I have spent aaaaaages standing in the 'nuts' aisle in many different supermarkets wondering if its really a big deal if I go for the salted/roasted nuts rather than the raw variety.
I came across this great diagram which looks at every nutritional aspect of the nuts and what the differences really are!
Of course the raw nuts won....was kinda expecting that though!
http://www.prevention.com/content/which-healthier-raw-nuts-vs-roasted-nuts
We have all heard of things that can contribute to getting cancer; some seem obvious to us e.g. getting severely sun burnt whereas others seem more obscure such as; eating browned foods (toast, roasted food etc), heating food in plastic which releases BPA's, drinking water out of a water bottle that was left in the sun (again BPA leakage,
try switching to a glass water bottle).
I read a really interesting article by the Health Sciences Academy entitled "Why don't we all get Cancer?' following this article it made me wonder if there are things we can do that are scientifically proven to reduce our risk of getting Cancer. It makes sense to me that eating healthy whole foods, limiting toxins such as processed food, alcohol, tobacco etc and including exercise into your daily routine would equate to a decreased risk of many diseases but what about Cancer?
The Health Sciences Academy gives a very simplistic breakdown of what causes cancer can be explained by DNA breakages. In summary, our body experiences billions of DNA breakages daily (which is good as it is getting rid of broken cells). The danger is when our body's defense system is not able to recognize broken cells ( and subsequently repair them) so it allows the broken cells to remain in our bodies allowing cancerous cells to form.
1: Get Some Exercise
If cardiovascular health and fat loss are not enough of a reason ....exercise also increases DNA Repair! A study in 2013 (Cash et al) showed that 150 minutes of intense exercise a week (think biking, running, swimming) increases your body's ability to repair DNA cells.
By enabling your DNA to repair itself you are effectively reducing your risk of a DNA breakage or mistake, your body repairs the mistake before cancer cells are created.
2: Get Enough Sleep
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, it also has a high mortality rate this is primarily because of tumor progression and metastatic spread (cancer that spreads to another part of the body)
In a previous post I discussed the relationship between sleep and weight loss. Sleep helps your body to regulate Melatonin levels. One of the primary purposes of Melatonin is to control your 24 hour biological cycle i.e. sleep-wake patterns (Circadian Rhythm).
Melatonin also acts as an antioxidant - this helps to protect your DNA cells against oxidative damage. Sleep deprivation causes lower melatonin levels which can lead to increased risk of breast and prostate cancer.
3. Get a healthy diet full of nutrients
Personally I fascinated by documentaries like "Fat, Sick & Almost Dead" where nutrient dense diets have helped to fight disease. You do not need to go on an extreme juicing diet to receive adequate nutrients in your diet. Here are some recommendations:
- Make a minimum of 1/3 of all your meals vegetable based (and fruit based for one meal as it still has a high sugar content). Aim for 5+ portions of vegetables and fruit a day.
- Pick whole foods instead of processed counterparts, zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti? A chicken breast for bruschetta toppings instead of the bread.
- Be conscious of portion sizes
- Do not waste calories on fruit juices - eat the fruit and get the fibre and just drink water or herbal teas
- Limit your intake of refined carbohydrate foods - try replacing potatoes with sweet potatoes
- Avoid diet foods - usually the naturally occurring fat that is actually perfectly fine for consumption has been removed and has been replaced with artificial flavors and sugars - this wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels
- Cook your own food - that way you know how much added salt, sugar, cream, butter etc has been added!
To me this all makes sense, sleep well, eat well, move your body frequently! :)
Please Note: This article is based on my personal attempt to understand whether there is anything I can do in my daily life to minimize my risk of cancer. This is not a medical journal and I am coming from the point of view that good nutrition and well being is a cornerstone of good health. Medical journals and research have been referenced however I would like to remind that I am not a Dr - please seek medical advice if needed.
Additional Readings:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15649735
http://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-pineal-gland
http://www.inca.gov.br/estimativa/2010/index.asp?link=conteudo_view.asp&ID=5
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3887041/
http://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Science-Report_Why-Dont-We-All-Get-Cancer_The-Health-Sciences-Academy.pdf
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/cancer-prevention/art-20044816
http://www.avonbreastcare.org/files/ACSGuidelinesNutrition.pdf
