Anti-Cancer Diet Class Gives Bite-By-Bite Instruction On Reducing Risk

Anti-Cancer Diet Class Gives Bite-By-Bite Instruction On Reducing Risk

Beaumont Hospital, Troy (Mich.) dietitian Betty Boscarino wants to help reduce your cancer risk - bite by bite.
"Diet-related factors may account for up to 30 percent of all diagnosed cancer in the United States," says Boscarino. "And obesity may replace smoking as the No. 1 preventable cause of many cancers."

Diet and obesity are linked to breast and colon cancers and may be linked to aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Antioxidants in food may block or stall the process of cells becoming cancerous.
Boscarino offers the following tips to avoid potential cancer-causers, ensure an adequate intake of antioxidants - found naturally in plants - and maintain a healthy weight.
* Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different antioxidants, so strive to "eat a rainbow" every day.
* One more reason to pass up the salt shaker. A high-salt diet is associated with stomach cancer.
* Limit your intake of charbroiled and fried meats, which are linked to stomach, colon and rectal cancer.
* Dietary fiber - found in abundance in whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables - may play a role in cancer prevention.
* Consider a vegetarian or flexitarian diet. Flexitarians eat a limited amount of meat. A plant-based diet may help control weight.
* Exercise. Physical activity may decrease cancer risk by speeding up digestion, decreasing insulin levels and suppressing high levels of hormones. Some cancers, such as breast and prostate, are hormone-sensitive.
* Fill your plate two-thirds or more with plant-based foods and one-third full with lean meat, poultry, fish or low-fat dairy foods.