Superfoods to Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Food has a significant impact on health, particularly when it comes to cancer risk. Research has shown that certain foods increase your risk of getting cancer, while others decrease cancer risk. To reduce your risk of getting cancer, and many other serious diseases, including fatty fish, walnuts, legumes, cruciferous vegetables, and fruits rich in antioxidants such as berries in your daily diet.
Let us look at how these foods aid in reducing the risk of cancer:
1. Walnuts
Many types of nuts can help women fight breast cancer. Eating about two ounces of nuts every day for at least two weeks reduces the risk of breast cancer development and its growth. Nuts also reduce the risk of acquiring cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Replace refined grains and processed meat with nuts to lower inflammation, which is related to cancer risk.
2. Fatty fish
This includes herring, tuna, salmon, mackerel, and anchovies. The fish have omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D that help in lowering your risk of cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids are also said to prevent the advancement of cancer. Try and have at least two servings per week of any of these fish to obtain your dietary requirement of omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty acids are mainly credited with reducing the risk of prostate cancer and follicular lymphoma. You can also obtain omega-3 from flaxseed.
3. Cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables that fall under this category include cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli. These vegetables play a significant role in fighting cancer as they contain components that protect the body from DNA cell-damaging free radicals. The vegetables also protect you from chemicals that cause cancer, slow tumor growth, and kill cancer cells. Vegetables are a healthy and tasty addition to any anti-cancer diet.
4. Berries
These are a tasty treat that’s hard to beat. They contain potent antioxidants, which mean that they halt naturally occurring processes that create cell-damaging free radicals. The fruits also contain compounds that prevent the growth or spread of cancer. There are a variety of these fruits to choose from, such as strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Choose one from this large group of healing fruits.
5. Legumes
Beans have high fiber content, which is essential in preventing colorectal cancer. Red kidney and pinto beans have high contents of antioxidants, and you should consume them often in your anti-cancer diet. Eat beans a few times a week to boost your fiber intake, thus lowering your chances of developing cancer.
Cancer is treated in many ways depending on your type of cancer and how far it has progressed. Some patients only require one type of treatment, while others need a combination of treatments. For example, HER2 MBC treatment is done through hormonal therapy, a treatment that stops or slows the growth of prostate and breast cancers that rely on hormones to advance. Other examples of cancer treatment include chemotherapy, which uses drugs to eliminate cancer cells, and radiotherapy, which uses radiation in high doses to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.