Diet and Cancer: Are They Related?
Diet and Cancer
There are endless hypotheses to why cancer occurs, some are true, but many are false. Diet most definitely plays a large role in the development of cancer. The main cancers that diet has an effect on are breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and esophageal cancer. There are a variety of reasons that diet can either cause or reduce an individuals risk for cancer development. As stated by the American Cancer Society, “Cancer is caused by changes in a cell 's DNA – its genetic "blueprint." Some of these changes may be inherited from our parents, while others may be caused by outside exposures, which are often referred to as environmental factors.” Environmental factors include diet, and diet includes the foods that a person eats, and the drinks a person drinks. It comes as a surprise to some, that diet can also include alcohol consumption, which if over-used, can eventually cause cancer.
Substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens. Carcinogens typically alter the DNA of a cell directly which leads to its uncontrolled growth. Essentially, “carcinogens” is the term used to classify the different known causes of cancer. Many different foods and beverages are known to include carcinogens such as, most red meat, alcohol, some varieties of fish, and different chemicals used to preserve canned foods. Millions, if not billions of people around the world eat these foods every single day and are causing exponential harm to themselves. The constant consumption of these carcinogens are single handedly leading to the cancer for many unknowing people. Some cancers can be eliminated by simply avoiding foods that contain carcinogens.
Another prominent cause for cancer is over-eating fatty foods. The fat in foods can trigger certain hormones in the body that can lead to the uncontrolled growth of cells. Unfortunately, nobody’s bodies react in the same way; so different hormones are released for
There are endless hypotheses to why cancer occurs, some are true, but many are false. Diet most definitely plays a large role in the development of cancer. The main cancers that diet has an effect on are breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and esophageal cancer. There are a variety of reasons that diet can either cause or reduce an individuals risk for cancer development. As stated by the American Cancer Society, “Cancer is caused by changes in a cell 's DNA – its genetic "blueprint." Some of these changes may be inherited from our parents, while others may be caused by outside exposures, which are often referred to as environmental factors.” Environmental factors include diet, and diet includes the foods that a person eats, and the drinks a person drinks. It comes as a surprise to some, that diet can also include alcohol consumption, which if over-used, can eventually cause cancer.
Substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens. Carcinogens typically alter the DNA of a cell directly which leads to its uncontrolled growth. Essentially, “carcinogens” is the term used to classify the different known causes of cancer. Many different foods and beverages are known to include carcinogens such as, most red meat, alcohol, some varieties of fish, and different chemicals used to preserve canned foods. Millions, if not billions of people around the world eat these foods every single day and are causing exponential harm to themselves. The constant consumption of these carcinogens are single handedly leading to the cancer for many unknowing people. Some cancers can be eliminated by simply avoiding foods that contain carcinogens.
Another prominent cause for cancer is over-eating fatty foods. The fat in foods can trigger certain hormones in the body that can lead to the uncontrolled growth of cells. Unfortunately, nobody’s bodies react in the same way; so different hormones are released for
Cited: "Antioxidants: MedlinePlus." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. "Diet and Cancer: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. "The Effect of Diet on Risk of Cancer." NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. "EXPERT VOICES." Cancer.org. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. "Known and Probable Human Carcinogens." Known and Probable Human Carcinogens. 17 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.