By nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju
Being overweight has been linked with the increased risk of breast cancer, endometrial (uterus), and colorectal cancer. So keep your BMI at 25 or less with these foods that reduce your waist and your cancer risk:
- Fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses are rich in vitamins and minerals, boosting your immune system. Go for dark coloured beans (rajma, brown beans, green beans, black-eyed beans) and brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, for they are rich in antioxidants which prevent the cell damage that leads to cancer.
- Tuck into tomato-based sauces and curries. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which can lower the risk of prostate cancer in men. Watermelon, grapefruit, red and pink guava are also good sources of lycopene.
- Snack on berries, high in antioxidant properties. Blueberries rank number one in terms of their antioxidant power.
- A high-fibre diet protects against colorectal and breast cancer. Dietary fibres have a major role in preventing breast cancer by inhibiting the intestinal reabsorption of estrogen. Higher the level of estrogen circulating in the body, higher the risk of developing breast cancer.
- Soluble fibre in oatmeal, oat bran, celery, apples, oranges has been shown to control the blood glucose and insulin which has been linked to breast cancer.
- Insoluble fibre in wholewheat, barley, nuts, seeds, couscous, dark beans, root vegetable skins, is effective in binding and excreting estrogen. They are considered gut-friendly for they speed up the passage of food and waste through the gut. A wonderful laxative effect!
- Nuts are good sources of selenium, which destroy cancer cells and aid in cell repair. Add a handful of walnuts, peanuts, almonds or pistachios to your salad/cereal, everyday.
- Garlic, mint, basil and coriander leaves that not only add flavour to meals, also have cancer-fighting properties.
- Load up on broccoli, which is full of flavonoids. Don’t microwave it – it destroys 90 per cent of the flavonoids. Steam or stir-fry it instead, to prevent the loss.
Remember: A good diet goes hand in hand with exercise for best results.
Update on 03-Sep-2016: Obesity is now linked to increased risk of 13 cancers-Cancer of the Oesophagus, Breast cancer, Uterine Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Colorectal cancer, Gastric Cardia, Gallbladder cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Thyroid cancer, Liver cancer, Ovarian cancer, Meningioma (a typically benign brain tumour), multiple myeloma (a blood cancer)
This was based on a review of thousand studies which was conducted by a panel at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of WHO and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
