Cancer and your Diet – Eat to live! |
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Cancer fighting foods
Our diet plays a major role in maintaining our health. There is a long list of foods that contributes to the development of, and also the prevention of cancer. Cancer is basically a physiological state where the there is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal tissues in the body. In severe cases, cancer growth causes organ failure and a host of other diseases and illnesses.
So what causes cancer? Research has shown that the exposure of body cells to chemicals and unnatural substances can lead to cell mutation. Other causes of cancer include viruses, bacteria, genetic tendencies and an unhealthy lifestyle. A study has also shown that cancer cells thrive in acidic environments and high sugar levels.
Generally, when it comes to our diet, the less free-radicals we consume the better. Fried and grilled foods have high levels of free-radicals, which when accumulated in high levels in our body, can cause cancer. Examples of such foods are French fries and barbequed or grilled meat. Steam and baked dishes make far healthier choices. The rule of thumb is the less processed the food, the better. Pickled, smoked and cured foods are extremely unhealthy as they promote abnormal cell growth. The consumption of alcohol and smoking also dramatically increases your risk of developing cancer.
Fortunately, there is also a wide array of cancer-fighting foods that you can stock up to stay healthy.Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables that you can consume because besides preventing cancer, it also helps you loose weight and helps develop a healthy complexion. Broccoli is high in chemicals such as glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that interferes the development of cancer cells. These chemicals are excellent in guarding against most forms of cancer.
The consumption of garlic is also extremely potent in preventing cancer. Garlic has always been a wonderful addition to anything we cook as they add delicious aromas and flavors to the dish. Nevertheless, there is a way to cook garlic to maximize the benefits of its anti-cancer compounds. Before we cook garlic, it is best to chop it up and leave it to air for about ten to fifteen minutes. Dunking garlic straight to the frying pan without the airing process destroys the cancer fighting agents.
Antioxidants, which are found in most fruits and vegetables, prevent the build-up of free radicals in the body (which eventually leads to cancer). Green teas and berries are two examples of sources with high levels of antioxidants. Green tea is packed with antimutagenic compounds that prevents and stop the growth of tumors in the body. Green teas are excellent alternatives to coffee as they are very low in caffeine that will also help improve your sleeping patterns.
Berries, such as strawberries and blueberries are also high in antioxidants. Research at Harvard has shown that people who love and consume lots of strawberries decreases their risk of developing cancer by 70%.
Tomatoes are another popular anti-cancer food. Lycopene, a compound found in tomatoes, is very potent in getting rid of free radicals and is also effective in fighting prostate and breast cancer. It is recommended that you consume tomato purees as one tablespoon of tomato puree is made from twenty tomatoes. When consuming tomatoes, cook them with a little olive oil to increase the absorption of lycopene compounds.
Photo Credit: mccun934
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This post deals with:abnormal cell growth, abnormal tissues, baked dishes, body cells, cancer cancer, cancer cells, cancer deaths, cancer fighting foods, cancer growth, causes of cancer, free radicals, glucosinolates, healthiest vegetables, high sugar levels, isothiocyanates, organ failure, physiological state, unhealthy lifestyle, unnatural substances
... and focuses on:Nutrition
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