By epidemiological studies and by direct trials, much evidence has by now been gathered about the cancer prevention effects of certain diet measures, of specific food sources and of specific supplements of natural substances.

GENERAL DIET ADVICES

A diet with the aim of preventing cancer is generally the same as a diet to prevent heart disease and other diseases. Such a diet consists of:

-Whole cereals, peas, beans, vegetables, fruit, fish, mushrooms, fouls and seafood, and just a moderate amount of red meat,

-Just a moderate amount of fat.

-Ideally most fat one eats, should be of the type mono-unsaturated. One also needs some poly-unsaturated fat of the types omega-3, and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption of saturated fat should be moderate.

• In order to achieve right fat balance, much of the fat supply should come from a blending of sources like olive, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, nut oil, sunflower, sunflower oil, fish and fish oil.

• You can include soy oil and corn oil in the diet, but do not only use such oil types in order to avoid getting too much poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

-Just a very moderate amount of butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat.

-Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.

-Just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.

-Just a moderate consumption of tranquilizers and stimulants as Alcohol and caffeine.

• Just a moderate amount of salt in the food. However, in warm weather and by hard physical work, you will need more salt.

SPECIFIC FOODS AND DRINKS TO USE

A diet with generally much fruit and vegetables has proven to help prevent cancer. Optimally a person should eat five fruits or vegetables each day, and those should be raw or carefully cooked, so that the nutrients are not washed out by the cooking.

Generally plants, fruits and spices with a strong colour or a strong taste have cancer preventing effects because of the contents of bioflavonids and other anti-oxidants.

Broccoli, cabbage, mustard, kale, and cauliflower are vegetables with proven strong cancer preventing effects, probably due to the content of indole-3-carbinole.

Onion and garlic are also thought to help prevent cancer.

Whole grain and bread made of whole grain will help prevent colon cancer because of the fibre content and possibly also because of the vitamins and minerals contained.

Red peppers give a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Eating fish, and especially fat fish, some times each week also have a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Evidence points to the conclusion that green tea can help prevent cancer. However studies so far undertaken do not sort out all other variables that may give the same result.

Some studies have indicated that drinking coffee reduces the incidence of cancer, but others studies have thrown doubt upon these results.

SUPPLEMENTS OF VITAMINS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

Her are listed the most important cancer preventing effects suggested by results from recent projects. However, research are going on, and these results are not yet complete or absolutely certain.

These substances give general cancer prevention effects: Sulforaphanes found in broccoli and other crusiferous vegetables.

Colo-rectal cancer: These substances help protect against colo-rectal cancer: Alfa-tocoferole (a kind of Vitamin E), Vitamin B-6  (pyridoxine), Folic acid / folate in combination with other B-vitamins, Selenium, Indol-3-carbinol from crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly also vitamin D.

Gastric cancer: Substances that help prevent gastric cancer, and even help cure changes that can evolve into gastric cancer are: Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, (a precursor of alfa-tocoferole ), Indol-3-carbinol from crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy.

Breast Cancer: The incidence of breast cancer can be lowered by: Folic acid / folate, Vitamin B-6  (pyridoxine), Selenium, and possibly vitamin D.

Prostate Cancer: These substances seem to help protect against Prostate cancer: Celenium and Alfa-tocoferole (a kind of Vitamine E). A long study is under way, but the results from the study are not conclusive yet.

Bladder cancer: The chance of getting bladder cancer is lowered by: Alfa-tocoferole (a kind of Vitamine E).

Lung cancer: Substances that gives protection against Lung Cancer are: Isoflavones from soy. Indol-3-carbinol from boccoli and other crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly Vitamin D.

Results from research projects suggest that supplements added to the diet to prevent cancer should contain many working substances derived from natural sources, and that it is not wise to use heavy doses of just one substance.

NUTRIENTS THAT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT

Beta-carotene and vitamine A supplements may increase the chance for heavy smokers of getting lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking, according to results from epidemologic studies.

However, these vitamins in the food does not increase this risk. It is not clear what effect beta-carotene have on lung cancer in combination with other supplements or by non-smokers. The results from these studies are also controversial.

REFERENCES

You can read more about food,supplements and cancer prevention at these sites:
The Cancer Project: http://www.cancerproject.org

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion:
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/