Just as Chinese people are fond of tea, Westerners tend to prefer coffee. After five years of epidemiological investigation, American scholars believe that caffeine has a certain effect on the formation of pancreatic cancer and bladder cancer.
Excessive Consumption of 'Warm and Hot' Foods
So-called 'warm and hot' foods refer, on one hand, to foods that are directly perceived as being too hot or scalding, and on the other hand, to foods that are classified as having a 'warm and hot' nature in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Because they are excessively pungent and heating, they can easily damage the epithelial cells of the digestive tract mucosa. Therefore, foods of this nature are most likely to induce tumors of the digestive system.
Overly hot diets are a major cause of esophageal cancer and other digestive tract tumors. Eating food that is too hot can damage and stimulate the epithelial cells of the esophageal mucosa. Long-term stimulation can induce malignant changes in the tissue. The incidence of digestive tract tumors among Chinese people is significantly higher than that of Westerners, which is related to the Chinese preference for hot food, often having hot soups like vegetable soup or noodle paste with every meal. In contrast, Western diets are relatively simple, with hot soups being rare and cold drinks like juice and cola being more common.
Alcohol is considered a 'pungent and heating' substance in TCM. Long-term alcohol consumption is one of the most common factors in the development of digestive system tumors. The southwestern region of Shandong is a high-incidence area for esophageal cancer, which is related to the local diet's preference for hot and spicy foods and alcohol. In fact, as early as 1964, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages is associated with oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, and esophageal cancer. In investigations conducted in Tongxing Township, a relatively high-incidence area for liver cancer in Qidong County, Jiangsu, and Xining Township, a relatively low-incidence area, it was found that the liver cancer mortality rate in the former was 2.5 times that of the latter. The two townships are separated by only one road, their natural environments are basically the same, and their smoking rates are also similar. The only difference is that people in the high-incidence area enjoy drinking alcohol, while those in the low-incidence area prefer tea.
Foods that are also considered 'hot' in TCM include fried and smoked foods. Because they are subjected to high-temperature frying and roasting, these foods also become 'hot' in nature. Research has confirmed that long-term consumption of such foods can easily lead to stomach, intestinal, and liver cancer.
Just as Chinese people are fond of tea, Westerners tend to prefer coffee. After five years of epidemiological investigation, American scholars believe that caffeine has a certain effect on the formation of pancreatic cancer and bladder cancer. People who drink coffee regularly have a 2 to 3 times greater chance of developing these two types of cancer than those who do not. Among patients with pancreatic cancer, at least half are caused by excessive coffee consumption.
Imbalance of the Five Flavors
TCM holds that diet should be balanced in the five flavors: sweet, bitter, sour, pungent, and salty. Overindulgence in any single flavor can lead to disease. Among the factors causing tumors, excessive consumption of rich, greasy foods and excessive saltiness are common.
Excessive Consumption of Rich and Greasy Foods
In TCM, 'rich and greasy' foods refer to sweet and greasy foods. From a clinical perspective, sweet foods, namely starchy and sugary foods, when consumed in excess, can easily lead to stomach cancer. Excessive intake of high-fat foods like fatty meat and grease can promote breast cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. From a TCM perspective, tumors fall under the category of 'accumulation syndromes.' The 'Neijing' (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states that accumulation syndromes are the stagnation of body fluids and blood stasis. A rich and greasy diet can easily promote dampness and generate phlegm, undoubtedly exacerbating the accumulation of these pathological products.
From a modern medical perspective, a diet high in fat can prompt the liver to secrete more bile. Once in the intestine, primary bile acids in the bile are converted into deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid by anaerobic bacteria. These two substances are both tumor promoters that can cause intestinal mucosa to become cancerous. At the same time, fat can also provide a suitable growth environment for various tumors.
Excessive Saltiness
In addition to table salt, salty foods also include pickled vegetables, salted fish, cured meat, and other preserved products. According to relevant research, the risk of developing esophageal cancer for those who frequently eat preserved foods is 2.79 times higher than for those who rarely do. A preference for salty foods most easily leads to stomach cancer. Japanese fishermen, who have a strong liking for salted fish, have a high prevalence of stomach and esophageal cancer. A fondness for salted fish is also an important factor in causing nasopharyngeal cancer. Malaysian researchers found that coastal residents suffer from nasopharyngeal cancer more frequently, which is related to their love for salted fish. A national survey in China showed that in high-incidence areas of stomach cancer, the average daily salt intake is 50 grams per person, whereas in low-incidence areas, it is only about 6 grams.
In reality, salt itself is not carcinogenic. The cause of carcinogenesis is that a high concentration of salt solution can easily destroy the protective layer of the gastric mucosa, causing erosion or ulcers. In this state, once exposed to carcinogenic substances, it can promote the local malignant transformation of gastric mucosal cells. Salt is an essential substance for the human body, but it should not be consumed in excess. It is generally recommended that the daily salt intake for a healthy person should be controlled to within 6 grams.
Consumption of Denatured and Rotten Foods
Aflatoxin is widely recognized as the most potent carcinogen. Aspergillus flavus, which produces aflatoxin, is abundant in spoiled grains, corn, and peanuts. This fungus thrives in warm and humid environments. Studies have found that it can induce various tumors in experimental animals. This factor is a major cause for the high incidence of cancer in some regions of Asia and Africa.
Preserved Foods
Nitrites are also recognized carcinogens. Large amounts of nitrites are produced when vegetables and fresh meat are preserved. Nitroso compounds are found in salted dried fish, fermented pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, leftover cooked cabbage, sausages, and meats. Regular consumption of these foods poses a risk of cancer.