the connection between a healthy diet/lifestyle and cancer

Understanding the Connection Between a Healthy Lifestyle and Cancer

Holly Mills, MS,RD,CDN,CSONYU Clinical Cancer Center

Healthy Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), a combination of a healthy diet, regular physical activity and healthy body weight can lower your risk of cancer

Overall, about 1/3 of the most common cancers in the US could be prevented by following the AICR recommendations, according to experts

http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/diet/

http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/physical-activity/

http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/weight/

Healthy Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention

AICR Guidelines for Cancer Prevention

Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat and avoid processed meat

Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life

Be physically active every day in any way for 30 minutes or more

Foods That Fight Cancer? No single food or food component can protect

you against cancer by itself. But scientists believe that the combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet may. There is evidence that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects

Eating a predominantly plant based diet can help prevent weight gain and protect against those cancers whose risk is convincingly increased by higher body fat. Such as cancers of colorectum, esophagus, endometrium, pancreas, kidney and breast in postmenopausal women

Plant Based Diet The American Institute for Cancer Research

(AICR) recommends to fill your plate with 2/3 or more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans and 1/3 or less with animal protein

Plant Based Diet Plant foods are vegetables, fruits, whole

grains (such as whole wheat bread and brown rice), beans and legumes, nuts and seeds

Provide substances that help keep us healthy when eaten regularly

Good sources of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber

Phytochemicals Naturally occurring compounds that provide

scent, color and taste to protect the plants containing them

Researchers have discovered hundreds of different phytochemicals in plant foods that work to protect our health by blocking the potential for cancer causing substances to form in our bodies

They also appear to strengthen our immune systems, reduce inflammation and regulate hormones. These improvements can lower cancer risk

Vitamins Plant foods provide essential vitamins such

as vitamin K to help bones and blood clotting, vitamin A for eyesight and Vitamin C for immunity and wound healing

Minerals Minerals from foods are essential to good

health and research suggests some may be protective against cancer

Examples of minerals in plant foods include calcium in dark leafy greens, selenium in whole grains, magnesium in beans, and potassium in spinach, sweet potatoes, winter squash and bananas

The Colors of Health Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many

vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C

Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, blueberries, yellow peppers, purple plums, red watermelon, and pineapple

Fiber Fiber rich plant foods contain hundreds of

naturally occurring plant substances called phytochemicals, which help protect the body’s cells from damage that may lead to cancer. They also provide essential vitamins and minerals

As part of a well balanced diet, eat at least 25 grams of fiber each day from a variety of plant foods

Fitting More Plant Foods into Your Diet

Tips for Breakfast:

Whole grain cold cereal topped with fresh fruit. Look for cereals with little added sugar/salt. Use skim or 1% milk.

Oatmeal sprinkled with crushed walnuts Whole wheat toast with natural cashew,

almond or peanut butter Vegetable omelet with bell peppers,

mushrooms, onion and spinach


Tips for Lunch:

Make a sandwich with whole grain bread or pita filled with hummus, spinach, tomato and onion

Broth based soup with beans and vegetable

Spinach salad topped with strawberries and nuts. Add 3 oz of salmon for a heartier meal

Spaghetti Squash with fresh tomato sauce and diced chicken breast


Tips for Dinner:

Increase the amount of vegetables in mixed dishes and casseroles

When preparing burgers or meatloaf that call for 1lb of meat, cut that amount to three-quarters of a pound and add 2/3 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or barley

Try a kidney bean and ground turkey chili served with brown rice, broccoli and red peppers

Prepare lentils with onion, garlic, dijon mustard and top with a piece of halibut or salmon


Visit a Greenmarket and stock up on fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and whole grain bread. Go to http://www.grownyc.org/ourmarkets to find a market near you

Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Visit http://www.justfood.org/csa to find a CSA in your area

http://www.grownyc.org/ourmarkets

http://www.justfood.org/csa

Healthy Cooking Register for a cooking class. Cook for Your Life

and the American Cancer Society offer hands-on cooking classes at Hope Lodge. Classes are open to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers

