How Your Food Habits Can Make You Prone To Cancer

Despite living in an unhealthy environment, we have the power to minimise the damage our bodies could go through. Certain foods fight cancerous cells while others are likely to weaken your immune system. Knowing what to avoid is the first step to staying healthy. When it comes to what lands on your plate, these are a few factors that are likely to make you prone to cancer:

1. Obesity

Here’s another reason to stay in shape. Being overweight increases the risk of 13 types of cancer, including breast, bowel, pancreatic, and oesophageal cancer. Keeping a healthy diet avoiding sugar and fatty food, and managing your weight are easy ways to prevent obesity.

2. Low amount of certain nutrients

Lack of certain nutrients in your diet is a bad sign for your health. Nutrients like Vitamin C, flavonoid, Vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, and phytochemicals—which are found in fruits and vegetables—can reduce your risk of mouth, upper throat, larynx, and lung cancer.

3. Processed and red meat

If your diet contains high amounts of fresh red meat like beef, pork, and lamb or processed meat, which includes bacon, ham and sausages, you are at risk for bowel cancer. When cooked, these meats create chemicals that are harmful to the body. Research shows that those who consume processed meat have a 17% higher chance of developing bowel cancer.

4. Salt-preserved food

Salt-preserved foods are made by drying fresh items so that they can be consumed way past expiry. Cured meat like bacon and prosciutto, cured fish as well as vegetables are packaged for convenient meals. You’re better off not picking up these items from the supermarket since salted food is a major cause of gastric cancer.

5. Lack of fibre

Dietary fibre is your best weapon against fiber. It adds bulk to your digestive system, helping to eliminate waste faster. This quick removal decreases chances of infection in your intestines. Eating fibre-rich foods like whole grains, beans, dried fruits and nuts helps to reduce the risk of different types of cancer, including that of the breast and prostate gland.

It’s important to know what goes into your food before you have it and ensure that your body is taking sufficient nutrients. Putting a little effort and being conscious goes a long way to keeping you healthy and not allowing yourself to be vulnerable to cancerous diseases.

To know more: Causes Of Cancer

How Your Food Habits Can Make You Prone To Cancer