THE RIGHT FOOD CAN BRING DOWN YOUR RISK OF CANCER AND PREVENT RECURRENCE

Cancer cases in India may reach 1.57 million by 2025, driven by lifestyle and late diagnosis. While genetics can't be changed, diet plays a vital role. Eating right not only lowers cancer risk but also aids recovery. This National Nutrition Week, let’s embrace food as preventive and healing power.

- DR MANDEEP SINGH MALHOTRA

A 202 trial in Newcastle University on around 1000 people with high hereditary risk of a range of cancers show that adding more resistant starch to diet can have a major preventive effect. Foods containing preventive starch include oats, peas, beans, green bananas and cooked and cooled pasta and rice. This was published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. A 2023 study from the University of South Australia says that men who stick to a predominantly Mediterranean diet are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Another 2017 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, says that adding colourful fruits and veggies to diet may considerably bring down the risk of colon cancer.

Let us take a look at some foods that can help you in your fight against cancer, for management as well as for prevention.