SIX STRATEGIES
Moffitt Cancer Center’s director of cancer chemoprevention, Nagi Kumar, who also is a registered dietitian and director of nutrition research at Moffitt, developed a list of strategies most of us can adopt to reduce the risk of cancer or a recurrence of the disease after treatment.
1. Get a daily dose of phytochemicals
Found in plants, they show great promise in preventing cancer and heart disease and in helping control diabetes. More than 70 combinations of these plant chemicals target specific cancer-causing pathways in our cells. Get 10 servings a day from Kumar’s list of super fruits and vegetables, which includes mangoes, oranges, papaya, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries and watermelon.
2. Tap into the power of protein
Protein is essential for the repair and maintenance of most systems in the body, especially the making of antibodies, our natural disease fighters. Choose 6 to 8 ounces a day of high-quality proteins such as eggs, milk, rice, beans, lean meats, fish, poultry and corn. Lean cuts of meat include top round, eye of round, tenderloin, sirloin and filet. Avoid processed and charred meats. Pay particular attention to omega-3-rich fats found in salmon, cod, halibut, eggs, walnuts, flax, canola, soy and pumpkin seeds, which suppress inflammation and may contribute to cancer prevention.
3. Include probiotics and prebiotics
Probiotics, or good bacteria in the digestive tract, help absorb phytochemicals, support the immune system and inactivate cancer-causing substances. They are found in fermented yogurts and other cultured milk products. Prebiotics are complex sugars found in high-fibre foods such as beans, lentils and nuts. They ferment and stimulate growth of useful bacteria while suppressing growth and activity of harmful organisms. Boost probiotic activity with tofu, Japanese miso, tempeh, kefir, bananas, garlic and onions. Try to include three or four sources of probiotics and prebiotics a day.
4. Get purposeful physical activity
Exercise has been shown to promote healthy body weight, bones, muscles and joints and to help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, colon and breast cancers and possibly prostate, lung and endometrial cancers. Get 45 minutes of purposeful, sustained physical activity a day.
5. Pass on tobacco and protect yourself from the sun
Most skin cancer is preventable if you avoid sunbathing, tanning beds and unnecessary sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Use sunscreen liberally, and reapply it frequently; cover up with clothing and wear a broad-brimmed hat and UV-protective sunglasses. Tobacco use is associated with at least 10 different cancers, and chewing tobacco and snuff with three cancers. Seventy per cent of lung cancers are associated with smoking alone. Second-hand smoke is a known cause of lung cancer in non-smoking adults. If you use tobacco, quit.
6. Screen and vaccinate on schedule
Screening tests for lung, melanoma, breast, colon and other cancers can help with early detection, making treatment easier and cure possible. Ask your doctor about available screening tests, especially if you’re at high risk for cancer and other health conditions. Also, discuss the HPV vaccine for adolescents and young adults to prevent skin warts and sexually transmitted cancers.