Cancer is a multi-factorial disease, that occurs due to numerous reasons – lifestyle defects, psychological factors, environmental toxins and dietary errors.
Importantly, cancer does not develop overnight. It takes many years to develop, and goes through a series of phases, all of which, can be averted through sensible eating and good quality nutrition. The various stages of cancer development are: instigation or commencement of cancer, encouragement of the cancer development, progression of the disease, actual cancer, and spread of cancer or metastasis.
Providentially, the time between the commencement and the occurrence of full blown cancer may take as long as 20 years, giving one ample time, to protect oneself through consuming potent anti-cancer foods and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
What Triggers the Development of Cancer?
Cancer develops when there occurs damage to the DNA of the cell, resulting in an uncontrolled and autonomous growth and multiplication of the cells. This damage to the DNA is caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that wreak havoc over the DNA and damage it.
Fortunately, there’s an array of fruits and vegetables that are packed with powerful anti-cancer compounds, and can ward off the occurrence of this dreaded disease.
Foods that Prevent Cancer
Nutritionists world over emphasize on the importance of eating a “rainbow diet” – that is, ensuring that the diet is rich in fruits and vegetables of various colors, because, by doing so, the body is provided with a full spectrum of pigments with powerful antioxidant effects, which in turn protects against the disease.
The following foods have a strong capability to stave off cancer.
Broccoli: Sulphoraphane and indole-3-carbinol found in abundance in broccoli, have remarkable anti-cancer effects. They enhance the elimination of that form of estrogen that is linked to breast cancer. Additionally, laboratory investigations say, broccoli sprouts contain 30 to 50 times more protective compounds that the mature plants. Indole-3-carbinol arrests the growth of breast and prostate cancer successfully. It increases the liver’s ability to detoxify lethal chemicals and toxins, consequently, thwarting cancer. Also, indole-3-carbinol decreases the growth of Human Papilloma virus, linked to cervical cancer. Alongside, sulphoraphane helps the body eliminate H. Pylori (a bacterium) from the intestinal tract, thereby, diminishing the chances of developing gastric and colon cancer appreciably.
Turmeric:Curcumin, present in turmeric exerts very strong anti-oxidant effects. It has the ability to protect all the cells of the body from free radicals that can damage the DNA. The action of curcumin is exceedingly beneficial over cells which have a rapid turnover, like the cells in the colon. Cells of the gut multiply every three days, thus, these cells are more prone to mutations, causing colo-rectal cancer. What’s’ more, turmeric destroys the mutated cells, thus, preventing a spread of the disease.Turmeric perks up the liver detoxification process, thereby, expelling all cancer causing compounds from the body
Mangoes:Mangoes are great health-promoting fruits, due to their high anti-oxidant, vitamin C, carotenoid, flavanoid and phytochemical content.Mangoes prevent normal, healthy cells from transforming in to cancer cells. Clinical trials have demonstrated that mangoes can lower the chances of developing gall bladder cancer by 60 %, the highest reduction rate in cancer risk, associated with any fruit or vegetable.
The food one eats, could either help forestall the development of this alarming disease or help in its propagation.These are some of the dietary ingredients that can aid in prevention of the dreaded disease and have also been found to aid in effective management of the condition.