Cancer Fighting Foods
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MAJOR CANCER CAUSING FACTORS
Cancer is principally caused by environmental factors of which the most important are poor diet and factors related to diet including obesity and physical inactivity; tobacco; exposure to chemicals and radiation; and infections.
Environmental Factors
Three major factors have drastically disrupted our environment leading to widespread cancer growth and other disease over the last 50-60 years;
(i) The addition of large quantities of highly refined sugar and starch and energy-dense and fat-laden processed junk foods. It is no wonder that upto 60% of our energy requirement (calories) today comes from refined sugar, refined flour (starch) and vegetable oils/transfats that were non-existent when our genes were developing. For example, our genes developed in an environment where one person consumed at most 2 kg of honey a year. But sugar consumption had risen to a shocking 70 kg by the end of the 20th century.
(ii) Changes in the methods of farming with harmful insecticides and pesticides and consumption of meat and other products derived from animals raised by use of hormones and other chemical substances; and
(iii) exposure to large numbers of chemical products in food, beverages and the environment. It so happens that these three factors contain none of the healthy carbohydrates and proteins, vitamins, minerals and Omega-3 essential fatty acid needed to keep our bodies functioning in a healthy way. On the other hand these three factors directly fuel the growth of cancer.
Poor Diet
It is estimated that in U.K. major causes of cancer are dietary factors (35%) and tabacco (30%). Sunlight accounts for 10% of cancers, viruses 7%, occupational factors 4%, alocohol 3% and radiation 1%. Genetic mutations and other factors account for the remaining 10% of cancers. Highly energy-dense, fat-laden, refined and processed junk foods with harmful chemical additives can depress the immune system and provide conducive inflammatory environment for the birth and growth of all types of cancers in any part of the human body. Consumption of red meat and animal fat products possibly promote cancer at several sites like cancer of the colon and rectum, pancreas, breast, prostate and kidneys, lungs and endometrium (womb lining). A study has found that a common chemical called ‘acrylamide’ caused by frying, roasting or grilling a food substance can double the risk of cancer. It revealed that this chemical is also found in foods such as bread, breakfast cereals, coffee and also in meat, fish and potatoes which had been fried, baked roasted, grilled or barbecued and possibly increases the risk of cancers of the stomach, colon and rectum, ovaries and womb.
