1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
If you haven't heard by now, eating lots of fruits and vegetables helps lower the risk of many forms of cancer. This is no accident, as they are loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants. An easy rule of thumb is to eat the colors of a rainbow. There is a pot of gold awaiting you at the end--good health.
2. Up in Smoke
This may come as a surprise to many of you, but taking antioxidants while smoking might not be the best thing to do to prevent cancer. It has actually been known that taking antioxidants has exacerbated cancer risk, especially of the lung. The underlying message is to stop smoking, then take antioxidants. Smoking actually causes free radical damage and it robs your body of oxygen. If you do smoke, you might want to consider trading in your cigarettes for a colorful array of fruits and vegetables.
3. The Male Man
For the uninformed, prostate cancer is now the second leading cause of death in men next to lung cancer. So one way to help in the fight is to get a good supply of a substance called lycopene. The best sources can be found in red and pinkish colored fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, pink grapefruits and my personal favorite, apricots. There has been growing research stating that ketchup and tomato sauces actually have higher amounts of lycopene because they are more concentrated. Just be sure to read the ingredient labels. A lot of times there are artificial ingredients that are never advertised on the front of the package.
4. Black or Green Tea?
This is a trick question. You win either way. Black and green teas are filled to the brim with catechins, which have long been known to help prevent cancer. Both the black and green varieties are good, but green has a bit of an advantage in antioxidant power due to the fact that it is less processed. But don’t be fooled by that instant iced tea you buy in the grocery store. I’m talking about that stuff that comes in a big bottle or powdered form and has a whopping 11 tsp. of sugar per serving. All you’re going to prevent by imbibing that stuff is one less hole on your belt.
5. It’s Ladies' Night
OK, I’m going to dedicate this one to the ladies. Breast and ovarian cancer are two of the most feared types of cancer for females, and a good way to stay ahead of the game is to fill your plate with cruciferous vegetables. Two heavy hitters that fall into this category are Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Steam them up so they're just tender, not emaciated, and then invite me over for dinner!
