Lower Your Cancer Risk By Eating These 10 Foods

Some health problems are unavoidable, but numerous studies show a strong link between lifestyle choices such as exercising, drinking, smoking, and overall diet and the rates with which people develop cancer.. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly are all significant factors in preventing cancer, but so are the foods you choose to fuel your body. 

"In addition to being full of fiber and essential minerals like potassium and manganese, beets are also high in vitamin C, which is proven to help eliminate toxins in the body and boost cancer-fighting immune systems," said Sophie Milrom, the creator of Eat Pops. "Beets also contain phytonutrients called betalains, which has been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification benefits. One type of betalain, called betanin, has been shown in some studies to slow tumor cell growth in breast, colon, stomach, lung, and prostate tumors."

"Represented by interesting names like anthocyanin, pterostilbene, and ellagitannins, these compounds naturally found in blueberries have shown promising results when it comes to protecting our health," said Bridget Bennett, nutritionist for Indie Fresh.

"Coconut water is widely hailed as a hydrating ingredient due to its high levels of sodium, potassium, and magnesium electrolytes," Milrom said. "In addition, coconut water contains vitamin C, which can help flush toxins from the body in general. Coconut water has also been found to have antioxidant properties that, when used with other antioxidant fruits or vegetables, have been shown to fight cancer cells in certain lab studies."

"Lemons are high in vitamin C and are known to aid in flushing the body of toxins by supporting the liver and cleansing the blood stream," Milrom said. "Lemon peel has also been found to successfully destroy malignant cancer cells in studies on breast, colon, and lung cancer patients. In addition, lemon juice is antibacterial, antiviral, aids in digestion, fights inflammation, and can help to regulate blood pressure."

"All over the world, ginger has been long used to aid overall health and has been promoted as a more powerful medicine than chemotherapy and over the counter allergy medicines alike," Milrom said. "Whole ginger extract has been found to shrink prostate tumor sizes by over 50 percent in certain studies. It also has a whole host of health benefits, including settling the stomach, reducing inflammation in the body, and providing a wide range of free-radical fighting antioxidants."

"Grapefruit juice contains a great deal of vitamin C in addition to powerful phytonutrients lycopene and liminoid," Milrom said. "While vitamin C is proven to help fight free radical damage and help remove the body of toxins in general, the phytonutrients in grapefruit have also been shown to help fight free radicals and reduce tumors. Lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient that gives grapefruits their pink coloring, has a high capacity to prevent tumor growth. Liminoids have also been shown to prevent tumor formation by promoting the formation of a specific enzyme that aids the liver in processing toxins."

A study found that girls between the ages of 9 and 15 who regularly ate peanut butter and nuts were 40 percent less likely to develop the chance of benign breast conditions, which can lead to breast cancer later in life. Eating nuts also lowers the risk of developing diabetes, which then lowers the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. 

A study conducted by the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, found that women who added extra-virgin olive oil to their diet had a 62 percent lower risk of breast cancer over a five-year period. Olive oil provides the body with monounsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid, which could prevent the cancer-causing genetic mutations from developing into life-threating cancer.

"Pomegranates are packed with cancer-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants," Milrom said. "The specific phytochemical group called elagitannins, found in abundance in pomegranates, has been shown in multiple studies to prevent breast cancer. Elagitannins suppress estrogen production, which, in high levels, causes breast cancer tissues. Because pomegranates have so much elagitannins, they are especially powerful in fighting breast and prostate cancer."

Increase your fiber intake with whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and oats. Fiber will help keep your digestive system clean, healthy, and regulated. When food moves easily through your digestive tract, it also moves cancer-causing compounds out before they can harm your system. By making substitutes such as choosing whole-grain bread over white bread and popcorn instead of potato chips, your body will thank you.