To register, email [email protected] or call 212-799-3894

http://www.cookforyourlife.org

mailto:[email protected]

Aim to Be a Healthy Weight

Weight control is essential to reducing cancer risk. To maintain a healthy weight you need to choose healthful foods in reasonable portions and get at least 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity per day. As fitness improves, aim for 60 minutes of physical activity each day

Portion Control and Weight Management

Oversize portions have become standard in this country, and as a result, we have lost our perspective on what a healthy portion size should be

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, portions have increased significantly over the past 20 years


20 years ago Today

Coffee whole milk /sugar 8oz/ 45cal

Steamed Mocha latte 16 oz/ 350 kcal

55 cal /1.5 inc255 cal/ 3.5 in.

210 cal/1.5 oz

510 cal/4oz

500 cal 850 calories


Tips for controlling portions: Use smaller bowls and plates. Smaller portions

of food will look bigger When reading Nutrition Facts labels, check

serving size first; that’s what all the other figures on the label apply to. Some packages look like a single serving, but actually have 2 or 3 servings


Pass on super-sized and value meals. They have no value in weight control

Restaurant meals and bakery items are usually oversized, so save half the meal before you begin or plan to share with a dining companion

Use measuring cups to see what amount really goes on your plate or bowl. Compare your portions to the standard servings defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture


Food Serving Looks Like

Chopped vegetables 1/2 cup ½ baseball or rounded handful

Raw, leafy vegetables 1 cup 1 baseball or fist full

Fresh fruit 1 small piece; ½ cup chopped 1 baseball; ½ baseball or rounded handful

Dried fruit ¼ cup 1 golf ball or scant handful

Pasta, rice, cooked cereal ½ cup ½ baseball or rounded handful

Ready-to-eat cereal Varies from ¼ - 1 ¼ cup

Whole Wheat Bread 1 Slice

Whole Grain Crackers 5 crackers

Meat, poultry, seafood 3oz cooked Deck of cards

Dried beans ½ cup ½ baseball or rounded handful

Nuts 1/3 cup Level handful

Cheese 1oz 4 small dice or 1” cube

Milk 8 oz

New American Plate The New American Plate emphasizes the kinds of

foods that can reduce risk for disease. It also shows how to enjoy all foods in sensible portions. It promotes a healthy weight as just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle

At the center of the New American Plate is a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. These foods are rich in substances that help keep us in good health and protect against many types of cancer. They are also naturally low in calories

Making the Transition

Stage 1: The Old American Plate

Stage 2: A Transitional Plate

Stage 3: The New American Plate Stage 4: Another Option

Physical Activity and Cancer Prevention

Scientist have found evidence to suggest physical activity may play a role in reducing your risk for a variety of cancers

The link between physical activity and cancer prevention is certain, but it isn’t clear exactly how this connection works. Current research suggests that some biological effects of physical activity may play a role in cancer prevention:- Reduces body fat- Boosts the immune system- Speeds up food transit time in the gut


AICR recommends moderate physical activity, equivalent to brisk walking, for at least 30 minutes per day. As fitness improves, aim for 60 minutes or more of moderate activity or for 30 minutes or more of vigorous activity every day

“Physical Activity” includes much more than exercise you might get at the gym or in a fitness class. Daily activities like walking to the mailbox, lifting boxes at work, sweeping and recreational activities like hiking or cycling all count


Researchers are finding that sitting for long periods of time can increase some of those same indicators of cancer risk, even among people who exercise daily

Based on these research findings, AICR is urging Americans to make time for physical activity and break every hour of sitting with 1 to 2 minutes of activity

These breaks can be as simple as walking to a colleague's office instead of sending an email or going to the kitchen to get a glass of water


