Doctor recommends eating a healthy diet to help reduce the risk of cancer

A healthy diet is a key part of cancer prevention. While there are many factors you can’t change that raise your risk of cancer — such as genetics and environment — you can make dietary changes to reduce your risk, according to Dr. Irina Rybalova, a hematologist and oncologist at Highland Medical, P.C., and Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

“By choosing what we eat carefully, we can make our bodies more inhospitable to cancer,” she said. “But the standard American diet makes it easier for cancer to grow, with its empty calories, mineral deficiencies and extensive amount of sugar.”

Rybalova recommends the following dietary tips to reduce your cancer risk:

Cut down on sugar. Eating lots of high-sugar foods increases the calories you consume, which can lead to excess body fat. This extra fat is linked to many types of cancer.

Some scientists think cancers may start with high levels of insulin, the hormone that controls the amount of sugar in your blood. “Many of our patients are obese and have diabetes,” Rybalova said. “There is a positive association between Type 2 diabetes and the risk of cancer and cancer death.” You should try to consume no more than 25 grams of sugar daily, she said.

Control carbohydrates. Too many calories from carbohydrates can lead to weight gain, obesity and increased risk of certain types of cancers such as breast, colon and lung.

To increase healthy carbs, stick with whole grains, quinoa, beans (instead of potatoes), nuts and peas. Avoid unhealthy carbs like sweetened drinks, highly processed snack foods, pastries and candy.

Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Fruits with the lowest amounts of natural sugar include berries, kiwi and papaya. Choose whole fruit instead of juice — for instance, a cup of blueberries has less sugar than a glass of orange juice.

Eat a variety of vegetables — dark green, red and orange (such as spinach, tomatoes and carrots). Cruciferous vegetables prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors and promote cancer cell death. These veggies include cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, bok choy and cauliflower.

Focus on plant proteins. Unless you have sensitivity to lectin, good choices are beans and lentils, which contain protein, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and other important nutrients. Other nutrient-dense plant-based proteins include organic tofu and tempeh. Eating more plant protein than animal protein is associated with a lower risk of many types of cancers.

Choose inflammation-fighting foods. Prolonged inflammation can damage the body’s healthy cells and tissue, and weaken the immune system. This can increase the risk of cancer. Foods that fight inflammation include fatty fish like salmon and sardines, whole grains like quinoa, prebiotics such as yams and Jerusalem artichokes, and probiotics such as kimchi, miso and kombucha. Extra-virgin olive oil is also anti-inflammatory.

Avoid processed and red meat. Processed meat such as hot dogs, bacon and deli meats have compounds called nitrates that can increase the risk of cancer. If you eat red meat, have no more than 18 ounces of cooked grass-fed red meat per week. Healthier choices are lean chicken, wild (not farmed) fish or plant-based protein.

Limit alcohol. Rybalova recommends people limit alcohol to special occasions, or once a week at most.

“We are continuing to learn more about the connection between diet and cancer,” she said. “There’s no guaranteed way to prevent cancer, but we do know that a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of developing it.”

Dr. Irina Rybalova is an experienced hematologist and medical oncologist committed to providing her patients with exceptional medical care at both Highland Medical, P.C., and Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Learn more about her and the services she provides at montefiorenyack.org.