Cancer is increasingly common today– we have all had a loved one or an acquaintance diagnosed with cancer at one point or another– maybe even ourselves. The idea that cancer could be prevented with an optimal diet may seem far-fetched, but let’s break it down… The standard American diet, which usually gets a pretty bad rap, albeit appropriately, is largely inflammatory. What does this mean? When foods are ‘inflammatory’ it means that when we eat them, it creates more inflammation in our body. How does this relate to cancer? Well, cancer is typically associated with inflammation because inflammation generally indicates that the body is ill. If we are able to reduce inflammatory foods in our diet, we can reduce inflammation in the body. This can help prevent not just cancer, but all kinds of disease and illness.
So how do we start to reduce inflammatory foods and what foods are considered inflammatory? Here is a short list of inflammatory foods– consider it as a quick reference:
1. Grain (especially gluten)
2. Legumes (less inflammatory if they are soaked in fresh water overnight in the fridge)
3. Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
4. Processed foods, preservatives, and pesticides on our fruits and vegetables
There are definitely other specifics but this would be a short list.
To learn more about the cancer preventing benefits of a healthy diet, you can check out the following book:
