Cancer will affect 1 in 3 of us during our lives, but one doctor claims that by eating the right foods, you can beat it once and for all.
Officially we can prevent cancer by avoiding things that are known to increase the risk of certain cancers. These include:
However, these won't guarantee that you'll avoid cancer, simply reduce your risk of getting it.
Some scientists claim that the number of cancer cases could be reduced by as much as a third if we ate more healthily, but official sources such as Cancer Research say that there is no one food that we should or should not eat to help prevent cancer.
But now, one American doctor called David Servan-Schreiber has published a book called Anticancer: A New Way Of Life in which he puts forward a new diet and lifestyle that he claims can beat cancer.
His aim is to make our bodies stronger and boost our immune systems, which will fight off cancer. He calls it an 'anti-cancer biology'.
So what foods does he think we should eat to prevent cancer? Find out more...
Before you start looking at specific things, eating a balanced diet is important. You may have heard it all before, but the following steps are vital for good health:
On top of that, we all need to eat a wide variety of foods - include some fresh fruit and vegetables, some starchy foods and some protein foods every day.
However, Dr Servan-Schreiber suggests certain foodstuffs work better at fighting cancer.
Aubergines: Also known as eggplant, this vegetable contains something called terpenes which help to block tumours. Other foods high in terpenes include herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and mint.
Broccoli: Along with other members of the same family, like cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts, broccoli contains powerful anti-cancer molecules and a recent study has said it can help beat prostate cancer.
Chocolate: We're not suggesting you fill up on Kit-Kats or Snickers unfortunately, because they're mainly fat and sugar. What you should be nibbling on is dark chocolate with a high cocoa content - at least 70% preferably. It's rich in antioxidants and something called polyphenols which slow the growth of cancer cells.
- Why chocolate is good for you
Garlic: Much loved by the French, garlic has been used for health purposes for many years and no wonder. Garlic has been shown to fight colon, breast, lung, kidney and prostate cancer.
Oily fish: Things like mackerel, sardines and herrings are all high in fatty acids like Omega 3 which has been shown to cut down on the growth of tumours. Studies have even shown that eating oily fish twice a week can help beat cancer.
Oranges: Citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and limes contain something called flavonoids which stop inflammation. The ones in tangerine skins help to kill brain cancer cells, but we don't suggest you eat raw citrus peel. Either put it in hot water or grate it into other dishes.
Tomatoes: It's long been known that tomato ketchup is high in a substance called lycopene which can help protect against prostate cancer. Along with carrots, beetroot and apricots, tomatoes are high in something called carotenoids that can help combat brain tumours.
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