What’s the link between cancer and diet?

Some cancer risk factors, such as genetics and environment, are out of your control, but research suggest that about 70% of your lifetime risk of cancer is within your power to change, including your diet. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise are all great steps for preventing cancer. Adopting a healthy diet can also play a vital role.

What you eat—and don’t eat—can have a powerful effect on your health, including your risk for cancer. While research tends to point to associations between specific foods and cancer, rather than solid cause-and-effect relationships, there are certain dietary habits that can have a major influence on your risk. For example, eating a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats like olive oil can lower your risk for a variety of common cancers, including breast cancer. Conversely, a diet that includes a daily serving of processed meat increases your risk of colorectal cancer.

If you have a history of cancer in your family, making small changes to your diet and behaviors now can make a big difference to your long-term health. And if you’ve already been diagnosed with cancer, eating a nutritious diet can help support your mood and strengthen your body during this challenging time.

Simple ways to build your cancer-prevention diet

To lower your risk for many types of cancer—as well as other serious disease—aim to build your diet around a variety of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, and healthy fats. At the same time, try to limit the amount of processed and fried foods, unhealthy fats, sugars and refined carbs you consume.

Lower your risk with antioxidants

Plant-based foods are rich in nutrients known as antioxidants that boost your immune system and help protect against cancer cells.

• Diets high in fruit may lower the risk of stomach and lung cancer.
• Eating vegetables containing carotenoids, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, and squash, may reduce the risk of lung, mouth, pharynx, and larynx cancers.
• Diets high in non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and beans, may help protect against stomach and esophageal cancer.
• Eating oranges, berries, peas, bell peppers, dark leafy greens and other foods high in vitamin C may also protect against esophageal cancer.
• Foods high in lycopene, such as tomatoes, guava, and watermelon, may lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Add more fruit and veggies to your diet

Currently, most of us fall well short of the recommended daily minimum of five servings of fruit and vegetables. To add more to your diet, focus on adding “whole” foods, as close to their natural state as possible. For example, eat an unpeeled apple instead of drinking apple juice.

Breakfast: Add fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts to your whole grain, low-sugar breakfast cereal (such as oatmeal).

Lunch: Eat a salad filled with your favorite beans and peas or other combo of veggies. Add lettuce, tomato, and avocado to a whole grain sandwich. Have a side of carrots, sauerkraut, or fruit.

Snacks: Grab an apple or banana on your way out the door. Dip carrots, celery, cucumbers, jicama, and peppers in hummus. Keep trail mix made with nuts and dried fruit on hand.

Dinner: Add fresh or frozen veggies to your favorite pasta sauce or rice dish. Top a baked potato with broccoli, sautéed veggies, or salsa.

Dessert: Choose fruit instead of sugary desserts.

Fill up on fiber

Fiber, also called roughage or bulk, is found in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and plays a key role in keeping your digestive system clean and healthy. It helps keep cancer-causing compounds moving through your digestive tract before they can create harm. Eating a diet high in fiber may help prevent colorectal cancer and other common digestive system cancers, including stomach, mouth, and pharynx.

Choose healthy fats

Eating a diet high in fat increases your risk for many types of cancer. But healthy types of fat may actually protect against cancer.

Avoid trans fat or partially hydrogenated oil found in packaged and fried foods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza dough, French fries, fried chicken, and hard taco shells.

Limit saturated fat from red meat and dairy to no more than 10 % of your daily calories.

Add more unsaturated fats from fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, tuna, and flaxseeds can fight inflammation and support brain and heart health.

Cut down on sugar and refined carbs

Consuming refined carbs that cause rapid spikes in blood sugar has been linked to an 88% greater risk of prostate cancer, as well as other serious health problems.

Instead of sugary soft drinks, sweetened cereals, white bread, pasta and processed foods like pizza, opt for unrefined whole grains like whole wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, barley, quinoa, bran cereal, oatmeal, and non-starchy vegetables. It could lower your risk for colorectal and prostate cancer as well as help you reach a healthy weight.

Prepare your food in healthy ways

Choosing healthy food is not the only important factor in preventing cancer. It also matters how you prepare, store, and cook your food.

Boosting the cancer-fighting benefits of food

Here are a few tips that will help you get the most benefits from eating all those great cancer-fighting foods, such as fruit and vegetables:

Eat at least some raw fruits and vegetables as they tend to have the highest amounts of vitamins and minerals, although cooking some vegetables can make the vitamins more available for our body to use.

When cooking vegetables, steam only until tender. This preserves more of the vitamins. Overcooking vegetables removes many of the vitamins and minerals. If you do boil vegetables, use the cooking water in a soup or another dish to ensure you’re getting all the vitamins.

