Modern people face high work pressure, often having quick and simple meals for breakfast and lunch, only to be able to have a proper meal after work in the evening, which often involves rich and heavy foods. Experts state that this lifestyle is unhealthy and can easily lead to stomach cancer. In particular, frequently consuming high-protein, high-fat foods in the evening requires a longer digestion time in the stomach, promotes excessive secretion of gastric juice, irritates the gastric mucosa, weakens resistance, and can lead to ulcers. Regularly eating fried, grilled, and cured foods can further damage the stomach with their carcinogenic substances. Therefore, the primary principle of diet is to eat more high-fiber plant-based foods, that is, a vegetarian diet.
How should one approach preventing stomach cancer from a dietary perspective?
◆ Eat more cancer-preventing foods
Regularly consume foods that help prevent cancer. Diet plays a crucial role in cancer prevention, and researchers suggest that vegetables and fruits can effectively reduce the risk of various cancers, particularly colon cancer.
On average, consume no more than 4 ounces of red meat per day, avoid processed meats like sausages and smoked sausages, eat a variety of non-starchy vegetables and fruits at least five times a day. Minimize the intake of sugary drinks, juices, desserts, and candy, and eat less refined bread, bagels, and potato chips.
◆ Regular cancer screenings
Undergo regular cancer screenings (such as for colon, breast, prostate, uterine, and skin cancer), and ask your doctor about the recommended age and frequency for these tests. Early detection of cancer increases the likelihood of a cure and reduces the mortality rate.
◆ Limit alcohol consumption
Control alcohol intake, which means no more than two bottles of beer per day for men and no more than one bottle per day for women. However, drinking the minimum amount daily does not mean you can save up your drinks for a binge on the weekend.
◆ Exercise actively
Engage in regular physical activity. You don't need to do the intense training of an athlete, but you should frequently engage in activities like brisk walking, cycling, dancing, or any exercise that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat.
◆ Consult a doctor before taking medication
If you believe you need medication, it's best to consult a doctor first, which can help reduce the risk of cancer. Currently, several tested medications have been shown to effectively lower the risk of cancer.
Additionally, what are the dietary precautions to keep in mind when preventing stomach cancer?
1. Develop good eating habits. Irregular meal times, overeating, and eating too quickly or too hot can be damaging to the stomach and are related to the occurrence of stomach cancer.
2. Do not smoke and drink less. It is widely recognized that smoking can induce lung cancer. Similarly, smoking is also related to stomach cancer. Cigarette smoke contains multiple carcinogenic or cancer-promoting substances, which are one of the causes of esophageal and stomach cancer. Although alcohol itself is not a carcinogen, strong liquor can irritate the gastric mucosa, damage the mucosal tissue, and promote the absorption of carcinogenic substances. The harm is even greater if you smoke while drinking, as alcohol can increase the permeability of cell membranes, thereby enhancing the absorption of carcinogens from smoke.
3. Change your diet structure. Eat less or avoid salt-preserved, smoked, fried, and baked foods such as salted fish, ham, and cured meats. These salt-preserved foods contain a high amount of salt, which can damage the integrity of the gastric mucosa. Additionally, the preparation process of these foods can increase the content of carcinogenic substances like 3-4-benzopyrene, promoting the development of stomach cancer.
4. Do not eat moldy food and eat less or no pickled vegetables. These foods contain or can produce large amounts of nitrites and secondary amines, which can form nitrosamine compounds in the body under certain conditions. These compounds are potent carcinogens.
5. Eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, and drink more milk. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and milk are rich in vitamins, which can help repair the body's natural barriers and prevent the synthesis of chemical carcinogens within the body.
6. Actively treat diseases related to the development of stomach cancer, such as atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia, abnormal hyperplasia, intractable gastric ulcers, and gastric polyps.
7. Maintain a cheerful mood, be optimistic, and do not suppress your emotions.