Diet against cancer: Fiber and Micronutrients

Follow a healthy life style is the best shield for our health, and not only as an effective preventive measure to reduce the risk of cancer but also other diseases such as cardiovascular disease. A diet should be varied and balanced to be healthy. A diet in which, among other tips, it’s good to go for the consumption of dietary fiber and micronutrients. In what food can we find them? What properties we reported for our health?

diet against cancer

It is estimated, according to medical data, lifestyle, and that includes healthy habits such as eating healthy and varied influences 80% of cancer cases. A careful diet helps prevent the development of diseases and, including cancer. Modify the diet passes through something as simple as replacing the products or less natural food by others that they are recognized preventive properties against cancer, a term that includes different types of diseases that are characterized by an uncontrolled growth of cells.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber, plant-based, can be a good protector against colon cancer, breast, of the stomach, esophagus, mouth cancer, endometrium and ovarian cancer. Dietary fiber acts beneficially to slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, limiting the amount of insulin that enters the bloodstream. Fiber also contains antioxidants to combat the effects of free radicals. Another benefit of the fiber, and perhaps the best known, is its ability to improve intestinal transit. This time, contributes to reduce the absorption of cholesterol from foods.

To increase the consumption of fiber, it is advisable to include fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals and legumes in our diet.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are compounds from food. Micronutrients such as folic acid, calcium or antioxidants. The richest sources of these micronutrients are fruits and vegetables. Its consumption helps prevent the risk of lung, mouth, pharynx, stomach, colon and cervix cancer.

Special attention deserve called retinoids (preformed vitamin A), which can be found in egg yolk or products of animal origin, and carotenoids (particularly beta-carotene), which are found in fruits and vegetables.

Healthy Diet: Recommendations

Among the basic tips for a healthy and balanced diet and help preserve our health includes the following:

  • Adjust the intake of calories in our diet to the body needs.
  • Avoid excessive consumption of fat (especially saturated fat) and cholesterol.
  • Increase intake of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
  • Reduce alcohol consumption and avoid snuff, one of the main risk factors for some cancers.
  • Limit consumption of products rich in sugars and reduce the intake of salt in foods. Less salt, is more health, especially to avoid problems like hypertension.