Changing your eating habits can have a major impact on your health, including reducing your risk of some cancers, says British nutritionist Rick Hay, a specialist in botanical medicine and iridology.
According to the expert, one of the most effective changes is to include more plant-based foods in your daily diet.
Cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage — these vegetables contain glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. They have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and help eliminate toxins, preventing the development of lung, liver, stomach, colon, and breast cancers. Vegetables are also rich in glutathione, which is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants.
Onions and garlic
These foods also contain glutathione. Data from the US National Cancer Institute show that regular consumption of garlic reduces the risk of stomach and colon cancer. Garlic is able to block the formation of carcinogens and support the process of DNA repair.
Red onions, according to Hay, are most effective in destroying colon and breast cancer cells, due to their high content of quercetin and anthocyanins.
Yellow-orange fruits and vegetables
Carrots, pumpkins, peppers, mangoes, and other similar foods are rich in carotenoids: beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene. They boost the immune system and reduce tumor activity.
For example, falcarinol in carrots can stop the growth of existing cancer cells.
Tomatoes Tomatoes
contain lycopene, an antioxidant that breaks down into metabolites with anticancer effects, especially effective in preventing prostate cancer.
Turmeric
Its main active ingredient, curcumin, blocks inflammation and can destroy mutated cells that develop into tumors. To enhance the effect, turmeric should be consumed with black pepper, mustard, or ginger.
Nuts
Almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts contain fiber, oleic acid, and healthy fats that have a protective effect against cancer. Their regular consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of colon, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers.
Mushrooms:
Medicinal mushrooms (reishi, shiitake, maitake, cordyceps) contain beta-glucans, which boost immunity, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. They are known to help alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, such as anemia and nausea.
According to Hay, even small changes in diet can be an important step in the prevention of serious diseases, including cancer.
