Anti-Cancer diet....tips 7-9

Hey there...Happy Monday!
Thought I would continue this from last week. Here are a few more tips to keep us healthy....

Have a great day.
Cheers,
Maura
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7. Change your oils. Oils that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (i.e., fish and flax oils) have anti-cancer properties. Studies in experimental animals have shown that fish-oil-supplemented animals develop significantly fewer colorectal tumors. Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in oily fish and flax seeds, help produce cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Flax oil also contains the anticancer phytonutrient lignans. Best protection against cancer is a diet that contains more omega 3 than omega 6 fatty acids, just the reverse of the typical American diet. Coldwater fish, such as salmon and tuna, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Most vegetable oils (except flax oil) contain little omega 3 fatty acids and a lot of omega 6 fatty acids. I take one tablespoon of flax seed oil a day, which mixes beautifully in a yogurt shake or as a salad dressing.



Monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil, also play a role in cancer prevention. Populations with an olive oil -rich diet, such as Mediterranean cuisine, have a lower incidence of cancer. Greek women, who tend to have an olive-oil rich diet, have a much lower risk of breast cancer. One study found that the incidence of breast cancer correlated with the amount of hydrogenated oils in the womens' diets. As much as possible, avoid saturated and hydrogenated oils. (For more information, see All About Oils.
8. Eat foods containing calcium. Studies have shown that populations with a high intake of calcium (e.g., people in Sweden) have a lower incidence of colorectal cancer. Calcium controls the multiplication of epithelial cells lining the colon. When these cells proliferate at a fast rate, the risk of cancer increases. Calcium also binds cancer-producing bile acids and keeps them from irritating the colon wall. One study showed that an average intake of 1,200 mg. of calcium a day was associated with a 75 percent reduction in colorectal cancer. In another study of persons with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, a daily supplement of 2,000 mg. of calcium carbonate significantly decreased the risk by suppressing the uncontrolled growth of the cells that line the colon. To lower your risk of colorectal cancer, consider taking between 500 and 1,000 milligrams of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate daily, depending on how much calcium you get from food each day. Best sources of calcium are dairy products, such as yogurt, and bony fish.
9. Eat a diet high in antioxidants. While there are many unsubstantiated claims about the benefits of antioxidants, there is reliable scientific evidence that beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E definitely lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Fruits and vegetables are the main sources of these naturally occurring antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against cancer in several ways:

* They protect the membrane of intestinal cells.
* They prevent free-radical reactions that can cause bowel contents to be carcinogenic
* They prevent faulty metabolism in the cell, which can predispose a cell to becoming carcinogenic.

Beta carotene. Beta carotene fights against cancer by both boosting the immune system and releasing a specific chemical called tumor necrosis factor. Beta carotene can block the growth of potentially cancerous cells. The recommended cancer prevention dose of beta carotene is 15 to 25 mg. per day (around 30,000 IU). This is about ten times the amount in the average American diet, but it's actually easy to get enough beta carotene in your diet without taking supplements. Best sources of beta carotene are sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkins, butternut and other types of winter squash, spinach, broccoli, mango, and papaya. Eating pink grapefruit (which contains beta carotene) instead of white grapefruit gives you a beta carotene boost. You could get enough protective beta carotene each day by eating: half a sweet potato, half a cup of pumpkin, two medium-size carrots, 1.5 cups of cooked spinach, or two medium-size mangos. Best sources of beta carotene are these:
* carrots - 1 carrot contains 4.4 milligrams
* sweet potatoes - 1 medium contains 12 milligrams
* butternut and other types of winter hard-shell squash - 1/2 cup contains 2.4 milligrams

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which enhances the absorption and utilization of beta carotene, so eating tomatoes with beta carotene-rich foods provides an added boost. Carrots and tomatoes are a good combination.

Vitamin C. A big dose of vitamin C fights the big "C." Studies have shown that persons with the highest intake of vitamin C have the lowest incidence of intestinal cancers. Vitamin C blocks the formation of nitrosamines in the gut. These are potent carcinogens made from nitrates and nitrites found in food, especially processed meats. Vitamin C also boosts the immune system by increasing the production of lymphocytes. Best sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables. Taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily may have anticancer benefits.

Vitamin E. The anti-cancer properties in vitamin E are similar to vitamin C. In a ten-year study that followed 21,000 men, those with high levels of vitamin E in their diet showed a 30 percent lower risk of all types of cancer. Women with low blood levels of vitamin E and selenium had ten times the risk of breast cancer in one study. In another study at the University of Toronto, researchers gave colon cancer patients vitamin C and E supplements after surgery and found two years later that the supplements reduced the recurrence of precancerous colon polyps by 20 percent. Studies suggest a dose of 200 to 400 IU a day, which is nearly impossible to get from foods. You may get less than ten percent of this amount from even the best diet.

NUTRITIP:
Natural vs. Synthetic E

Whether or not natural vitamin E from foods or the factory-made vitamin is biologically better is still a subject of debate, yet the natural vitamin E may be more biologically active. Natural vitamin E is recognized on the package label by the "d" prefix or "d-alpha tocophenol;" the synthetic compound will have a "dl" prefix.