Nutrition and Cancer

Lung cancer has been in the news recently with the death of anchor man Peter Jennings, and with the diagnosis of lung cancer in Dana Reeve. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, with breast cancer not far behind. Cancer in general ranks just behind cardiovascular disease as a cause of death in the United States.

Can cancer be prevented? Nothing can be guaranteed, of course, but you can decrease your risk of some cancers and of cardiovascular disease by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, healthy proteins like fish and legumes, and also by consuming healthy oils like olive oil. Remember that it is equally important to avoid unhealthful eating behaviors like eating too much fried foods, eating tooo many calories, and eating junk foods in general.

Individual nutrients, and components of foods are also being studied. Here are a few interesting studies regarding foods and cancer:

• Carrots May Prevent Cancer
• Olive Oil and Breast Cancer
• Researchers Discover How Vitamin A Enters Cells, Fights Cancer
• How Lycopene Prevents Cancer
• How Selenium Prevents Cancer

All of the nutrients and foods in these studies should be part of a healthy diet. If you wondering if your diet is healthy, take this Healthy Diet Screening Quiz.