Fight Cancer with Nutrients
You can fight cancer not only by being careful about what you expose your body to, but also with what you put into it. Following a nutritious diet will not only help you to stay fit and healthy, it can also help you fight cancer.
Believed to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, antioxidants can be found in substances like beta-carotene and lycopene, and vitamins C, E, and A. These are found in antioxidant rich foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, poultry, and fish. Free radicals are atoms or molecules that have a single unpaired electron in an outer shell, the body is exposed to them whenever it is breaking down sugars, medicines, and chemicals, as well as when it comes in contact with pollutants like cigarette smoke or excessive alcohol consumption. When a person is exposed to free radicals over long periods of time it can cause irreversible damage and lead to diseases like cancer. Antioxidants help fight cancer as they interact with and stabilize free radicals, therefore preventing them from harming the body. Since they are able to neutralize these atoms and molecules it’s possible that they may slow down cancer development or possibly prevent it all together.
Not just for healthy bones, this vitamin helps reduce inflammation, adjust neuromuscular function, and influences the actions of some genes that regulate the production of cells. It can be found in fish like tuna, salmon, catfish, and mackerel, or may be fortified in foods like milk, bread, cereals, and yogurt. Vitamin D is believed to help build protection against cancer by repressing the growth of cancerous cells. It has been found to improve the survival rates of people with lung cancer as well as help fight against the development of breast cancer.
As a B-complex vitamin, folate is important during rapid cell division and growth, and the body needs it in order to synthesize, repair, and methylate DNA. High amounts of folate are found in leafy vegetables like spinach, turnip greens, and asparagus, as well as legumes like peas, lentils, and beans. Moderate amounts of folate are found in many vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and beets, and fruits like bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe. It is believed to help prevent changes in DNA that lead to cancer and protect against DNA mutations. It has been found to help fight against cancers like colorectal and pancreatic.
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