Consider your lifestyle. Cancers like other chronic conditions occur as a consequence of genetics and an enabling environment. This environment includes exposure to toxins, pathogens, poor dietary practices and physical inactivity. Maintaining a good diet is therefore key to prevent cancer. During cancer treatment, it is even more important to ensure that your food is healthy and safe to consume.To prevent cancers, evidence-based diet practice recommends that you:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for cancers and other chronic conditions. Note that a Dietician is the best professional to assess and guide you towards attaining a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly. Skipping, brisk walking, dancing and jogging are simple exercises you could do daily to lower cancer risks.
- Eat a healthy diet. Have a diet that is low in processed foods, red and processed meat, sugar, saturated and trans fats, but rich in whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits. This is because, excessive consumption of red and processed meat (beef, pork, veal, mutton, sausage, bacon) and fats have been implicated in cancer formation.
Eating coloured fruits and vegetables can protect against cancer - Limit or avoid alcohol. Excessive alcohol intake is risk factor for throat, gastric and other cancers.
- Avoid or quit smoking. Research has identified smoking as one of the strongest risk factors for most cancers.
Breastfeed if you can. Do breastfeeding especially for at least six months, if you have the option to do so. Breastfeeding modulates the levels of hormones and also helps to lower the risk of breast cancer.