by Ellaine Castillo
Many people believe that having a healthy organic diet helps decrease the risk of certain diseases. A recent study helped prove that claim, establishing that a healthy diet can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 65 percent.
For the lead author, Dr. Ashish Deshmukh of the University of Florida, the study findings reveal that it is important that a person’s total diet remain balanced, rather than focusing on specific nutritional components. This means that a person’s diet must contain different nutrients derived from various sources, such as vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Apart from this, the food consumed should also be organic and should contain clean proteins, unprocessed carbohydrates and non-toxic fats.
The researchers came to this conclusion when evaluating the information from the Third National Survey of Health and Nutrition Examination (NHNES III), which collected data from almost 34,000 people from 1988 to 1994. From the data set, 1,200 participants were diagnosed with cancer in the time of the study.
Those who participated in the survey kept a food diary where they tracked what they ate during the day. These documented diets were classified according to nutritional quality, following the dietary guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Then the participants were followed for 17 years; During that time, half of the initial respondents have already died. However, those who were able to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet reduced their risk of dying early due to cancer and other causes by 65 percent, compared to those whose diets were considered of low nutritional quality.
“It is also crucial that cancer survivors work with their dietitians to identify a balanced diet regimen and then follow that regimen,” Deshmukh added. “There is no harm [from] healthy eating.”
Other ways to reduce the risk of cancer
In addition to having a healthy diet, other ways to naturally reduce the risk of cancer include:
• Avoid tobacco: different types of cancer, such as throat, lung and kidney cancer, have already been linked to tobacco exposure. This is not only limited to smoking tobacco, it also includes chewing it, as well as exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Exercise: maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only includes a healthy diet, it also includes having enough physical activity during the day. This will help you maintain a healthy weight, which is important since it has been determined that obesity is a risk factor for some types of cancer. For adults, at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity (such as a quick walk) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or activities that make you sweat) a week are recommended.
• Stay away from too much sunlight: the harmful rays of the sun can cause the development of skin cancer, one of the most common types of cancer. These are stronger between 10:00 a.m. at 4:00 p.m., so avoid going out during these times. Covering exposed areas and avoiding sunlamps also reduces the risk of skin cancer.Read more news and developments about cancer prevention and treatment by visiting Cancer.news.
The sources include:
NaturalHealth365.com
MedicalXpress.com
MayoClinic.org
Cancer.org