Wash all fruits and vegetables. Use a vegetable brush for washing. Washing does not eliminate all pesticide residue, but will reduce it.

Flavor food with immune-boosting herbs and spices. Garlic, ginger, and curry powder not only add flavor, but they add a cancer-fighting punch of valuable nutrients. Other good choices include turmeric, basil, rosemary, and coriander. Try using them in soups, salads, and casseroles.

Tips for cutting down on carcinogens

Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances found in food. They can form during the cooking or preserving process—mostly in relation to meat—and as foods starts to spoil. Examples of foods that have carcinogens are cured, dried, and preserved meats (e.g. bacon, sausage, beef jerky); burned or charred meats; smoked foods; and foods that have become moldy.

To reduce your exposure to carcinogens:

Do not cook oils on high heat. Low-heat cooking or baking (less than 240 degrees) prevents oils or fats from turning carcinogenic. Instead of deep-frying, pan-frying, and sautéing, opt for healthier methods such as baking, boiling, steaming, or broiling.

Go easy on the barbecue. Burning or charring meats creates carcinogenic substances. If you do choose to barbecue, don’t overcook the meat and be sure to cook at the proper temperature (not too hot).

Store oils in a cool dark place in airtight containers, as they quickly become rancid when exposed to heat, light, and air.

Avoid food that looks or smells moldy, as it likely contains aflatoxin, a strong carcinogen most commonly found on moldy peanuts. Nuts will stay fresh longer if kept in the refrigerator or freezer.

Be careful what you put in the microwave. Use waxed paper rather than plastic wrap to cover your food in the microwave. And always use microwave-safe containers.

The five worst foods to grill

• Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, grilled, well done
• Steak, grilled, well done
• Pork, barbecued
• Salmon, grilled with skin
• Hamburger, grilled, well done

Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

GMOs, pesticides, and cancer risk

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the biotech companies that engineer GMOs insist they are safe, many food safety advocates point out that these products have undergone only short-term testing to determine their effects on humans.

Some animal studies have indicated that consuming GMOs may cause certain types of cancer. Since most GMOs are engineered for herbicide tolerance, the use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has substantially increased since GMOs were introduced. Some studies have indicated that the use of pesticides even at low doses can increase the risk of certain cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. However, research into the link between GMOs, pesticides, and cancer remains inconclusive.

If you’re worried about GMOs and pesticides, buy organic or local foods

In most countries, organic crops contain no GMOs and organic meat comes from animals raised on organic, GMO-free feed. Locally grown produce is less likely to have been treated with chemicals to prevent spoilage.

Other lifestyle tips for cancer prevention

While your diet is central to preventing cancer, other healthy habits can further lower your risk:

1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight. Weight gain and being overweight or obese increases the risk of a number of cancers, including bowel, breast, prostate, pancreatic, endometrial, kidney, gallbladder, esophageal, and ovarian cancers.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. Physical activity decreases the risk of colon, endometrial, and postmenopausal breast cancer. Three 10-minute sessions work just as well, but the key is to find an activity you enjoy and make it a part of your daily life.
3. Limit alcoholic drinks. Limit consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men and one a day for women.
4. Where possible, aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, instead of trying to use supplements to protect against cancer.
5. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to be overweight as children or adults.
6. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention. Follow the recommendations for diet, healthy weight, and physical activity from your doctor or trained professional.

Source: World Cancer Research Fund International

Tanks To: https://www.helpguide.org/

Plenty of contamination is about to swallow up our surface. It seems very difficult to find something pure in these circumstances. This finding becomes much more difficult in case of pure milk since milk is the most sensitive food item that cannot be freshened for longer. But when it is about a child’s life, there is no question of compromise with the product value.

Imagine, by trying heart and soul you are able to manage some authentic milk. What do you think? Is it really harmed free and beneficial for your precious child or pregnant wife? The answer is no. Your pregnant wife or unborn baby or your growing child is not safe yet. Check the food value and the contamination of the milk otherwise all of your efforts will go in vain.
Several lac liters of milk is needed every day here in Dhaka and most of the supply comes from the nearest areas of this city. Milk spoils easily, so it becomes a high cost try to export milk from the rural area of the country. So, there have been formed many cattle farms centering the Dhaka city. Most of the cows in those farms origin from the foreign countries; they grow up in a dark and small shed without any natural touch. They are being considered nothing more than a milk producing machines in those farms.
In the breeding period, the cows of those farms require healthy and same quality foreign partners to produce a healthy generation. But the regular farmers of our country are not very interested to waste their time in finding foreign partner for the cows. So they go with the artificial way and inject the semen from the foreign cows and move forward the breeding activities. One kind of mixed cow is created with this process. But these new generation cows are born to be weak in nature compared to (Deshi) cow and cannot endure the environment. Several kinds of medicines and antibiotics are applied to the cows, many corrupt farmers also use hormone so that they look healthy and attractive. Farmers apply many other technics and feed cows specially prescribed food so that they can get more milk from these unhealthy cows. Through this process, the authentic milk becomes all same as contaminated milk.
Since this new kind of cows become easily ill, they require a strong dose of drugs. To protect them from worm and other harmful insects, powerful medicines and antibiotics are used. The effect of these medicines remains from 7 to 20 days and it could be proved as dangerous if one drink the cow milk which is collected in this period. Your children or pregnant wife may also fall into high risk if they drink this kind of milk, even your unborn child may be killed in the mother womb. But how many of us aware of these issues? We only care about the profits and the interest that make us beneficial. The situation will not be changed if we do not awake our sleeping conscience.
Pure milk can be pure but still be dangerous because contamination doesn’t only come from the outer sources. We should stay close to nature and not do such activities that go against nature. Organic farming is the best way to grow food and maybe it is the high time to start practice on it.

