Eight Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

With a new year brings new goals to eat healthy and lose those few extra pounds put on over Christmas. Instead of aiming for the quick fix, I ask people to start thinking about eating for long term health this year.

Every day in the UK approximately 900 people get diagnosed with cancer. That works out to be 300,000 every year. In every three people you know, one will develop cancer.

A few everyday changes can be made to help you reduce your risk of developing cancer.

1. Choose the salmon:

There is a strong relationship between eating red meat and increased risk of getting cancer. You should aim to limit red meat to no more than three to four times per week. On the other days try to include other high protein sources such as fish, poultry or dried, canned beans or lentils. Salmon is also high in omega-3 fatty acids which are great for the body due to their anti-inflammatory effect.

2. Limit your alcohol intake:

The more you drink the greater your risk of developing cancer. In the UK women should not regularly drink more than two to three units a day, that's no more than your standard 175ml glass of wine. And for men it's three to four units per day, that's no more than a pint of strong lager, beer or cider. Other tips to help reduce your cancer risk are:

-Have two alcohol free days per week.

-Avoid binge drinking.

-Choose low alcohol drinks.

3. Eat more broccoli.

Broccoli which is known as a cruciferous vegetable, as well as brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and turnips are full of powerful compounds which get rid of carcinogens and contain good amounts of dietary fibre which can overall reduced cancer risk.

4. Go for the chicken sandwich for lunch

Research has shown that a high consumption of processed meats including sausages, salami, bacon and ham which are high in fat and salt has been linked to increased cancer risk, in particular colorectal cancer.

5. Enjoy fresh blueberries

Berries, mainly blueberries, contain compounds that stop damage to DNA that can lead to cancer development. Berries are also high in vitamin C and dietary fibre, which has also been shown to be protective against cancer.

6. Say no to the piece of cake

Processed foods such as cakes, takeaways, crisps, pastries and biscuits are high in sugar and fat, which leads to weight gain, a key risk factor for cancer. Carrying extra body weight, in particular around your middle has been shown to increase the risk of developing colon, pancreatic, and endometrial cancer.

7. Enjoy your cup of tea.

Tea, both black and green contain powerful antioxidants which prevent damage to your bodies DNA that can lead to cancer cell growth. Green tea in particular has been shown to slow or completely prevent the development of colon, liver, breast and prostate cancer cells.

8. Promote and support breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding has benefits for both Mother and child. Mothers who breastfeed have been shown to have a reduced risk of developing cancer, in particular of the breast and ovary. Breastfeeding also increases a baby's resistance to infection and disease, which can be beneficial in long term overall health.

What it comes down to is eating a healthy balanced diet reduces your risk of cancer where as a poor diet increases your cancer risk.

Superfoods That Could Help Protect Against Breast Cancer

Green Tea(01 of09)

Green tea is rich in the polyphenol EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which has been shown to slow the spread of breast cancer cells, according to breastcancer.org. (credit:Alamy)

Broccoli And Broccoli Sprouts(02 of09)

Cruciferous vegetables, but broccoli in particular, make for anti-cancer powerhouses thanks in part to a compound called sulforaphane that actually helps the body fight the spread of tumors. Recent research revealed the underlying reason: sulforaphane may inhibit an enzyme, called an HDAC, that works to suppress the body's tumor fighting ability, as we've previously reported. And sprouts are even more potent: three-day old broccoli sprouts have 20 to 50 times the sulforaphanes as mature broccoli, according to Johns Hopkins research. For more about the cancer fighting properties of all cruciferous vegetables, check HuffPost blogger Dr. Joel Fuhrman's analysis of cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and more. (credit:Alamy)

Garlic(03 of09)

Garlic is considered a cancer-fighting food for several forms of the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute. One French study found that women who regularly ate garlic had a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer. Garlic's mild cousin, onions also had a protective effect, according to the study. (credit:Alamy)

Pomegranate (04 of09)

Pomegranates are known for their anti-cancer properties, thanks to a richness in anti-inflammatory antioxidants, polyphenols. But they may offer a specific benefit against breast cancer: research shows that a phytochemical found in abundance in pomegranates, called ellagitannins, interfere in the production of aromatase, an enzyme that, as HuffPost blogger Dr. Nalini Chilkov explained, "increases hormone production in breast tissue."That's important because breast cancer is hormone-dependent, meaning that it feeds off of hormones like estrogen to grow and spread. "Hormone dependent cancers such as breast cancer are commonly treated with aromatase inhibitors, which block this enzyme," wrote Chilkov. (credit:FLICKR: AMIRA_A)

Walnuts(05 of09)

Although preliminary, research in mice has found that including walnuts in a healthful diet throughout the entire lifespan reduced the risk of developing breast cancer by half. (credit:shutterstock)

Turmeric(06 of09)

Curcumin, the compound in turmeric, may play a role in blocking the expression of a molecule called RANKL, which is found in the most deadly and aggressive breast cancer tumor cells. (credit:shutterstock)

Berries (07 of09)

Berries have several powerful antioxidants, primarily anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which have been shown in cell culture studies to reduce free radical damage to healthy cells, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. In separate research, they were shown to slow the growth and shorten the lifespan of breast cancer (as well as mouth, colon and prostate cancer) cells. (credit:Photolibrary.com)

Flax Seeds(08 of09)

Most research regarding flax's anti-cancer properties has been done in mice or in-vitro cell cultures, but what it shows could be profound: in one study, according to the American Cancer Society, the lignans found in flax slowed the movement and "stickiness" of breast cancer cells, causing it to spread more slowly in a cell culture simulation. (credit:shutterstock)

Tomatoes (09 of09)

Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is thought to slow breast cancer cell growth. (credit:Alamy)

Salmon Diet and fitness cancer prevention green tea health benefits Nutrition

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