About Cancer

Cancer is one of man's most feared diseases because of its devastating effect in all aspects of a patient's life. Until now there is no definite cancer cure. Every year millions of dollars are put into cancer research in hope of finding a cure to the different kinds of cancer. Anti-cancer vaccines and drugs have been created but these vaccines and drugs are not the ultimate cure for cancer. Since the cure for cancer is still ongoing, many doctors and cancer experts are recommending individuals to focus on preventing the occurrence of this disease. After all, as the old adage says 'prevention is better than cure.' Lifestyle changes such as having a healthy diet and an active lifestyle are recommended. Both Western and oriental medicine agree that eating healthy foods will definitely help in the prevention of cancer. In addition, some experts have come up with anti-cancer diets to prevent cancer.

Cancer and diet are closely related because it is believed that many foods can cause cancer especially colon cancer. Hence, many doctors recommend individuals especially those with family history of cancer to have healthy eating habits. Many people think that anti-cancer diets are the same as a vegetarian diet which is why many are reluctant to try them. This is not true. There are many kinds of cancer prevention diets which includes various kinds of food.

One of the best ways to prevent cancer is to limit intake of foods high in saturated fat. Saturated fat has low density lipoproteins (LDL) which can boost the growth of tumor cells. In addition, when a person eats foods rich in fat, the liver produces bile to help digest the fat. Too much bile in the large intestine will be converted into apholic acid which is a known carcinogen. Having a low-fat diet does not mean you should not eat meat and other foods which contains fat. It means that individuals should limit their daily intake of fat. Avoid foods which contain hydrogenated fats such as fast foods because these are carcinogenic because of their high saturated fat content. Many doctors recommend fat intake should only be 20 percent or less of the total food calories. In addition, eat foods which are rich in omega 3 fatty acids because it has been proven that these foods actually have anticancer properties. Seafood, legumes, vegetable oils such as olive oil and canola oil are high in omega 3. These are anti-cancer foods.

Another anticancer diet is the high intake of raw fruits and vegetables. Among the many anti-cancer diets, this is one of the highly recommended cancer fighting diet. It has been established that eating raw fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk of all kinds of cancer. Fruits and vegetables contain natural carcinogen blocking agents such as indols, phenols, isothiocyanates, flavones and cumines. The cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, mustard greens and broccoli should be a part of the diet since they can decrease cancer risk significantly.

Colon cancer is one the most common cancer. To prevent its occurrence, a high fiber diet is advised by many cancer experts. Fiber can promote a faster bowel movement which decreases potential contact between carcinogens and the intestine. Fiber also absorbs bile which can also become a carcinogen when it stays in the large intestines for a long time. In addition, fiber also promotes the growth of good bacteria which can also prevent development of cancer. Foods rich in fiber are legumes, whole wheat, beans, whole grains and prunes. The Breuss cancer diet is also very good for colon cancer. This diet emphasizes the use or raw fruit and vegetable juices. Many people who tried the Breuss cancer diet can attest to its effectiveness.

People who cannot imagine becoming vegetarians should not worry. There are many anti-cancer diets which are not wholly plant-based. Although a plant-based diet is the best diet for cancer prevention, eating meat and seafood is still an option. However, red meat should be avoided. Eat lean meat as much as possible. In addition, if possible avoid red meat and eat seafood instead. Lean meat contains less saturated fat. Sea food as mentioned above is rich in omega 3 which can decrease the risk of cancer and prevent heart diseases as well.