How can you reduce your risk of cancer?
First of all, it’s important to differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic cancer risk. Genetics do play a role in cancer risk, as some genetic mutations correlate strongly with a considerably increased risk of cancer. This is intrinsic risk and may be less amenable to preventive interventions. Extrinsic risk, on the other hand, is due to acquired DNA damage caused by exposures or behaviors. Extrinsic cancer risk may be more amenable to modification through lifestyle and diet. Either way, everyone should take steps to promote overall health, such as eating a healthy diet (the Mediterranean diet is a good option), not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, exercising regularly, avoiding sunburns, adhering to a regular sleeping pattern and maintaining a healthy body weight and body-mass index (BMI). Leading a generally healthy lifestyle may help minimize extrinsic cancer risk and possibly modulate genetic risk to some degree. Ensuring that you follow-up about any potential health concerns with your doctor and undergoing periodic blood testing to assess various biomarkers may help you keep an eye on your overall health as well.
What foods should you eat to prevent cancer?
Don’t focus on specific foods. Instead, focus on eating an overall healthy diet that emphasizes unprocessed plant-based foods, healthy fats like those found in fish and olive oil, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid excessive consumption of meat and alcohol. In general, the Mediterranean dietary pattern is a very healthy choice for most people.
Do vegans have a lower risk of cancer?
This is a complicated question and the research is confounded by many factors related to lifestyle and nutrition habits of vegans versus non-vegans. The simplified answer is that people who eat a healthier diet for most of their lives probably have a lower risk of several chronic diseases, including cancer, than those who eat an unhealthy diet. However, whether the risk reduction can be attributed to a particular dietary pattern is less clear. In general, we know that eating a diet that emphasizes unprocessed, plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats like those found in fish and olive oil is associated with good health. There’s also fairly strong evidence that not eating excessive amounts of meat and saturated fats (found especially in red meat) is linked with good health. Additionally, it’s very important to remember that vegan does not necessarily mean healthy. Ultra-processed, pure cane sugar and French fries deep fried in vegetable oil and loaded with salt are vegan, but they’re certainly not good for you. Many companies are marketing ultra-processed and unhealthy foods as vegan simply because it’s a consumer trend.
