"Belarusian Physician Issues Warnings: These Common treats linked to cancer risk"
Revamped Chat:
Hear it straight from the horse's mouth: Your diet play a major role in cancer prevention, as Irina Moisevich, deputy chief physician at Minsk City Clinical Oncological Center, explains.
Irina highlighted the importance of a healthy lifestyle in cancer prevention, encompassing ditching cigarettes and excessive alcohol, maintaining a regular workout routine, and adhering to a nutritious diet plan.
She shed light on key food items to keep at bay since they contain carcinogens - cancer-causing substances that can naturally occur in food or formed during cooking.
Avoid excessive fried, open-fire cooked foods, smoked goods, and processed meats like sausages and bacon, as they hike up the risk of colon cancer due to the presence of sodium nitrites. But, a few slices every once in a blue moon won't jeopardize your health.
Steer clear of fast food items like fries, doughnuts, and other high-trans-fat foods - they're cancer villains.
So, what CAN you tuck into?
Assorted veggies, fruits, greens, and fish are your pals. If you can't live without meat as your main dish, go for turkey, chicken, or cut back on Belarus' beloved pork.
Simplify your cooking methods - steaming, baking, boiling, or stewing are your allies. Ditch frying to lead a cancer-free life.
Get the Lowdown on Common Belarusian Cancers
Irina shared some alarming statistics about the most prevalent types of cancer among the Belarusian population:
Among men, prostate cancer leads the pack, followed by colorectal and lung cancer. Meanwhile, for women, breast cancer takes the top spot, followed by colorectal and uterine cancer.
Eating for a Healthier Tomorrow
While Irina's specific dietary advice is crucial, here are some general food tips to reduce cancer risk:
- Scaling back on processed and red meat is a wise decision, as they've been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers like colorectal cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers processed meat as carcinogenic to humans.
- Limit your intake of sugary beverages and high-sugar foods. Consuming too much sugar can lead to obesity, which is a risk factor for multiple types of cancer.
- Keep your salt shaker at bay, even though salt isn't linked directly to cancer, high sodium intake increases blood pressure, a risk factor for certain cancers.
- Be wary of foods with high AGE (Advanced Glycation End) products. AGEs, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to cancer development, form when protein or fat is cooked at high temperatures - especially in fried or grilled foods.
- Stay away from foods high in saturated and trans fats, as they can lead to weight gain and increase cancer risk indirectly.
- Cut back on your alcohol consumption as it escalates the risk of various cancers like breast, liver, and esophageal cancer.
- Avoid foods with high acrylamide levels, a potential carcinogen which is formed when foods, particularly fried foods and certain types of roasted coffee, are cooked at high temperatures.
- Maintaining a nutritious diet plan, as advised by Irina, includes avoiding processed and red meats like sausages and bacon, excessive fried and open-fire cooked foods, sugary beverages, and foods high in saturated and trans fats, to reduce the risk of certain cancers like colorectal cancer.
- To lead a cancer-free life, simplify your cooking methods by choosing methods like steaming, baking, boiling, or stewing, over frying, and reducing your alcohol consumption.
- In addition to Irina's specific dietary advice, it is also recommended to limit your intake of high-AGE foods, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to cancer development, and foods high in acrylamide levels, a potential carcinogen.
