gethealthy

This is the second part of the five part series on the anti-cancer diet.  It is unfortunate the lack of emphasis on the importance of a healthy diet in America.  I used to conduct surveys and one project I did was for when the FDA was preparing to alter the food guide pyramid.  I got to call people and ask them a myriad of questions pertaining to their health and what they knew about proper health and health terms.  Needless to say, I was shocked at the amount of people who knew nothing….and I mean nothing about a healthy diet.  Most of them had no idea how to read a nutrition label or what any of that information even meant.

Anyhow….today we are going to start off with the importance of fiber and fruits and vegetables in the diet.

It is important to Increase your Fiber Intake: In many studies between food and cancer there is unmistakable evidence that there is a relation between a high fiber diet and  a lower incidence of colorectal cancer.  Fiber is important it works to move carcinogens and general waste through intestines faster.  This means that carcinogens spend less time contacting the intestinal walls.  If the intestines have less exposure to the carcinogens the risk for cancer is lower.

Fiber also binds carcinogens together, to keep them from touching the intestinal wall.  Fiber is also important for absorbing bile acids, which prevents them from reacting with bacteria to create fecapentanes, which are the cancerous particles that are created by rotting food laying within the colon.   There are approximately 20 of these substances that can mutate cells in the colon, turning them into cancerous cells.

Fiber also promotes the development of healthy bacteria within the intestines.  These healthy bacteria  push out the unhealthy bacteria.  A diet high in fiber appears to be protective against cancer in those with a hereditary risk of having precancerous colorectal polyps. In a recent study, people with a high risk for getting colorectal cancer, ate 13 grams of wheat bran fiber every day for 8 weeks, exhibited a decrease in growth of precancerous cells in the colon.

A high fiber diet has also shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.  It works to bind estrogen in the bowels, reducing the effect the estrogen can have on breast tissue cells.

Based on important findings, it is suggested that you consume no less than 25 grams of fiber per day.  The best sources for anticancer fiber are: wheat bran, kidney beans, garbanzo beans,  navy beans, whole wheat, whole grains, legumes, whole grain bread, and prunes.

EAT YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES:  Hundreds of studies that were exploring the link between diet and cancer have concluded that consuming more fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for a variety of cancers.   Consuming more fruits and vegetables can also lessen your desire for fatty foods, which can increase the risk of cancer.  In addition, plants also contain a substance called phytochemicals. These substances may be helpful in your bodies ability to fight cancer.  There are 5 major classes of compounds that can be found in fruits and vegetables that are natural carcinogen blocking agents:

Phenols, Indols,Flavones, Cumines, an Isothiocyanates.

These substances help prevent carcinogens from getting to critical target sites inside a cells.

The type of vegetables most noted for their importance in reducing the risk of cancer are the cruciferous vegetables: broccoli,  cabbage, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, kale, and cauliflower.  This particular class of vegetables contain 3 biochemicals that protect against cancer: sulforaphane, which helps boost the immune system and blocks enzymes that attract carcinogens to healthy cells; nitrosamines, which prevent the creation of carcinogens in the intestines; and indoles, which reduce the risk of breast cancer.  It has been estimated that eating large amounts of cruciferious vegetables could lessen the risk of developing breast and colon cancer by 40%.