From Queens Library's expert-led panel, Cancer Awareness: What You Need to Know, featuring professionals from New York Hospital Queens, North Shore LIJ, the American Cancer Society, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
3. Modifiable Risk Factors
Lifestyle
Diet
Up to 1/3 of cancers can be avoided with a
nutritious diet, maintenance of a healthy
weight, and an active lifestyle
4. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol
5. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol
6. Plant-based Diets
High in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.
Dietary fiber
Vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants
Low in total and saturated fat
7. Benefits of Dietary Fiber
Speeds up digestion
Eliminates cancer compounds from the body
Changes the bacteria in the gut to good bacteria
Getting enough fiber can reduce the risk of:
Colorectalcancer
Breast cancer
Some head/neck cancers
8. Sources of Fiber
Whole Grains
Legumes
Vegetables
Fruits
Recommendations:
Men: 32g per day
Women: 25g per day
(14g of dietary fiber per 1,000
calories daily)
9. Benefits of Vitamins and
Phytonutrients
Act as antioxidants in the body
Antioxidants:
Reduce cells that damage the body
Control cell growth and death
These compounds may be protective against:
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer Bladder cancer
Colon cancer Lung cancer
Esophageal cancer
10. Sources of Vitamins and
Phytonutrients
Vitamin A: liver, eggs, dairy
ß-carotene: carrot, sweet-
potato, pumpkin, dark leafy
green vegetables
Vitamin E: vegetable oils,
nuts, leafy green vegetables,
sweet potatoes, carrots, and
tomatoes
Vitamin C: citrus fruits,
broccoli, cabbage
Recommendations:
2 cups of fruit daily
2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables
11. Benefits of Consuming a Low Diet
Low intakes of saturated fat may prevent
inflammation
Inflammation is often associated with cancer
Increased waist
development
circumference and body
weight (obesity) may
increase the risk of
developing:
Colon cancer
Breast cancer
Multiple myeloma
12. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol
13. Limit Red and Processed Meats
Some processed Red meats:
meats may contain Hamburgers, steak,
carcinogens lamb roast, pork
Recommendations chops
: Processed meats:
Eat less than 18 Smoked/cured/salte
ounces of red d meat, meat with
meat a week to added preservatives
reduce cancer risk such as hotdogs,
bacon, salami,
sausage
14. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol
15. Avoid Grilling and Frying Foods!
Cancer causing compounds are
produced when animal products
are grilled or fried
Chemicals formed when fat drips
off the meat into flames
Try to replace grilling and frying
with baking, steaming, or boiling!
16. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol
17. Limit Alcohol Consumption
May damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer
High alcohol consumption is associated with:
Head and neck cancer Esophagus cancer
Mouth cancer Breast cancer
Pharynx/Larynx cancer Liver cancer
Recommendations:
Men: 2 drinks per day
Women 1 drink per day
18. Summary
There are many causes of cancer
Some causes can be changed
Diet is a modifiable risk factor
With these small steps, you can help reduce
your risk of cancer-causing agents!