Types of Activity: Aerobic activity also known as cardiovascular or

endurance activity is any activity that raises your heart rate to an elevated but safe level and keeps it there for a period of time

Strength training involves working your muscles against a weight or resistance to increase strength

Stretching becomes especially important as you get older, when activities like reaching above your head become more difficult. A regular stretching program that works your joints through their full range of motion can help you to maintain independence as you age


Exercise intensity is the measure of how hard your body is working during physical activity and is often characterized as light, moderate or vigorous. Intensity also depends on the difficulty level, such as whether you are walking on a flat surface or uphill

The true intensity for an activity will vary based on your current fitness level. For example, when you begin an exercise program, a 3mph walk may be a vigorous activity; as you become more fit, the walk will become easier for you to complete in less time and may be considered a moderate intensity activity


The guide below will give you a general sense of the intensity level for a variety of common activities:

Light Intensity Activities Walking, slowly Golf, powered cart Gardening or pruning Bicycling, leisurely Dusting or vacuuming Light stretching


Moderate Intensity Activities

Walking, briskly (3.4 miles per hour) Golf, pulling or carrying clubs Swimming, recreational Tennis, Doubles Bicycling 5 to 9 mph, level terrain Scrubbing floors or washing windows Weight lifting machines, free weights or

resistance bands


Vigorous Intensity Activities

Jogging or running (5 miles per hour) Swimming laps Tennis, Singles Bicycling >10mph, or on steep hills Moving or pushing furniture Circuit training with weight machines


Additional tips for increasing physical activity:

Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it

Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn't count! Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash

Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving. When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk and choose a hilly route

Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall


Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few floors early and take the stairs the rest of the way

Get off the bus or subway a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way to work or home

Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them regularly

Take dancing lessons If you are new to exercise and confused about how

to start, try walking. Walking is the simplest way to start and continue an exercise regimen

Choose activities you enjoy—think about variety to stay motivated!


Search BeFitNYC for free and low-cost fitness activities in New York City. Activities include walking groups, fitness classes and swimming lessons

http:/ /www.nycgovparks.org/web/fitness/html/index.php

http://www.nycgovparks.org/web/fitness/html/index.php

http://www.nycgovparks.org/web/fitness/html/index.php


Moving For Life A program of dance exercise tailored for

women living with breast cancer. Classes are also open to and beneficial for anyone dealing with other types of cancers or similar physical challenges

For more information, call 212-414-2921or visit

http://movingforlife.org/home.htm

http://movingforlife.org/home.htm


In general, physical activity is considered by researchers and oncologist as helpful for everyday functioning and recovery. However, if you are a cancer survivor, it is very important to check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program and to begin slowly

American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer

Prevention

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life

Be as lean as possible throughout life without being underweight

Avoid excess weight gain at all ages. For those who are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start

Get regular physical activity and limit intake of high-calorie foods and drinks as keys to help maintain a healthy weight

Be physically active


Prevention

Adults: Get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week (or a combination of these), preferably spread throughout the week

Children and teens: Get at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day, with vigorous activity on at least 3 days each week

Limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching TV, and other forms of screen-based entertainment

Doing some physical activity above usual activities, no matter what one’s level of activity, can have many health benefits


Prevention

Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help you

get to and maintain a healthy weight Limit how much processed meat and red meat you

eat Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each

day Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products If you drink alcohol, limit your intake Drink no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2

per day for men

Additional Resources American Institute for Cancer Research-

www.aicr.org American Cancer Society- www.cancer.org American Dietetic Association- www.eatright.org National Cancer Institute (NCI)- www.cancer.gov USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center-

www.nal.usda.gov/fnic American Heart Association-

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter

Eating Well- http://www.eatingwell.com Cooking Light- http://www.cookinglight.com

http://www.aicr.org/

http://www.cancer.org/

http://www.eatright.org/

http://www.cancer.gov/

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic



http://www.eatingwell.com/

http://www.cookinglight.com/

QUESTIONS

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