Cancer Connection: Food, Inflammation & Cancer Risk

What is it about the connection between the foods we eat, the inflammation they cause, and the link to cancer?

When we get injured or catch an infection, our body’s immune cells spring into action. Immune cells travel through the bloodstream to the injured area, and they call in more immune cells. We can sometimes see the effects of the increased blood flow and immune cells to an injured area when it becomes red, warm and/or swells. This is acute inflammation and it’s a normal, protective response. It happens immediately and can last from hours to days. When it ends, the increased immune cells die and/or disperse. But when the immune response never ends it can become harmful. And when the body is in a state of constant, low-level inflammation, called chronic inflammation, it can actually promote tumor development.

Certain foods can lead to inflammation. This prolonged inflammation can damage your body’s healthy cells and tissue, and weaken your immune system. This weakened state can increase your risk of diseases like cancer. However, some inflammation is necessary. Your body’s inflammatory response is essential for you to heal. This response tells your body’s immune system to send white blood cells and chemicals to help fight off infection or repair an injury. But when inflammation persists, or when your body triggers a response when you don’t have an infection or injury, that is when there is concern. Other causes of chronic inflammation can include obesity, smoking, stress, lack of exercise, and exposure to secondhand smoke. Chronic inflammation often shows no signs, so taking a proactive approach with a healthy diet can reduce chronic inflammation and lower your cancer risks.The American Institute for Cancer Research estimates that 33.3% of cancers can be prevented by following guidelines for a healthy diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.

How do you protect yourself from harmful cancer promoting foods? Choose the right foods and you may be able to reduce your risk of illness. Consistently pick the wrong ones, and you could accelerate the inflammatory disease process. Foods that appear on this list of foods to limit or avoid, interestingly enough, also appear on lists that are bad for your heart and also lead to obesity (another risk factor for inflammation).

Foods that inflame
Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:

• Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries
• French fries and other fried foods
• Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, such as juice
• Red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
• Margarine, shortening and lard

Potential triggers of inflammation also include gluten, dairy, soy and corn.

Anti-inflammation foods
On the flip side some foods and beverages that have been found to reduce the risk of inflammation, and with it, chronic disease. Examples include fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples and leafy greens that are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols—protective compounds found in plants. Studies have also associated nuts with reduced markers of inflammation and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may protect against inflammation, as well.

Anti-inflammatory eating
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet. If you're looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.

In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health. The mind/body/spirit connection is at work here which can help you experience improvement in mood and overall quality of life.

Foods that combat inflammation
Include plenty of these anti-inflammatory foods in your diet:

• Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, chard, and collards
• Nuts like almonds and walnuts
• Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
• Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
• Spices such as turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, sage and thyme

How to make a change to your diet

Add more plant foods to your plate!

Plant foods are the only foods that contain anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. Plus, they are high in the antioxidants and fiber your body needs to stay cancer-free. Fiber also can lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein in the blood that signals inflammation.The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends filling at least two-thirds of your plate with plant foods.
Make one-half of your plate non-starchy vegetables and/or fruits of all colors.
Make one-quarter of your plate whole grains or starchy vegetables, like potatoes, corn and peas.

Limit processed foods
Choose whole, fresh foods while preparing your own food to maximize nutrients and phytonutrients. These nutrients keep us healthy in many ways, while reducing inflammation. Processed foods are lower in nutrients and higher in refined sugars, flours and fats. They’re also usually loaded with artificial ingredients that can increase CRP levels (a blood test that measure inflammation in your body). Skip highly processed foods, like fast food, packaged and instant foods. Avoid high-fructose corn syrup, trans-fats (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) and high sodium foods.

Balance fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids can help protect your body from chronic inflammation. On the other hand, omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation. The key is balance, so you’ll take in more omega-3 and less omega-6.

• Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, halibut, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, pecans and avocado.
• Use oils high in omega-3, such as olive and canola.
• Avoid or limit oils high in omega-6, such as corn, sunflower, peanut and soybean.
• Read the ingredients on packaged foods. Limit foods made with refined vegetable oils high in omega-6. You’ll find these oils in most snack foods, cookies, crackers and sweets.

Limit red meat
Eating too much red meat, like beef, lamb, pork, deer and buffalo, can increase your cancer risks. Try to limit red meat to 8 oz. OR LESS each week to keep your cancer risks low. Try replacing red meat with the following high protein foods to help reduce chronic inflammation.

• If having animal proteins, choose skinless chicken, turkey and fish. 
• Replace animal proteins with plant proteins, such as beans and lentils, at some meals. 
• Choose lean meat, milk, cheese and eggs from pasture-raised and hormone-free animals. 

Eat more fermented foods
Fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and miso contain probiotics that help reduce inflammation. To get the most health perks, eat at least one small serving of a fermented food each day.

• Choose low-fat, plain organic yogurt and kefir.
• Try fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, with a sandwich or salad.
• Enjoy a cup of miso soup or kombucha tea.

Other ways to help reduce your risk

Stay at–or get to–a healthy body weight
Scientists now know that body fat is an active metabolic tissue that pumps out hormones and other substances the body needs. But excess body fat can lead to high levels of certain hormones and proteins, which can then trigger inflammation throughout the body. Evidence shows that excess body fat plays a convincing role in seven cancers, including endometrial, esophageal, and post-menopausal breast. Its role in chronic inflammation may be one reason why.

