Substitute white bread for whole-grain bread, (same with cereal)
Processing grains significantly reduces the amount of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, as well as several of the nutrients that could be potentially cancer preventative. Whole grain foods are also high in dietary fiber and were found in studies to reduce the risks of cancers such as oral, pharynx, esophagus gallbladder carcinomas, etc.
Make your own smoothies at home and add as many fruits and veggies as possible.
You will be in total control of the ingredients in the food you eat. By making your own smoothies, there won’t be any unnecessary chemicals and will be fewer added sugars (though you should try to refrain from adding extra sugar), etc. You also have control over adding more unconventional ingredients to your smoothie, like an avocado or prunes (both great for digestion).
Use moisturizer and foundation/concealer with SPF
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measure of how well the product will block you from UVB rays (responsible for your burns and tans and also the most carcinogenic UVR). Many companies today sell moisturizers as well as make up products that have SPF. This way, you won’t forget to put on sunscreen. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
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Drink lots of water and avoid sugary drinks.
Studies have associated high water intake with lower caloric intake whereas sugary drinks have the opposite effect. In addition, water can aid with digestion and even help one satiate hunger faster. Try also carrying a water bottle around. That way, you will be constantly reminded to drink water.
Use olive oil instead of butter or vegetable oil.
Olive oils is extremely high in antioxidants. It in particular has oleocanthal that helps with inflammation. For more details, visit the ‘Managing Your Diet’ page.
Substitute white rice with quinoa.
Both quinoa and white rice gives you carbohydrates. However, quinoa, unlike white rice is high in fiber. Each cup of quinoa contains around 5.5g of fiber.
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Add a tablespoon of chia seeds and a slice of ginger, lemon, or other fruits to your water.
1 tablespoon of chia seeds has around 5.5 grams of dietary fiber which will help with digestion. In addition, the ginger or fruit may add both flavor and antioxidants into the water. The antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties which may be beneficial to your body. Also your water won't be plain old water anymore; It may be fun to switch out the different foods and tastes to your water.
Stand instead of sit whenever possible.
Try standing instead of sitting whenever you’re doing paperwork, you’re watching TV, you’re cooking, etc. Standing burns calories and thus promotes physical activity. On the contrary, sedentary habits tend to increase your risks for obesity and cancer.
Portion Control
Controlling your portion sizes may help with managing your weight. Eating healthy does not mean you can eat as much as you want. The calories will still add up. For example avocado is great as a source of both healthy fat and fiber. However, eating 5 avocados is still eating over 1500 calories. Thus, it is important to control what you eat as well as how much you eat. In addition, eating healthy is all about making changes in moderation. So don’t cut cake or fries completely from your life. Still eat these foods, but eat them small portions once in awhile. Remember, it’s the portion size that counts. For additional help, you could potentially buy a portion control plate that separates the nutrition types by category if that helps.
Eat more raw foods (not including meat) as often as possible.
Raw foods include fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc. These sorts of foods don’t have any chemicals and haven’t stripped of their nutrients like several processed foods have. They are extremely high in several different antioxidants and have been shown in studies to reduce cancer risks.
Eat out as little as possible. Cook your own meals and add plenty of spices.
Cooking your own foods allow you to determine what goes in it. I suggest you incorporate as many spices and herbs as possible, especially turmeric, cloves, fennel, and ginger. These are all high in anti-inflammatory properties. On the other hand, food from restaurants tend to have all sorts of different chemicals, including MSG and may not have the freshest and healthiest produce.
Substitute cream and butter with avocado and refined sugar with applesauce.
Several cookie, cake, and brownie recipes require you to put several cups of sugar and butter. However, you can definitely make this recipe healthier with a few swaps here and there. Substituting unhealthy ingredients with healthy ingredients is an excellent tip because not only does it improve your health, this tip is effortless and you won’t even be able to taste the difference.
Switch out your sausage linkages with fresh meat
Like I mentioned in my ‘Preventative Risks’ page, the IACR declared processed meat as a carcinogen. Thus, it would be best to decrease your consumption of these sorts of meats. Instead, just eat the pure and fresh meat version. Why eat the preserved meat when you can eat the fresh kind?
Add oats to the top of your foods.
Oats, a form of whole grain, is great for digestion. They don’t have a strong taste and give a crunchy texture. Thus, try to utilize them to your advantage because they do provide you with a small kick of nutritions. I suggest putting them on your yogurt (like a parfait), your salad (like croutons), in your sandwiches (like an extra ingredient), or your soup (like soup crackers).
Choose your processed products wisely.
Make sure to read the nutrition label for all processed foods you consume. Make sure that the sugar and sodium levels are not absurdly high.
Switch normal bacon with veggie bacon
Bacon is a form of processed meat, which we know is a carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer found that 50 grams of processed meat every day (equivalent to 4 strips of bacon) increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. Alternatives to bacon include mushroom bacon and tempeh (soy based) bacon.
Start your day off with a cup of green or black tea.
Tea not only provides you with some caffeine (a little bit of energy), it also has a lot of a catechins. Catechins from green or black tea have been studied before and have been suggested to help with the prevention as well as the treatment of a variety of cancers. Tea also just has many antioxidants beneficial for your body.
Exercise at least 3 times a week.
This seems self-explanatory. I have emphasized numerous times how important exercise is. It decreases your risks for several diseases (not just cancer!) and releases endorphins as well (so you should feel good after a workout). So don’t be a couch potato; go on a run outside or go to the gym.
Do FUN physical activities:
Going to the gym will get boring and this may cause you to give up and lose the habit of exercising consistently. Thus, I suggest you to switch up your exercises as well as your environment. Try going on hikes, exploring a forest, swimming in a lake with friends and family. Variation is key to persistence!
Go on a walk after each meal.
Starting a habit of taking a walk after your meal helps become less sedentary.
Avoid canned foods.
Many canned foods today still contain BPA, a probable carcinogen (for more details check out the ‘Preventative Risks’ Page). Canned foods in general also tend to be extremely high in sugar or sodium to help preserve the food item. Thus, it is better to eat the raw and fresh version of peaches or tuna than the trash that is in those cans (full of sugar or salt too)!
Don’t surround with people who smoke. If you smoke, try to stop.
If you see a group of people smoking, please try to distance yourself. Smoking is the leading cause of all cancer deaths and second hand smoking by itself causes 42,000 deaths a year. You don’t want to be surrounding yourself with all that toxic smoke.
On the other hand, if you are a smoker, please try to stop. There are multitudinous studies regarding the harmful effects. However, if you choose not to, please try to smoke in isolated areas. You are not only affecting yourself, but you are also impacting those around when you are smoking a cigarette and releasing all those toxins.
