Eating For A Cancer-Free Future

Can your diet prevent cancer?

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, nearly 20 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are related to excess body fat, poor nutrition and alcohol use – all tied to an unhealthy diet.

“There isn’t a specific healthy food or food group that’s been proven to prevent cancer,” Sueyi Lai, MD, a Franciscan Physician Network medical oncologist in Munster, Indiana. “But decades of research have shown that a healthy diet can reduce the risk of cancer developing or returning.”

Dr. Lai adds that a healthy diet improves overall health and helps prevent many chronic conditions that also increase cancer risk.

Eating Habits Can Reduce Cancer Risks

There are different risk factors for cancer. “Some we can’t control, such as aging and genetics,” said Dr. Lai. “But there are those we can control. Poor eating habits is one of them.”

Diet links can be found with several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. There's some evidence that you can also get some protection from other cancers like lung, bladder and oral cancer by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many of the steps that protect you from one cancer will protect you from others as well. But maintaining a healthier weight can improve your chances of not developing several forms of cancer.

Three Ways To Reduce Your Cancer Risk

Improving your diet may seem overwhelming, but Franciscan Health Indianapolis registered dietitian Kaylee Johnson says making good food choices is simpler than it seems. She breaks it down to: “Eat things that provide good nutrition.”

Johnson shares the three best ways to use food to boost your health and reduce your cancer risks.

1. Get To And Maintain A Healthy Weight

Excess weight is linked with an increased risk for many types of cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control, weight-influenced cancers account for about 40 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the U.S. Excess fat increases your cancer risk by causing the body to produce more estrogen and insulin, hormones that can stimulate cancer growth.

2. Use The Power Of Plants

A healthy diet helps you achieve a healthy weight and feeds your body with nourishing foods that reduce your cancer risk. Experts agree that a plant-focused diet reduces your risk. Whole, plant-based foods contain phytochemicals (also known as phytonutrients), compounds that can help prevent cancer.

Eating a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Johnson recommends:

Loading up on:

• A colorful variety of vegetables and whole fruits (fresh, canned or frozen without sugar)
• Whole grains such as oatmeal and quinoa
• Beans, chickpeas and lentils
• Tofu
• Healthy fats such as olive and canola oil, and found in avocados, seeds and nuts
• Water

Cutting back on or eliminating:

• Red meat (beef, pork and lamb)
• Processed meat such as deli meats, sausage, bacon and hot dogs
• Refined and processed foods with added fat or sugar, such as chips, crackers, baked goods and boxed convenience foods
• Sugar-sweetened drinks, such as sodas, sports and coffee drinks

Can’t go all in with plant-based? Try going plant-slant, choosing low- or no-fat chicken, fish and dairy products. Learn how to make simple swaps to cut your cancer risk.

“It comes down to moderation and personal choice,” Johnson said. “If there’s a food you love, enjoy smaller portions once in a while.”

Johnson, who is a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, eases a common worry that eating more fruits and vegetables to reduce cancer risk means eating only organic (more expensive) produce.

“There’s no evidence showing a lower risk of cancer when eating organic foods,” she said. “Buy produce that’s accessible and affordable for your family. Just choose to eat more.”

3. Avoid Alcohol

A 2020 study on the risks of alcohol found that more than 740,000 worldwide cancer diagnoses were due to alcohol.

The evidence is clear: the more you drink, the greater your risk. When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down into a cancer-causing chemical. The chemical damages DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage, allowing a cell to grow out of control and create a cancer tumor. Johnson says it’s best not to drink at all, especially if you’ve had cancer before.

If you are going to drink, the American Cancer Society recommends limiting it to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

Healthy Food Choices Can Be Your Best Defense

thanks to working with a team at Franciscan Health, the Camby, Indiana, resident learned how making healthy food and exercise choices could reduce the risk of her cancer returning, a fear she struggled with.

“I’m more confident I can make changes in my life that will matter,” Tamika said.

For Tamika, plant-slant eating, with a focus on fruits and vegetables (which she’s actually learning to like), has earned her respect.

“My energy levels are up and my blood pressure is down,” she said. “When I’m eating better, I feel better.”

A fear of cancer is no longer controlling her future. She has trips planned almost every month in 2022.

“I’m more confident I have the skills to beat cancer,” she said.