If you believe cancer is a disease that strikes from nowhere with little in your control to prevent it, you'd be mistaken on both counts. Most cases of cancer are considered preventable by positive nutrition and lifestyle choices.
So what do these six new cancer prevention recommendations tell us? And how much notice should we take?
1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
Unfortunately, there is no “cancer prevention superfood”; it is a combination of food variety that gives the greatest benefit.One group of vegetables you may care to give a closer look at during your weekly shop, are the dark leafy greens. These include broccoli, spinach, leaf lettuce and kale – foods that are true nutrient powerhouses.
2. Limit or avoid alcohol
When it comes to alcohol, forget about justifying drinking because it is good for your heart. Alcohol is strongly linked to cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, breast, colon and liver; the more you drink, the greater the risk.Risk, though, needs to be balanced with lifestyle and enjoyment. There are many other positive things you can do to reduce cancer risk without giving up your favourite drink altogether.
3+4. Avoid red and processed meat
The advice on avoiding processed meat is well supported by evidence. This agrees with the biggest voice in the cancer prevention business, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) which rates the link between red meat and colorectal cancer as “convincing” – the highest level of evidence possible.Meat lovers can take some solace though. The WCRF recommends keeping consumption of red meat to under 500 grams of cooked meat per week. Fish and chicken are good alternatives if the thought of missing a daily steak is too much for you.
5. Women: eat soy foods to reduce your risk of breast cancer
This is a surprising recommendation, more so that when groups such as the WCRF have looked at the evidence, it barely made it to the “limited” level of evidence.Soy contains a class of phytochemicals called isoflavones which have chemical structures similar to estrogen. These isoflavones are thought to partly inhibit a woman’s own natural estrogen in stimulating cell growth. That’s the theory at least.
Soy foods are a staple of vegetarian diets and the recommendation advises choosing natural soy foods such as edamame, tempeh or tofu and to steer clear of protein concentrates often found in supplements.
Women who are being treated for estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer should avoid soy supplements because they contain high concentrations of isoflavones.
6. Men: limit or avoid dairy products to reduce your risk of prostate cancer
This certainly stands out as the most controversial recommendation and the one that could grab the headlines.Other Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk
While not part of the nutrition recommendations, physical activity is now recognised as a potent “cancer-preventing” habit. Estimates link regular physical activity to a 20-40% lower risk of colon and breast cancer.How much physical activity is enough? All physical activity is beneficial, but for cancer prevention up to one hour of moderate activity or 30 minutes of vigorous activity daily gives the greatest benefit.
Cancer prevention guidelines reflect the current state of scientific evidence, and change over time as evidence changes. The core of the guidelines though have changed little and can be summed up in single sentence. Eat mostly plant foods close to their natural state, keep active, drink responsibly, stay safe in the sun, and don’t smoke.
For some people, a complete lifestyle overhaul can be a difficult thing to manage in one go. Instead, focus on one change at a time like building more activity into your day and then following this up with eating five different types of vegetables and two of fruits each day with the emphasis on colour as your best guide to variety.
Prevention guidelines shouldn’t be seen as a prescription for restricting your life, but a series of small changes to how you eat and live now that will build the framework for a long, healthy and cancer-free life.