With the Relay for Life last weekend and cancer that touched a family member, my grandson Quentin wanted to know what type of foods he could eat and avoid so he won’t get cancer.
If it were only that simple, we could still have many loved ones still with us.
The causes of cancer include ultraviolet rays; certain mutated genes that we may inherit; smoking; bad eating habits and lack of physical exercise; asbestos; too much alcoholic consumption; age; a weakened immune system; and carcinogenic foods.
Let’s look at what foods we should avoid to reduce our risk of developing mutant cancer cells.
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PROCESSED FOODS: Processed foods include all foods that are smoked, salted and canned. The list includes sausages, hot dogs, luncheon meats, pepperoni, beef jerky, ham and bacon. These foods are occasional foods and when eaten regularly, can cause colorectal cancer.
The World Health Organization claims that eating a hot dog or bacon everyday can increase your chances of getting cancer by 18 percent.
Nearly all processed foods have an added ingredient, nitrate, which helps preserve the foods, enhance flavors and deter bacterial growth. Nitrates are not broken down in your stomach but get into your gut and become nitrite, which kills good bacteria, and increases your risk of cancer.
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HOT BEVERAGES: The International Journal of Cancer says there is a connection between esophageal cancer and hot beverages higher than 140 degrees. The hot drinks cause thermal damage to the cell that lines the esophagus and may be responsible for the increased risk.
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OVERCOOKED AND BURNED FOOD: When food is burned, it forms chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) or polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These chemicals are created as a result of amino acids, sugars and creatinine reacting at high temperatures.
The juices that drip down onto the open flames or heat source create smoke that releases PAHs, which then adhere to the surface of the meat.
Meats cooked at 300 degrees or higher or cooked for long periods of time form HCAs.
When starchy foods are overcooked until dark brown, acrylamides form. Some studies have shown that the consumption of these compounds is linked to ovarian and endometrial cancers, but definitive evidence is still lacking.
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HIGH INTAKE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS: Physicians Health studied subjects consuming 2.5 servings of dairy products a day and found they were more likely to develop prostate cancer.
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REFINED CARBOHYDRATES AND SUGAR: Studies support the probability that high blood glucose and insulin levels in the body increase inflammation and risk of cancer.
A 2016 study linked excessive consumption of high glycemic index foods to an 88 percent risk of prostate cancer.
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SALT-CURED AND PICKLED FOODS: A United Kingdom study noted that a higher incidence of nasopharyngeal cancers was present among those who regularly consumed salt-cured fish, a popular dish in China.
The American Association of Cancer Research studied 1 million new cases of gastric cancer and found that half occurred in East Asia, with a 55 percent likelihood of consuming pickled foods frequently.
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RED MEAT: Studies show that consuming more than 18 ounces of red meat per week increases the risk of colorectal cancer, and if you are grilling it, and allowing the juices to fall on the charcoal, that makes that meat even more suspect.
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MICROWAVE POPCORN: Yes, it surely is a convenient snack to have around, BUT, the lining of the bag contains perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) that resist grease and prevent leaking. So take out that old-fashioned popcorn popper (I know, you need to wash it after use) to make your next batch of healthy popcorn.
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FOOD DYES: I have been harping about this for years and have written about it. I do not have any food dye made in the USA because of the lenient stance on food dyes. Other countries have strict laws because our dyes, containing carcinogens that in lab animals, cause cancer. My dyes are either from Japan or New Zealand.
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The Stanford Medicine Cancer Institute website has great recipes. Here is one of them:
Udon with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce
Serves 4
Boil according to package directions:
1 package whole grain udon
Drain, and wash with cold water.
Prepare vegetables:
1 large carrot, julienned
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium head broccoli, cut into small pieces
In a large pan or wok, heat:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Add vegetables, stir-fry until just done, yet still crispy.
Add noodles and incorporate into vegetables.
Meanwhile, make dressing:
In an airtight container, mix together:
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, skin scraped off with a spoon, grated
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon or less, crushed red pepper flakes
Shake to mix well. There may be clumps of peanut butter, that is fine.
Pour dressing over vegetables and noodles, stir to combine.
You can also find healthy recipes on the American Cancer Society website.
So after I told my grandson all about the prevention of cancer, he vowed never to smoke a cigarette and wanted to know why they are even being sold. He stopped eating burgers, sausages, and hot dogs and has opted to eat sardines and green salads. He is trying his best to get in his exercise, enjoying his karate lessons. We are now working on his love for desserts and sweets.
Continuing on this subject, next week I will be writing about recent studies showing 87 percent of America’s children are found to have glyphosate in their urine.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.