The Harvard Report on Cancer Prevention attributes 30 percent of all cancers to risk factors caused by poor diet. This means that changing your eating habits can significantly reduce your overall risk of the disease. While the No.1 factor for lung cancer is smoking and other types of tobacco use, diet also plays a role.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals. They also contain phytochemicals -- compounds that may have anti-cancer properties. The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Include a variety of different types of produce in your diet and choose juices made with 100 percent fruit juice with no added sugars. A large lunchtime salad is one way to boost your consumption of vegetables. Add cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, kale and cauliflower to receive high levels of phytochemicals and their benefits.
Meat and Seafood
The American Cancer Society advises that you limit your intake of red meat and processed meats to reduce the risk of many cancers. Instead choose fish, poultry, or beans as a main dish. When you eat red meat, limit the serving size and select only lean cuts. Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as by frying, searing or cooking over a charcoal grill, increases the amount of carcinogens released. Baking, broiling or microwaving are safer methods of preparation.
Fats
Fats should provide less than 20 percent of your total daily calories. Healthy fats include unsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed, pumpkin seed, canola, walnut, safflower, sunflower, sesame and virgin olive oils make good choices. Hydrogenated fats, found in many processed foods, are potentially carcinogenic. You should also avoid oils high in saturated fats including palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil and cottonseed oil.
