Chances are, you know someone who has died of cancer or currently has cancer. I have had several in my family to die of cancer. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide accounting for 7.8 million deaths in 2008. In addition, the American Cancer Society (2012) suggests that half of all men, and a third of all women in the U.S. will develop cancer during their lifetimes.
By definition, cancer is a general term for a group of diseases in which abnormal cells in the body begin to multiply out of control. Cancer cells often spread to other parts of the body, but no matter where they are spread, the cancer is named based on where it started (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer).
This blog is not about how to treat or even find out if you have cancer, but more so about how we can decrease our risk of getting cancer. I have provided a lot of information in my blogs about healthy eating habits that all play a role in decreasing the risk of getting cancer. I have also made sure to make special emphasis on fruits and vegetables and how they protect our bodies from diseases including cancer. What I have not done is tell you how exactly the nutrients in food work to protect us from disease. So I will attempt to “simply” explain how certain nutrients may help decrease our cancer risk.
1. Pro-Vitamin A compounds decrease the risk of the development of epithelial cancers (lung, bladder, mouth, cervix, and larynx). The best source is beta carotene which can be found in most kinds of greens, carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin.
2. Vitamin C is a nitrite scavenger. This means that it looks to eliminate cancer causing agents within the body. The best sources for Vitamin C may include citrus, strawberries, kiwi, potatoes, cabbage, and green peppers.
3. Vitamin E is a free radical scavenger. This means that it looks to get rid of free radicals in the body that could do damage to DNA (our genetic map) in the body leading to cancer. Good sources of Vitamin E include vegetable oil and nuts.
4. Low intakes of folate have been associated with increased risk of cancer. Folate is involved in the making, functioning and repairing of DNA. Not having enough folate may result in damage to the DNA that may lead to cancer. Most grains are fortified with folate. However, other good natural sources of folate include spinach, broccoli, dark green lettuce, and orange juice.
5. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce tumor incidence in animals by affecting cancer development. Resveratrol can be found in red wine, grapes, and raspberries.
References:
American Cancer Society. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://www.cancer.org.
Cancer Fact Sheet. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html.
Schlenker, E., Roth, S. (2011). Williams’ Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 10th Edition. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
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