When it seems that “everything causes cancer,” what can you do? Dance!
“Cancer is preventable,” U.K. doctor Philip James said. Dancing, playing tennis or any other physical activity is key to his cancer-prevention prescription, based on five years of scrutinizing more than 7,000 research studies with a team of top scientists.
The cancer-fighting power of doable dietary changes and exercise is revealed in “Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective,” released Wednesday (somewhat ironically on Halloween) by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.
Dispelling the mass misconception that most cancers result from factors beyond our control, the report reveals specific ways to drastically cut your cancer risk at any age.
Genetics plays a key role, but individuals can markedly cut cancer risk. In other words, nature deals the cards, but we choose how to play them.
“Convincing decreased risk” factors — those demonstrating protective effects — include your choice of physical activity and eating mainly vegetables, fruits and plant-based foods. Both of these ward off excess body fat — confirmed in the new report to increase risk for colon, kidney and other cancers.
Since the disease develops over many years, parents can take practical steps to protect their children from birth, since breastfeeding turns out to reduce risk in both mothers and children. Everyone in the family can cut cancer risk by reaching for fresh seasonings in place of salt and for budget-friendly water or tea instead of sugar-laden drinks — now fingered in the report as a “convincing increased risk.”
And you can stop stressing over supplements; the experts concluded they didn’t live up to cancer-fighting claims. Put the savings into new dance shoes, tennis rackets, or your favorite scrumptious fruit.
Cancer-Fighting tips:
» Dance, play tennis … get active your way each day.
» Fill up on veggies, especially nonstarchy types like leafy greens and cruciferous choices such as broccoli and bok choy.
» Say yes to some processed foods: Tomato sauce, paste and juice are great sources of natural protective compounds.
» Treat yourself to carotenoid-rich watermelon, papaya, guava, tomatoes and grapefruit.
» Indulge in vitamin C powerhouses from flavorful berries to citrus fruits.
» Grapes and grape juice are G-rated sources of resveratrol. Also found in red wine, this natural plant chemical has shown to prevent damage that triggers cancer growth.
» Blueberries contain some of the most potent antioxidants.
» Garlic appears to slow tumor growth in prostate, bladder, colon and stomach tissue.
» Beans contain phytochemicals thought to protect cells from genetic damage linked to cancer … fiber linked to lower risk of colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancers … and saponins, which appear to inhibit cancer cell reproduction of cancer cells and slow tumor growth.
» Flaxseed, in several studies, inhibited formation of colon, breast, skin and lung tumors.
New report recommendations for cancer prevention:
1. Get and stay lean as possible within your normal body weight range.
2. Exercise daily, starting with 30 minutes working up to 60.
3. Avoid sugary drinks and limit consumption of energy-dense foods. [high-calorie foods]
4. Eat mostly vegetables, fruits and other plant foods.
5. Limit red meat to under 11 ounces weekly and avoid processed meats.
5. Limit alcoholic drinks to two a day for men, one for women.
7. Cut back on salt and cured foods.
8. Meet nutritional needs through foods, not dietary supplements.
9. Breastfeeding offers protective effects for mother and baby alike.
10. Cancer survivors — follow the diet, weight and exercise recommendations above.