Inner contamination is more harmful than the outer contamination. The whole article is based on some personal experiences, if any point hit someone personally please forgive the unwilling mistakes. Let’s be aware. Take pure nutritious milk; keep yourself and your family safe.

Top 10 Healthiest Nuts and Seeds You Must eat Everyday –

1. Cashew nuts

Cashew nuts are popular around the world as nutritious and delicious nuts. The nutrients stored in it are extremely effective in maintaining good health.

Benefits

• Cashew nuts are very useful for a healthy heart. It reduces cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of heart disease
• Help to reduce the risk of diabetes
• The existing phosphorus in it ensures bone and tooth protection
• It is a good source of copper and eliminates blood deficiency
• Helps to reduce weight
• It contains advanced fiber that improves digestion and digestive function
• Its antioxidant properties prevent eye damage and protect the retina
• Beautifies the skin and prevents skin cancer

How to eat cashew nuts?

Cashew nuts can be eaten raw or roasted. It can also be served with salads or various appetizing dishes.

How to store?

Keep it in a cool and dry place.

2. Almond

There are countless benefits to this nutrient enriched nut. It contains protein, fiber, vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium, iron and magnesium.

Benefits

• Almond helps to keep heart healthy by lowering cholesterol levels.
• It contains a large amount of antioxidants, which protect the body’s cells from oxidative damage.
• Potassium and magnesium present in it regulate high blood pressure.
• This nut is a good source of magnesium, which helps reduce blood sugar.
• Its vitamin B enhances brain function and sharpens memory strength.
• The high quality fiber helps to eliminate constipation.
• Existing protein and fiber help to reduce weight by reducing the appetite
• Its mineral content ensures bone and tooth protection. Because it contains a lot of phosphorus. It also prevents osteoporosis or bone loss.
• Its vitamin E acts as an anti-aging, protecting the skin from damage.
• Strengthens the hair and stops hair loss.

How should you eat almond?

Peanuts can be eaten directly, soaked or roasted.  There will be no loss of nutritional value. You can also use it  in food dressing, salad making, in making smoothie.

How to store?

Keep it in a cool and dry place.

3. Walnut

Walnut is rich in nutrients. It contains beneficial fats, iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E and B.

Benefits

• Walnut’s Omega-3 can help to calm down, reduce stress and depression.
• Regularly eating walnuts increases digestive power.
• It has a good source of antioxidants because its vitamin E
• It reduces appetite and helps to lose weight.
• Reduces the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) and prevents various types of heart disease, stroke, heart attack.
• It contains the necessary mineral for the bone. Which strengthens the bone and works to prevent diseases such as bone loss
• Omega-3 increases memory capacity by increasing brain function
• Prevents stomach and breast cancer
• It helps to grow hair and nails. Because it has a lot of biotin and vitamin E
• Reduces roughness by increasing skin nourishment.

How to eat?

This delicious nut can be eaten as a salad, mixed as dried fruit, or roasted.

How to store?

Store in a cool and dry place.  Keep in the refrigerator for long time storage.

4. Pistachio

Pistachio has a good nutritional value. It is an excellent source of protein, fiber and antioxidants. There are potassium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, vitamin B1 and thiamine.

Benefits

• Acts as an antioxidant. So, it enhances you immunity
• It monounsaturated fat reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering the levels of cholesterol
• Healthy foods for patients with diabetes. It is able to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood
• Ideal for a weight loss diet
• Eliminates anemia. Iron and copper increase the amount of hemoglobin in the blood
• Very effective for protecting the retina of the eye. It prevents various eye diseases including cataracts in the eye and keeps the eyes good.
• Its vitamin E protects the skin from dryness by retaining moisture and protecting it from UV rays.
• It strengthens and thickens the hair

How to eat pistachio?

