Eat to BEAT CANCER

Cases of bowel cancer are on the rise. But what you choose to put on your plate could reduce the risk

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Experts believe our modern diets and lifestyles are to blame for the growing rates of bowel cancer. Cases of the disease are rising throughout the Western world and have increased by 22% in the UK over the past 30 years*.

But there is plenty we can do to help protect ourselves and our families. 'Eating a healthy and balanced diet can reduce your risk of cancer,' says Woman's Weekly GP Dr Gill Jenkins. Some foods, such as wholegrains, can offer a protective effect. Others, such as processed meat, may cause harm.

But eating well to maintain a healthy weight is also crucial, because being overweight is the second most common cause of cancer in the UK (smoking is the first), causing more than one in 20 cancers. The risk is higher the more overweight you are and the longer you're overweight. Keeping a healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer**.

Fill up on fibre

Help reduce your risk of bowel cancer, as well as other serious health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, by eating fibre, particularly wholegrains. 'Fibre helps to manage our blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels,' explains Dr Gill. 'It feeds the good bacteria in our gut, encourages pathogens and other toxins to move through the digestive system and out of the body, and prevents overeating by helping us feel fuller after meals.'