Controlling the Risk of Cancer through Diet

An entire website would not be adequate enough to hold all the information available today concerning nutritional needs of cancer patients. It has been shown there are clear advantages to eating certain foods when you have been diagnosed with cancer.

Add to that, there is a tremendous array of foods, vitamins and mineral supplements that have been studied and shown to offer benefits to cancer patients. Presenting all these choices would be extensive.

Therefore, we will present for you the very basic dietary needs; if you have been diagnosed with cancer, if you are simply scared of getting cancer, or if your family has a history of cancer and you just want to be “safe.”

First of all, if you are morbidly obese, you need to talk to your doctor about going on a diet. People who are obese are in line for health issues including cancer.

If you smoke, or drink on a regular basis, this too becomes a risk in the cancer arena. So start by making the smart choices for your life.

Studies have shown that low-fat diets decrease the risk of developing cancer. A diet that is rich in fiber includes several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Whole grains have been shown to arm the body in the fight against cancer cells.

There are in existence today three standard nutritional diet therapies that are used for people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Let’s take a look at what they are:

Wheatgrass Therapy - The main part of the diet is made up of wheatgrass and other raw foods.
Macrobiotic Diet - A traditional Japanese diet high in whole grains and vegetables, where fish is the main staple.
Moerman Regimen- a meatless diet consisting of high fiber foods and natural supplements.

Green tea is being recognized as possessing properties such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate that has been found to cut off the passage of blood vessels that go directly to cancerous tumors.

A diet rich in grains, nuts, seeds, brown rice and Millet cereal would be beneficial. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. They didn’t have fast-food restaurants on every corner and had to subsist off of what nature gave them, not what man
provided for them. We retain that same genetic code in our bodies.

The beneficial vegetables are: Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, spinach, broccoli. Any of the deep yellow and dark green vegetables.

Fresh fruit. Steer away from the processed fruit too much sugar. If you buy jellies or jams reach for the sugar-free varieties.

Onions and garlic help enhance your immune system. Crushed garlic is particularly effective because it contains the cancer fighting component allyl sulfide.

Get juiced! Buy a juicer and experiment. Drink beet juice, carrot juice, cabbage juice, even asparagus juice.

Stay away from junk food. There is a reason it is called junk food, and it does nothing for your body. Junk food may temporarily stimulate you. You need to limit how much junk food you eat, or better yet, stay away from junk food entirely.

Avoid caffeine if you have to drink tea, drink the herbal teas.

Cut down on dairy foods and stay away from luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, pork chops. Analyze your diet to see where you are lacking. Consult a dietician or a nutritionist.

Look into the healing aspects of herbs. You can order books off the internet or through your local bookstore that explore the healing properties of cranberry, dandelion, fennel, green tea, licorice and other delightful herbs that will make a good addition to every home-cooked meal.

Stop eating out!

Start taking control of your life and your pocket book. Invest in cookbooks (if you don’t know how to cook) and begin to prepare your meals at home. Get the benefits of knowing what you are cooking, what goes into it and how much preservatives you use.

Avoid stress. Take time for you! Whether it is just a short walk in the woods, or curling up in the corner with your favorite book. Do what benefits you the most. Take care of yourself and pay attention to what your body needs to stay healthy.