer clear of the processed foods and back to the produce aisle. Eating whole foods keeps you more full, happy, and healthy in the long run.
Instead of french fries, try making baked sweet potato fries. They satisfy the craving, but are much healthier.
Generally no, but try to eat whole soy products like edamame or tofu. It’s okay if you occasionally reach for the soy nuggets, though.
There is no link between eating gluten and being diagnosed with cancer, unless you have celiac disease. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about gluten in your diet.
Cooking meat at high temperatures (like on a grill) can produce cancer-causing chemicals, but you don’t need to cut out grilled food entirely. Instead of grilling greasy burgers or brats that drip grease and increase the amount of chargrill on your food, opt for grass-fed or pasture-fed steak, chicken, or fish. Grilled fruits and veggies are delish too!
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