Have you ever wondered what’s the “worst” disease you could be diagnosed with? I have. Having worked in the acute hospital setting for the last 6 years and witnessed the pain that patients go through, I can give you an entire list. There is no one disease I fear, there are many. Of them, cancer is probably in the top 5. Without doubt, there is basis for my fear. In 2015, cancer is the leading cause of death in Singapore, at 29.7% [1]. When in Singapore, look around, roughly 1 in every 4-5 people around you risk getting cancer [1]. What’s more concerning is that the incidence of cancer has been increasing year on year between 2011 and 2015 [1]. Are there dietary habits to prevent cancer? Of course there are.
While choosing to lead a healthy lifestyle will not guarantee a cancer-free life, it can significantly reduce your risk of developing it. Contrary to popular believe, it’s not all about fruits and vegetables (although it’s in there somewhere), or having to choose only bland and boring foods. In life, it’s all about managing risks isn’t it? If you gamble occasionally, you might make small winnings; if you do it often, you increase your risk of running up a huge debt.
It’s the same with your diet. If you enjoy “sinful” foods occasionally, you satisfy your cravings while maintaining good health, but if you always eat only “sinful” foods, your risk of developing disease increases significantly. Essentially, all you have to do is consume a variety of foods and avoid certain ones to reduce your risk of cancer. Today, I’ll run through 5 dietary habits to prevent cancer as recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research [2].