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Numerous researches show that being overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for developing many cancers, including breast cancer, cancer of stomach & colon, endometrium cancer, oesophageal cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, cancer of gallbladder, pancreas and uterus as well as the blood cancers.

In today?s lifestyle, healthy and unhealthy food habits play very crucial role in children and adults. There is a big difference between eating healthy and unhealthy food and the impact that it will have on our body when taken in excess.

Western and processed foods such as pizzas, burgers, cakes are full of chemicals & genetically modified (GMOs), which are highly refined and generally low in healthy micronutrients. Therefore the nutrients that they contain are less bioavailable. They also contain specific compounds like nitrates/nitrites, carrageenan and BHA / BHT (butylated hydroxy anisole / butylated hydroxytoluene). All these compounds are proven to have carcinogenic properties. The word carcinogenic signifies their potential of causing cancer. Hence it is absolutely important to make smart food choices and plan your daily exercise.

Consume a healthy diet and emphasize more on the food from plant sources.

- Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight

- Eat five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits every day. Include different coloured fruits and vegetables in the diet

- Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains

- Eat less processed and red meats like bacon, hot dog, sausages

- Limit Sweets

- Stock your kitchen with quick and natural foods

- Limit alcoholic beverages

Prepare to look good, feel good, and do good; for you and your family! Hydration or drinking optimum quantity of water is a key to maintaining an optimum immunity. Staying well hydrated is also very important for working of detoxification pathways in the body.

Stay active

Physical activity has numerous benefits to your health and we need little more than our daily chores.

Physical activity keeps you healthy by,

- Reducing the inflammation

- Reducing Cholesterol levels

- Reduce sex hormones or insulin

- Strengthen the immune system

- Altering the metabolism of bile acids

- Decreasing exposure of the gastrointestinal tract to these suspected carcinogens

There is strong evidence that higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risk of several types of cancers.

Tips to stay active

- Maintain a healthy weight throughout life

- Practising yoga can help reduce stress

- Adults should engage in at least 30-45 minutes per day, per five days or more in a week

- Children and adolescents can engage in at least 60 minutes, per five days a week

- Prepare workout plan

- Start stretching for flexible body

- Walk or workout with a partner that will increase your motivation

- Enrol in a dance class or gym

- Set your goals, give yourself positive reinforcement and reward yourself! Lifestyle and Cancer Risk

- Some researches have shown increased risk of brain cancer pertaining to excessive use of mobile phones So go classical! i.e. no phones on bed side! Using mobile devices away at the table has become the norm nowadays

- Studies show that Acetaldehyde which is present in alcohol damages our DNA and increases risk of cancer of mouth, throat and voice box (larynx), oesophagus, colon and rectum, liver and breast (in women)

- Quitting smoking can lower our risk from 12 types of cancers

The Bottom-Line Solutions

The overall goal is to eat food which can support the healthy functioning of our body and reduce our overall stress by increasing physical activity in daily life.

Ms. Kinnari Parikh

Onco-Nutritionist

Mumbai Oncocare Centre

info@mocindia.co.in

www.mocindia.co.in