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Journalism of Courage
If you thought cancer was a bolt from the blue that you just could not have seen coming, a growing body of medical evidence should make you change your mind. A report released jointly by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research in October shows that what you eat and how fast you grow determine how much you are at risk from cancer.
The report is the result of five years of study by nine teams of scientists who reviewed 7,000 studies on diet, exercise, weight and cancer. It found that people who ate well and exercised on a daily basis were less likely to develop cancer. It also said that tall people have a higher risk of cancer as hormones that cause the body to grow quickly might be involved in the development of the disease8212;especially ovarian, pancreatic and pre-menopausal cancer. 8220;A combination of hormones, nutrition and genes determines how and when our bodies grow and develop,8221; says Dr Harish Dua, department of oncology medical, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi. 8220;When cells divide and develop normally, a person grows in a healthy manner. However, when the cells divide abnormally and uncontrollably, ignoring the body8217;s system of checks and balance, the growth is called cancer,8221; says Dr Dua.
What then should you do to lower the chances of getting the disease? These are the recommendations culled from the report:
Maintain a body mass index BMI of between 21 and 23. BMI is a calculation of height to weight; anything over 25 shows you are overweight.
Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Also, take whole grains. Avoid red meat, alcohol and sugary drinks. Lower the intake of salt.
The report claimed that mothers who breastfeed are less likely to get cancer. It also said that their children are at a lower risk of developing it too. 8220;Children who are breastfed are less likely to become overweight when they grow up. This translates into a lower cancer risk,8221; says Dr Prasad.
A 30-minute exercise daily lowers the risk, doctors say. copy;
