Poor Dietary Habits May Cause Cancer

Poor Eating Habits Can Cause Cancer Medical Oncologist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Avcı stated that poor eating habits are one of the causes of cancer development. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Avcı, Medical Oncologist at Özel Medicana Bursa Hospital, said that excessive red meat consumption increases the risk of colon, rectal and prostate cancer, and that excess weight and insufficient physical activity can lead to breast, uterine, colon and esophageal cancer. [caption id="attachment_145157" align="aligncenter"] Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Avcı[/caption]

She noted that consumption of cured meat and processed meat increases the risk of colon and rectal cancer, while consuming the same amount of fish reduces the risk of colon and rectal cancer. She continued with the following remarks:

"Some foods contain toxic compounds. Some of these compounds are released due to cooking methods. Others are residues from pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture, chemical fertilizers, and antiparasitic drugs. The residues left by these chemicals in foods are extremely harmful to human health. The first victims of these agricultural chemicals are farmers who are unaware of this danger. Storage, preservation, processing and purification techniques after harvest of products are extremely important. Mistakes made at these stages can turn the foods necessary for our health into weapons." Avcı, noting the importance of balancing the body's water and mineral needs, stated: "An adult's daily water requirement is 2.5 liters. While we consume one liter from the foods we eat, we need to obtain the remaining 1.5 liters from beverages. Consume at least four servings of fruit per day, preferring seasonal fruits. Consume your fruits at different meals. Consume one or two servings of raw vegetables and at least one serving of cooked vegetables per day. Consume at least one serving each day from green, yellow and red vegetables. From dried legumes, foods such as chickpeas, dried beans and cranberry beans should be consumed slightly more than the amount of red meat. Fish should be consumed once a week, if possible two or three times. Avoid all beverages containing artificial sweeteners. Green leafy vegetables, especially purslane and spinach, are rich in beta-carotene and lutein which have antioxidant effects. Quercetin has complete antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. Additionally, its anticarcinogenic protective effect against cancer should not be forgotten. Quercetin is found mostly in onions, apples and buckwheat, and in smaller amounts in Brussels sprouts, cabbage and nuts. Tomato is a source of lycopene, an antioxidant. It also contains carotene and vitamin E. Lycopene shows protective properties against prostate and lung cancer" she explained.

Onions and garlic should be consumed generously

"Extra virgin olive oil in particular contains much more polyphenol than refined olive oil. Polyphenol consumption reduces the frequency of cancer cases and deaths from cardiovascular disease. Onions and garlic should be consumed generously. Onions and garlic protect us against cancer by blocking nitrosamines, which are potent carcinogens. Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which especially has a protective role against prostate cancer. Red grapes contain abundant resveratrol. While resveratrol shows protective properties against cancer, it also prevents the growth of cancer cells. Forest fruits such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries are fruits rich in ellagic acid, which is anticarcinogenic. Ellagic acid is also found in cherries, pears, apples and kiwis. Many food sources in nature are necessary for human development. All we need is to learn to live healthily in order to exist healthily. For this, eating healthy alone is not enough. We must exercise, stay away from harmful habits, manage stress factors well, rest and pursue different hobbies. Let us remember that there is no single food that will protect us against cancer or cure our cancer" she explained.