Preventing Cancer with Diet: Part 2

As a result of the huge interest in my first blog on “Preventing Cancer Through Diet”, I thought it was in everyone’s best interest continue to discussion…

For starters, did you know that ginger root has strong anti-inflammatory properties and may even reduce your risk of cancer?! Inflammation in the arteries and body is what most often causes free radicals, which lead to cancer.  You can picture free radicals as red hot particles bouncing around inside a cell burning anything they come into contact with such as your DNA, cell membranes and proteins in the cytoplasm. 

Now, researchers at the University School of Medicine have discovered that people who consumed 2 grams of dried ginger powder extract daily for a month, experienced a significant reduction in colon inflammation. Note that chronic inflammation has been highly associated with developing precancerous lesions, or cancerous polyps. Although you would need to eat 2 -3 tablespoons of fresh chopped ginger root a day to achieve these benefits, smaller amounts may also be helpful for those with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or arthritis.

In 1997, the American Institute for Cancer Research [1], in collaboration with its international affiliate- the World Cancer Research Fund issued a major international report called “Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective.” Just to show that there was no bias in the study, it is important that I mention the report analyzed more than 4,500 research studies. Furthermore, the production of the report involved the participation of more than 120 contributors and peer reviewers.

What shocked me after reading this report was that 60 -70% of all cancers can be prevented by staying physically active, not smoking AND following the reports number one dietary recommendation: “Chose predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, legumes, and minimally processed starched staple foods.”

The study also included a panel of 15 of the world’s leading researchers in diet and cancer. What they found was astounding! Of the 200 case-controlled studies that were reviewed on the link between fruits /veggies and cancer, 78% showed a statistically protective effect in regards to many kinds of cancer!!! Only 22% showed no significant link. None showed an increase of cancer with consumption of these foods.

Researcher published in the British Medical Journal  [2] and in the Journal of Epidemiology [3] has also found that cancer rates for vegetarians are 20 -50% less than those of the general population –even after controlling for smoking, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. Researchers have also found that the likelihood of a vegetarian reaching the age of 80 is 1.8 times greater than that to the general population- even after adjusting for smoking. [4,5]

So the conclusion here is to eat fruits and vegetables. Simple.

References

1.      1. World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, 1997.

2.      2.  Thorogood, M., et al., “Risk of Death from Cancer and Ischaemic Heart Disease in Meat and Non-Meat Eaters,” British Medical Journal 308 (1994): 1667-70.

3.      3. Chang-Claude, J., et al., “Mortality Pattern of German Vegetarians after 11 Years of Follow-Up,” Epidemiology 3 (1992): 395-401.

4.      4. Key, T.J.A., et al., “Dietary Habits and Mortality in 11,000 Vegetarians and Health Conscious People: Results of a 17-Year Follow Up,” British Medical Journal 313 (1996): 755-9

5.       5. Key, T., et al., “Mortality in Vegetarians and Non Vegetarians: Detailed Findings from a Collaborative Analysis of 5 Prospective Studies,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70 (1995): 516S-24S.

© new wave ideas -Sara Bonham