Ms. Wang, a 40-year-old workplace elite, usually has high work pressure and a fast pace of life. During a physical examination organized by her unit, she was diagnosed with early breast cancer. This news was like a bolt from the blue, and her life instantly fell into chaos. In the subsequent treatment and communication, I learned that there were some problems with her eating habits. Due to her busy work, Ms. Wang often chooses convenient and fast high-sugar, high-oil refined staple foods, such as white bread, fried dough sticks, etc., and the intake of vegetables and coarse grains is seriously insufficient. In order to save time, she often buys fried dough sticks and soy milk at a roadside stall as a breakfast, and a box lunch at noon, in which the staple food is mostly refined white rice. If there is a social dinner, it is even more fish and meat, and the choice of staple food rarely considers health or not. Ms. Wang said to me regretfully: "Doctor, I really didn't realize that diet would have such a big impact before. It would be great if I could pay attention earlier." I comforted her: "Don't blame yourself too much, it's not too late to change now. From now on, adjusting your diet structure will be of great help to your recovery." 1. Research reveals: the close relationship between staple food and cancer In recent years, a striking study has shown that reasonable replacement of staple foods can significantly reduce the risk of death from cancer. According to statistics, among people who replaced traditional refined staple foods with healthier options, the number of deaths from cancer each year was reduced by nearly half. This shocking data undoubtedly sounded the alarm for us and made us re-examine the key position of staple foods in our dietary structure. People who insist on eating whole grains, beans, potatoes and other staple foods have a significantly lower risk of developing common cancers such as colon cancer, stomach cancer and breast cancer than people who eat refined white rice, noodles and processed foods as their staple foods. 2. 3 healthy staple foods recommended by doctors 1. Whole grains: brown rice Brown rice is rich in B vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Compared with finely processed white rice, brown rice retains more nutrients. The dietary fiber content in brown rice is several times that of white rice. These dietary fibers can act like a small brush in the intestines, promoting intestinal peristalsis, reducing the residence time of harmful substances in the intestines, and reducing the risk of colon cancer. In addition, brown rice is rich in trace elements such as vitamin E, zinc, and magnesium, which play an important role in maintaining the body's normal metabolism and immune function. (ii) Beans: red beans Red beans are not only rich in protein and dietary fiber, but also rich in antioxidants. Studies have shown that the antioxidant components in red beans can help eliminate free radicals in the body, reduce cell damage, and thus reduce the incidence of cancer. Red beans can provide the body with high-quality plant protein. Compared with animal protein, plant protein has lower fat content and is more beneficial to cardiovascular health. At the same time, the potassium in red beans helps regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of certain cancers. 3. Potatoes: Purple sweet potato Purple sweet potatoes are rich in anthocyanins, dietary fiber and vitamin C. Anthocyanin is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. Anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes can effectively protect cells from oxidative damage. The dietary fiber in purple sweet potatoes can increase satiety, reduce appetite, and is very beneficial for weight control. Obesity is one of the important risk factors for many cancers, such as endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. 3. Benefits of Healthy Staple Foods Choosing these healthy staples has benefits beyond just reducing your cancer risk. They also have a positive impact on the body in many ways, helping us maintain good health. They can help control weight. Take brown rice as an example. Its rich dietary fiber can increase satiety and reduce calorie intake. In contrast, refined staple foods tend to be digested and absorbed quickly, which can easily cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, thereby stimulating the secretion of large amounts of insulin and promoting fat synthesis and storage. Eating refined staple foods as the staple food for a long time can easily lead to weight gain. Obesity increases inflammation levels in the body, creating favorable conditions for the occurrence of cancer. Healthy staple foods help stabilize blood sugar levels. Legumes such as red beans have a low glycemic index and will not cause drastic fluctuations in blood sugar after intake. Stable blood sugar levels are essential for preventing diabetes and its complications, and also help reduce the risk of diabetes-related cancers such as pancreatic cancer and endometrial cancer. Improving cardiovascular health is also one of the important roles of these healthy staples. Vitamin C and anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes can enhance vascular elasticity, lower blood pressure, and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular health is closely related to cancer risk. Good cardiovascular function can provide the body with more oxygen and nutrients, enhance the immune system, and thus better resist the growth and spread of cancer cells. 4. How to incorporate healthy staple foods into your daily diet There are some simple and easy ways we can incorporate these healthy staples into our daily lives. For example, when cooking rice, replace half of the white rice with brown rice, or just cook pure brown rice. You may not be used to the taste of brown rice at first, but gradually increase the proportion and your body will get used to this healthier choice. Making multi-grain porridge is also a good method. Mix red beans, brown rice, coix seeds, etc. together to cook porridge, which is both delicious and nutritious. As for purple sweet potatoes, you can steam them and eat them directly as part of breakfast or dinner, or cut them into small pieces and make salads with other ingredients. You can also use the weekend to make some snacks made with healthy staple foods, such as purple potato cakes, red bean cakes, etc., which not only satisfy your appetite but also consume healthy ingredients. Cancer is a complex disease, and its occurrence is related to many factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Although changing staple foods cannot completely prevent the occurrence of cancer, it is an important part of our dietary adjustment. In addition to choosing healthy staple foods, we should also maintain a balanced diet and consume enough vegetables, fruits, high-quality protein, etc. At the same time, combined with moderate exercise; regular work and rest, ensure adequate sleep every day; reduce bad habits such as smoking and drinking; and regular physical examinations and cancer screenings, such as breast examinations, gastrointestinal scopy, etc., can comprehensively reduce the risk of cancer and protect our health. I hope everyone can pay attention to the choice of staple food, starting from every meal, to lay a solid foundation for the health of themselves and their families. Follow me to get more health knowledge~ |
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