- Make healthy choices. Choose healthy foods like whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread.
- Increase your fiber intake. An increased fiber intake has been found to protect against colon cancer - presumably because it speeds up elimination of waste through the bowels.
- Choose a Mediterranean Diet. A mediterranean diet is a diet that derives about 40 percent of its calories from healthy fat and about half from complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables, combined with daily exercise, could promote health and reduce premature death. (So-called healthy fats are found in such foods as olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fish.). Several studies have found a clear association between the western lifestyle and an increased risk of cancers. A high intake of fat, meat and dairy products has been found to be particularly detrimental. Whereas, An increased consumption of fruit and vegetables has been found to have a protective effect against lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, mouth cancer, cervical cancer, and stomach cancer. Just recently a large Harvard study concluded that people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil and fish have at least a 25 percent reduced risk of dying from heart disease and cancer. 'In the past, when scientists talked about the Mediterranean diet, they usually talked about cardiovascular benefits. New research demonstrates the better the Mediterranean diet, the lower the cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. The recent Harvard study involved 22,043 adults, ages 20 to 86, who live in Greece; people with diabetes and known heart disease were excluded. The findings echo the results of smaller studies, including the Lyon Diet Heart Study in Franc e, that have hinted at health benefits of the Mediterranean lifestyle. In the Lyon trial, researchers randomly assigned 605 people diagnosed with heart disease to either follow a Mediterranean-style diet or the American Heart Association diet, which has about 30 percent of calories from fat, including 10 or less from saturated fat. In this study, people assigned to the Mediterranean group were encouraged to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish, to cut back on red meat and to use olive oil instead of butter and cream. The study found that the Mediterranean diet group suffered 73 percent fewer heart attacks or other heart-related problems and had 70 percent fewer deaths than those on the heart association diet.
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. A diet high in fruits and vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of various types of cancer.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. While a diet high in most kinds of fat is linked to a higher risk of cancer and other health problems, there is an exception. Omega-3 fatty acids — a type of fat found in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel — appear to reduce the risk of certain cancers. Several studies have shown an inverse relationship between blood levels of fish oils (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and the risk of certain cancers.
- Limit sweets and salt. Heavily Processed foods and excessive salt is associated with cancer and heart disease.
- Limit the smokey, salty, fried and pickled foods. The consumption of charred, smoked, salted, fried and pickled foods is associated with stomach cancer and esophageal cancer.
- Avoid high-fat foods. Cancer rates vary greatly from one country to another, with the highest rates appearing in countries where people tend to eat a lot of fat. A high fat intake is associated with colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, endometrium cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer and thyroid cancer.. These cancers are also associated with obesity. A diet high in saturated fats (such as animal fats found in red meat) may pose the greatest risk.
- Drink green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants such as polyphenols that may help prevent certain cancers and other health problems.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol consumption is implicated in breast cancer, rectal cancer, oral cancer, esophageal cancer. Moderate consumptIon generally, this means no more than two drinks a day for men.
- Choose red wine over white wine. Red wines are rich in phytochemicals, which act as antioxidants, thus possibly preventing cancer. Red wine has more anti-cancer properties because the skin is maintained during the wine making process. When white wine is being made, their skin are removed before they are crushed. They are not when making red wine.
