Diet & Nutrition
You can reduce your risk of cancer by as much as 30 to 40% by making healthier food choices. In fact, some foods can
actually help protect against certain cancers. Eating a plant-based, healthy diet (fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans) and being physically active is your best insurance to reduce your risk of cancer, as well as heart disease and diabetes.
Healthy Diet Tips
Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables. It’s easier than you think – just aim for one or two servings at every meal and snack. Suggestions:
- Grate vegetables into spaghetti sauce and casseroles
- Keep bite-sized vegetables as snacks
- Make smoothies with non-fat milk, fruit and ice
- Order meatless pizza with veggies
Eat a low-fat diet. High-fat diets are associated with colorectal, prostate and endometrial cancers.
Eat low-fat or nonfat dairy products every day. Calcium, found in low-fat and nondairy products may protect against colorectal cancer.
Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation. Drinking has been linked to colon, breast and liver cancers and when combined with smoking, greatly increases the risk of head and neck cancer.
A healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight throughout life. Overweight adults are at greater risk for colon, endometrial, breast (post-menopausal), esophageal, pancreatic and kidney cancers.
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