What to Eat and What Not to Reduce Cancer Risks?

What is cancer? A brief history of cancer? How to reduce cancer risks?

Before we go into techniques to reduce cancer risks, let us briefly touch upon the history of cancer. Cancer is a deadly disease called the ‘silent killer‘ and tolls millions of people around the world and reported as 2nd most dangerous disease in the world. Today many are suffering with cancer on the globe. Even animals are not  exempted from cancer disease, with some exceptions. 

Cancer in simple terms is  excess cell growth in the body, no matter in which part of the body, is prone to cancer.  Cancer first detected ways back to 3000 BC in Egypt ( not named as cancer ). The origin of the word cancer coined to the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC),  the “Father of Medicine’. (Source:http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancerbasics/thehistoryofcancer/the-history-of-cancer-what-is-cancer )

Surprisingly there is a rumour that sharks does not develop cancer cells. Is it a myth or reality?

non cancerous species

Types of cancer:

All most every letter in english alphabet is associated with a cancer disease. The list is very big and endless. To list a few

  • Adrenal cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Cancer in children
  • Eye cancer
  • Gastrointestinal cancer
  • Hodgkin disease
  • Kidney cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Mesothelioma
  • Nasal Cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Retinoblastoma
  • Skin cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Uterine Sarcoma
  • Vaginal cancer
  • Wilms’ tumor

More at List of Cancer Types

How to reduce cancer risks?

Even though cancer is a deadly disease one can prevent them in many ways. If cancer can not be prevented one can lower the cancer risks by simple techniques, allowable and advisable.

  • Avoid smoking: If you have smoking habit sop it at once. No trials, no substitutes, no alternatives. Nothing is more important than a healthy living and keep in mind that, one must stop smoking at once if one want to reduce cancer risks. 

A study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2010 found that smokers who cut back from about 20 cigarettes per day to less than 10 per day reduced their lung cancer risk by 27%. It’s a good first step, but don’t stop there; quit completely for your health’s sake. -WebMD

  •  Overweight is another cause for cancer apart from heart diseases. So the simple and effective solution is reduce weight. Turn to nutritious food and avoid fatty and oily food. Do proper exercise. Do not over exercise. It is not a wise advice. Yoga and meditation will improve physical activities. Six pack exercises is not a better solution. A simple half an hour swift walk, another half an hour yoga will give better results.
  • It is a better practice to eat food containing lycopene (watermelon and tomatoes), that reduce cancer risks, especially prostate cancer.  
  • Scientists have discovered that eating potatoes and cabbage can help reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer. It found that people who eat a large amount of white vegetables, such as onions and cauliflower, were a third less likely to develop it than those who did not eat them. But the risk was increased through beers, spirits, salt and preserved food. Reduce cancer risks

 

Different varieties of potato on display at the Chelsea FLower Show

  • Alcohol, especially ‘red wine’ in small doses is some times recommended for heart disease but there is no compromise on alcohol for cancer. There are many better ways to keep the heart healthy without red wine consumption. So avoid drinks totally. 
  • Hereditary or family history is one most important reason for cancer disease. If you have a family history of cancer, please consult your family physician occasionally. 
  • Small doses of aspirin is another suggestion to prevent cancer. As like any other medicines aspirin has side effects like stomach bleeding and irritation. 

Take doctors advise for all the above techniques. Do not-self medicate

  • Avoid indoor tanning beds and exposing to sun lamps. Never expose to sun for  long hours.

Resources: 

http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/

http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types