Discovering Anti Cancer Foods

Discovering Anti Cancer Foods

Doctors tell their patients all that time that if you're overweight (or obese) losing the excess weight can help cut your risks of cancer, but experts caution that not all diets are as effective in bringing down that risk.

A diet that offers protection against cancer is one that involves long-term alterations in how you eat, and includes a variety of anti cancer foods from every food group.

We all know that diets that support short-term changes (aka, diet trends) don't work. Not only is it nigh on impossible to stick to the plan over the long haul, but these ways of eating often don't give you the nutrients that are necessary for your body to stay healthy, much less free of cancer.

So while you might hear about (or even experience) rapid results for a bit, this doesn't mean that boast worthy weight loss is healthy or lasting.

Losing more than two pounds a week is actually considered bad for you, it causes you to drop more muscle than fat, and is damaging to the body.

Topping the list of the best cancer fighting eating plans is one we all have heard so much about - the Mediterranean diet - a lifelong commitment to eating well that also happens to suppress cancer and fight heart disease.

This plan calls for eating plenty of fruits, veggies, using herbs/spices for flavor (not salt), limiting how much red meat and booze you consume on a regular basis, using healthy fats (olive and canola oil) instead of butter and eating fish/poultry at least two times a week.

Another winner on the cancer-fighting diet front is the whole body diet, a plan that calls for eating 6 to 7 small meals per day, rather than the 3 large ones we're all used to.

In terms of cancer prevention, this way of eating calls for fruits, veggies and whole grains to be present in half of your meals for the day, limiting foods that are high in fat, eating lean protein and being active every single day.

When it comes to the plans that aren't so effective... Gluten free diets have grown in popularity, but experts' caution that you shouldn't adopt this eating style unless you've been diagnosed with gluten intolerance.

Those who follow this plan stay away from whole grains that are also rich in fiber, vitamins and essential minerals.

It's the fiber and other essential nutrients that while bad for the celiac patient, help to protect body cells from the type of damage that can precede cancer.

Also on the no-no list are carb free diets. If you totally cut our carbs you deprive your body of its basic source of energy.

You'll also be withholding some key cancer-fighting foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Instead of cutting the carbs altogether, choose them more carefully. Go for whole grains instead of refined ones... limit the cakes and cookies.

When it comes to keeping yourself at a healthy weight, and thus reducing your risk of many forms of cancer, moderation is the most important thing to keep in mind.

You're making a lifelong commitment according to Amin, and the best chance for long-term success comes from doing things in moderation. Remember too, preventing cancer, including the consumption of anti cancer foods, is the most effective treatment available at the moment for what can be a deadly disease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirsten_Whittaker 

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