Unfortunately, only 40 percent of cancers in the United States can be preventable. However, giving up on the unhealthy habits in your life might help you see more clearly the light at the end of the tunnel. Your diet should be the first major change in your life, especially when you are a cancer patient. The way you eat and what you eat have a significant impact on your overall health.
“Avoiding tobacco, healthful eating habits, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight are the most important ways you can reduce your cancer risk,” says Karen Collins, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in nutrition for cancer prevention and heart health. “Diet has potential to influence many stages of cancer development.”
“Healthy eating patterns can reduce DNA damage by supporting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defenses, influencing carcinogen activation and deactivation and DNA repair,” she says in reference to a recent report.
“Beyond that, nutrients and natural plant compounds (phytocompounds) and overall calorie balance can influence cell signaling, hormones, gene expression, and immune function that regulate growth, reproduction, and destruction of cancer cells. These nutrients and compounds don’t act alone, but together as part of overall eating habits and overall lifestyle choices,” she added.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the best cancer-fighting diets!