You can eat 6-7 pistachio nuts daily, raw or soaked in water. It can also be eaten with sweet dish.

How to store?

Store in a dry and cool place. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

5. Peanut

Peanuts are the most popular and nutritious nut.  A handful of nuts is enough to keep the body free from various diseases.

Benefits

• It keeps cholesterol levels under control
• Nuts can prevent diabetes. It reduces the amount of sucrose in the blood.
• Helps to reduce excess weight. It fulfills the body’s vital fat needs
• Having a high amount of vitamin B3 improves brain function. With that, the capacity of memory increases
• Reduces the risk of stomach cancer
• Immunization is increased by eating peanut regularly
• Eliminates acne and increases the brightness of the skin
• The vitamin E present in it nourishes the hair and strengthens it

 How to eat Peanut?

Peanut can be consumed either raw or fried. Peanut can be served by blending with milk or with sweet flavoured foods.

How to store?

Store in a dry and cool place.

6. Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin Seed is famous for its super-healthy ingredients. Its protein, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and copper help to keep the body disease-free.

Benefits

• Its calcium plays a role in bone formation. Its magnesium and zinc work to prevent various diseases including osteoporosis
• It eliminates the problem of irregular sleep and ensures a good sleep
• A large amount of magnesium is found in this seed. Which is able to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood
• Helps to reduce weight. Pumpkin Seed keeps the stomach full for long, thus reducing the tendency of hunger
• Its omega-3, omega-6, antioxidant and fiber reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• During pregnancy, it is beneficial for the health of both the mother and the fetus
• Acts as an antioxidant
• Prevents breast and bladder cancer
• Increases the quality and quantity of sperm

How to eat pumpkin seeds?

It can be eaten under normal conditions as per preference.  Many people like to mix it with other nuts and seeds as well.

How to store

Store in a dry and cool place.

7. Chia seed

Chia seed is one of the nutritious seed. This tiny seed is quite popular among health-conscious people.

Benefits

• Blessed with high level of antioxidant properties
• Able to meet the demand for protein in the body
• It is a good source of calcium, phosphorus and protein, which helps to protect bones
• Controlling diabetes by lowering sugar levels in the blood
• Helps reduce weight loss and reduce appetite
• Makes the skin look beautiful and healthy

How to eat chia seed?

Chia seeds can be eaten with salads, juices or oats. This seed can be eaten any way you like.

How to store?

Keep in a cool and dry place.

8. Sunflower seeds

Sunflower Seed is one of the world-renowned super foods. It contains many nutrients that are beneficial to health.

Benefits

• Increases digestive power and eliminates constipation
• Controls cholesterol. This reduces the risk of heart disease such as heart attack or stroke
• Useful for diabetics. It helps to lower the amount of sugar in the blood
• The calcium contained in it strengthens the bones
• It keeps the stomach full for a long time. In this way, weights are easier to control
• Keeping the brain cool and relieves stress and depression. It will help to get rid of problems like anxiety attacks
• Reduces the aging effect of the skin

How to eat sunflower seeds?

You can chew and eat normally.  You can eat it with salad.

How to store

Store in a cool and dark place.

9. Flax seeds

This seed is full of endless nutrients.  Its reputation both in health and beauty is worldwide.

Benefits

• Because of the high amount of lignin, it plays an effective role in preventing cancer. Helps to prevent breast, anal and skin cancer
• Brain performance increases rapidly. Thus memory power intensifies
• According to experts, it helps reduce high blood pressure
• Reduces the amount of sugar in the blood. So it can be a healthy and effective diet for diabetes patients.
• Its healthy fiber helps in digestion
• Helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body significantly
• Eliminates excess hunger and contributes to weight loss
• Its Omega-3 enhances the brightness of the skin and eliminates wrinkles. Removing the skin’s acne and dullness, maintains the appearance of the skin
• Serves as a hair conditioner. Strengthen the hair from root

How to eat flax Seed?

How you eat flax seed depends entirely on your own preferences. This seed can be served as drinks. Again, you can mix it with salad or with yogurt.

How to store

Store in a cool and dry place.

10. Watermelon seeds

Watermelon Seed is currently receiving widespread acceptance for healthcare. It contains important vitamins and minerals including sugars, amino acids and fatty acids.

Benefits

• Ensures cardiovascular health and lowers the risk of heart disease
• Folate and iron along with vitamin B complex, Increasing immunity in body
• The zinc present in it increases the quality of sperm in men. So, the male reproductive power is increased
• Watermelon Seed is very effective in reducing blood sugar in diabetics
• Increases Brain Performance
• Very useful for kidney and urinary problems

How to eat watermelon seeds?

Watermelon can be served as a nutritious breakfast.  You can also eat like any seeds or nuts.

How to store?

Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.