Be physically active
Studies suggest that physical activity may play a role in reducing chronic inflammation. People who exercise regularly have lower signs of chronic inflammation. AICR’s expert report found that physical activity reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, and probably post-menopausal breast and endometrial cancer as well. It also was found to decrease the risk of gaining weight and being overweight. Physical activity by itself and/or its role in maintaining a healthy weight may be the reason it lowers inflammation. Either way, the benefits of physical activity are clear, for cancer and many other diseases. AICR recommends 30 minutes or more of daily moderate physical activity for cancer prevention. People looking to lose weight may need 60 minutes or more.

SIDE NOTE ABOUT FIBER: Consumption of unrefined whole grain carbohydrates as a preferred choice has a double action: it limits the elevation of post meal blood glucose and ensures a high fiber intake. Whole grain cereals have a lower glycemic index (GI) than refined products made with white flour, white rice and sugar. The consumption of low-GI foods helps avoid sudden increases in blood glucose, limits the secretion of insulin, and, therefore, inflammation. Low-GI foods have an anti-atherogenic action, decreases the production of atherogenic lipoproteins, oxidized LDL and inflammatory markers. The consumption of whole grains, legumes and other plant foods recommended by the Mediterranean Diet brings a high amount of fiber (β-glucans, arabinoxylans, galactomannans, pectins) that increases satiety and helps to control weight. Numerous scientific results showed that dietary fiber promotes gut health and prevents cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. In the gut, prebiotic fiber, the type of fiber that feeds natural bacteria in the gut such as inulin, lactulose and galactooligosaccharides, can be selectively fermented by Bifidobacteria and/or Lactobacilli. The growth of these microorganisms maintains homeostasis and functionality of the intestinal microbiota and reduces the risk of dysbiosis. Moreover, fiber is an effective “carrier” of bioactive antioxidants (vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and polyphenols).

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Test your CC IQ

1. Which is higher in Omega 3, canola or olive oil?
2. What has more fiber, corn flakes, bran flakes or oatmeal?
3. How many grams of fiber is recommended for women, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, 20-25 g/ day? 
4. How many grams of fiber in an apple, pear, orange or banana?
5. Polyphenols are found in what foods? 
6. True or False - if you get your antioxidants from supplements, it’s just as good as if from foods?
7. True of False - dietary fibers favors an enlargement of the bulk of stool, increases intestinal transit time, and reduces the contact of potentially carcinogenic and toxic compounds with gastrointestinal epithelium
8. True or False - overall good nutrition helps enhance the body's immune system and provides antioxidants to reduce inflammatory stress
9. True or False - saturated fat from meats, butter, cream sauces, fried foods and trans fat found in many processed foods should be included every day
10. True or False - quality and duration of sleep and other lifestyle factors can have a direct impact on inflammation

1. Canola oil 2. Bran flakes (but check labels and portions sizes) 3. 20-25 gm/day for women 4. 3.6, 5.5, 3.1, 3.1 5. Teas, coffee, red wine, dark chocolate, fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds, and high quality herbs and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and Peppermint. 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. False 10. True

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Recipes

Tumeric and Coconut Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 3 meduim size butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 (15 ounce) cans of coconut milk
• 16 ounces of vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of granulated onion
• 4 teaspoons of turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon of ginger
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of cumin
• ¼ teaspoon of cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a large knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
3. Lay the butternut squash halves face up on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until the squash is golden brown on the edges.
6. Remove the squash from the oven and let it rest until it is cool enough to handle.
7. Gently scoop the roasted butternut squash out of the skin and into a large soup pot. Discard the skin.
8. Add the coconut milk and turn the heat to medium, allow the coconut milk and butternut squash to warm for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add the vegetable stock and all of the spices.
10. Using an immersion blender, blend all of the ingredients together until the soup is smooth and creamy.
11. Allow to cook over medium heat for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
12. Serve and enjoy!

Vegan Turmeric Quinoa Power Bowls

Ingredients

• 7 small yellow potatoes
• 15 oz. can chickpeas
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ cup quinoa
• salt/pepper
• 4 kale leaves
• ½ Tbsp olive oil
• 1 avocado

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Slice the potatoes into strips and lay flat on ½ of a baking sheet. Spray/drizzle them with coconut oil and sprinkle 1 tsp of turmeric over them. Add salt/pepper to taste.
• Roast for 5 minutes while you drain and rinse the chickpeas.
• Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and add 1 tsp of paprika, coating them evenly. Lay the chickpeas on the other ½ of the baking sheet.
• Roast the chickpeas and the potatoes for about 25 minutes (or until the potatoes are a little bit soft).
• Cook the quinoa with ½ cup of water. Once the quinoa is cooked, add 1 tsp of turmeric (salt/pepper to taste), mix together, and let cool.
• Wash the kale and massage the olive oil over the leaves. Separate the leaves into the 4 bowls.
• Slice the avocado and split into the 4 bowls.
• Add the quinoa and roasted chickpeas/potatoes to the bowls and serve!