Message background: The World Cancer Research Foundation (WCRF) organized internationally renowned scientists to evaluate and create a promotional chart titled "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Cancer Prevention". This chart uses common cancers as the horizontal axis, common foods as the vertical axis, and seven levels of correlation to represent the relationship between food, nutrition, and cancer prevention. It also includes recommendations from senior experts, making it suitable for display in family kitchens. Recently, the China Union Medical University Press published this chart.
Interviewed experts:
Gu Zhongyi: Clinical Nutritionist at the Nutrition Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University.
Wang Xufeng: Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Nutrition Alliance, National Senior Nutritionist.
Some say that a family's health is in the hands of the housewife. This makes sense, as the housewife controls the family's diet, which in turn controls the family's health. The promotional chart "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Cancer Prevention" is most suitable to hang in the kitchen, allowing housewives to frequently check it.
Daily five servings of all-round cancer prevention champions: non-starchy vegetables. Gu Zhongyi said that non-starchy vegetables include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, eggplant, bok choy, and root vegetables like celery. These vegetables are rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C. Dietary fiber can encapsulate heavy metals, preventing the body from absorbing harmful substances. Additionally, they promote intestinal movement, prevent constipation, and are very beneficial for intestinal health. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that can block the formation of carcinogens. Therefore, eating more non-starchy vegetables can reduce the incidence of oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and colorectal cancer. One should consume at least five servings (at least 400 grams) of different types of non-starchy vegetables daily.
Less on the dining table: alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages contain large amounts of ethanol, which metabolizes into acetaldehyde and greatly harms liver cells. The liver is the organ responsible for detoxification in the body, and once its function is affected, it will impact many other organs. Thus, alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of oral cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. If drinking alcohol, men should not exceed two standard drinks per day (i.e., no more than one liang of liquor above 50 degrees), and women should not exceed one standard drink.
Snacks often stocked: fruits. Fruits contain vitamin C, dietary fiber, and some carotenoids. Carotenoids mainly consist of beta-carotene, which has antioxidant properties and converts into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A protects epithelial cells, especially the cilia inside the trachea. Our lungs automatically clear dirt, dust, and microorganisms breathed into the body through the movement of these cilia, similar to throwing bricks layer by layer when building a house. Once the cilia on the trachea break, the lungs' cleaning ability decreases, leading to the accumulation of dirt and affecting lung health, potentially causing lung cancer.
More red cancer-preventing fruits for men: lycopene-rich and selenium-rich foods. Lycopene is a natural pigment primarily found in the mature fruits of tomatoes. It is a strong antioxidant that clears free radicals in the body, thereby reducing the incidence of prostate cancer in men. Selenium-rich foods include peanuts, sesame seeds, malt, etc. Selenium is a component of a peroxidase enzyme in the body that plays an antioxidant role and is a significant free radical scavenger. Thus, selenium is also known as the "cancer-fighting king" among trace elements.
Women should choose more anti-cancer "ginseng": carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A plays a protective role in maintaining the health of epithelial cells. Scientists have observed that cervical cancer patients have lower levels of beta-carotene in their blood compared to normal individuals. Therefore, low intake of beta-carotene is considered a risk factor for cervical cancer.
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(Responsible editor: Situ Suizheng)