Your body runs on food. Foods affect how you feel, how your body operates and your risk for diseases like cancer.
No food or food group can prevent cancer and excluding specific foods won’t eliminate your risk. But eating meals rich in healthy foods like vegetables, whole grains, beans and fruit and following some basic guidelines can help you reduce your risk for cancer and several other chronic diseases.
Eat healthy foods
Pack every meal with healthy and nutritious foods by filling at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, whole grains, fruits and beans. Nuts and seeds are good too. The remaining third of your meal is meat, fish or animal products like cheese and eggs, or try plant-based proteins like tofu.
Healthy meals can be tasty and exciting, no matter what type of food you like to eat. Take your favorite dishes and see where you can add more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
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Feed your body antioxidants
Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds are important for your body because they contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that protect plants from disease and when you eat these plant foods, you benefit too. They help repair your cells and remove toxins you may have absorbed during your daily life, including toxins from pollution, bacteria and viruses, and additives and preservatives in processed foods. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Antioxidants are sometimes called phytochemicals and are in every kind of vegetable and fruit, plus some herbs and spices too. The color of the vegetable or fruit signals the type of phytochemical it includes.
- Green and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and arugula are high in vitamins A, C and K. They are also high in fiber, sulforaphane and folate.
- Bright red, orange and yellow foods like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, peppers and carrots are high in beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins A and C, potassium and more.
- Dark purple foods like eggplants, berries, grapes, plums, beets, purple carrots and red cabbage contain a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins among other vitamins and minerals.
- White foods like mushrooms, garlic, cauliflower, onions and artichokes are high in anthoxanthins as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Fill up on fiber
Unprocessed vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans also are the best source of fiber. Adding high fiber foods to your diet can help reduce your cancer risk. Here are all the benefits of fiber:
- Feeling full longer. Dietary fiber includes a form of carbohydrate that people can’t digest. The fiber slows the speed at which food and drink leave your stomach. So, you stay full longer after each meal or snack.
- Weight control. Many high-fiber foods are low-calorie and packed with nutrients. That’s good news, since maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important factors in reducing your risk of cancer and other diseases.
- Lower cholesterol. Some fibers help prevent fat and cholesterol absorption, helping you lower your cholesterol over time.
- Stabilized blood sugar levels. Diabetic? Or at risk of becoming diabetic? Fiber can positively influence blood sugar levels by slowing how quickly sugar gets into your blood stream.
- Bowel management. Have digestive problems? Adding fiber to your diet can help protect your intestinal lining and make bowel movements easier or more frequent.
Include lean proteins
Eating more healthy foods does not mean you must be vegan or vegetarian. Meals that includes lean animal proteins like chicken and fish, as well as plant proteins, have been proven to reduce your risk for cancer.
Red meats like beef, pork and lamb can be included in moderation. Here are some guidelines for consuming red meat:
- Eat no more than 18 ounces of red meat per week. Each serving should be around three ounces, which is about the size of a regular deck of cards.
- Avoid burning or charring your meat because it creates compounds in the meat that have been linked to cancer. Use slow, low temperature cooking methods like baking or roasting. If you grill your meat, marinate it and finish off cooking in the oven or microwave.
Eat little, if any, processed meat like deli meats, hot dogs and bacon because they have been linked to colorectal cancer.
Follow the sugar stoplight
When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, use the sugar stoplight to help balance how much you eat.
- Natural sugars are safe to eat. Any sugar that is naturally occurring in a food gets the green light. That includes sugar in fruit and starchy vegetables, as well as whole or minimally processed carbohydrates like brown rice and whole grain pasta. Sugar in dairy products like milk and cheese is OK, too.
- Added sugar should be eaten in moderation. Foods with added sugar get the yellow light. That includes the cane sugar in your yogurt, the honey or syrup in your granola bar, as well as the agave you might put in a drink. Added sugar can also appear in foods like bread and pasta sauce.
- Refined or processed sugar should be limited. Eat red light foods as little as you can because they contain a lot of processed sugar. One candy bar or piece of cake can contain around 30 grams of added sugar. Eating these foods regularly leads to weight gain and other problems. Sodas and sweetened beverages get the red light, too, even if they use artificial sweeteners.
Be aware of sugar spikes
All carbohydrates you eat are turned to sugar – it’s the main energy source for your body. But for some carbs, this process takes longer, which gives your body more time to deal with the sugar. This is why brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread are healthier for you. The extra fiber slows down digestion, helps you avoid a sugar spike and makes you feel full for longer. The refined white versions will strain your pancreas and likely make you want to eat more.
Simple swaps to avoid sugar spikes include switching from fruit juice to eating whole fruit or switching out sugary jelly for sugar-free peanut butter on your toast.
Limit alcohol
For cancer prevention, it’s best not to drink alcohol. Alcohol is a toxin and drinking any amount can damage your body and increase the risk for several cancers, including oral cancer, throat cancer, colorectal and esophageal cancers, as well as liver and breast cancers.
Alcohol also can change the balance in your gut microbiome, which supports your immune system and regulates inflammation.
While no alcohol is best, women who choose to drink should have no more than one drink a day, and men no more than two drinks a day.
Tips for moving toward a healthy diet
Start slowly – look for progress, not perfection.
Assess your current diet – how much comes from whole grains, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds? How much comes from meat? How much is from whole foods? How much is processed foods?
You are more likely to stick with changes if they happen in small, simple steps rather than one giant change.
Choose a small first step that is realistic for you and one you can make successfully. Here some ideas:
- Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat. This might be by increasing the percentage of produce on your plate at each meal or the number of servings per day.
- Eat the rainbow daily or weekly to add more color to your diet. If you aim to eat the rainbow, you will automatically increase the amount and variety of fruits and veggies in your diet.
- Snack on healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Switching up snacks is a simple way to move toward healthy eating.
- Reduce intake of red and processed meats by choosing fish, seafood or poultry, or going meatless more often. There are many great plant-based protein options such as beans, lentils, peas and tofu. Eat them a few times per week.
- Choose whole grains or other whole food carbohydrates rather than processed carbohydrates at meals. Try spaghetti squash or veggie noodles instead of pasta. Switch to brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice.
- Eat salad as your meal. Top it off with nuts, seeds or beans as a protein source.
- Eat fruit for dessert.
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BMI Calculator
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool to help you determine if you are a healthy weight. Fill out the fields below to get your BMI.
| BMI | Classification |
|---|---|
| 18 or less | Underweight |
| 19 - 24 | Healthy |
| 25 - 29 | Overweight |
| 30+ | Obese |
Your BMI indicates that you are underweight. Talk to your doctor about ways to maintain a healthy weight. No matter what your weight is, eating a plant-based diet and staying physically active can reduce your risk for cancer.
Your BMI is in the normal range. If you have questions or concerns about your BMI or maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor. No matter what your weight is, eating a plant-based diet and staying physically active can reduce your risk for cancer.
Your BMI is in the overweight range. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. You can take steps to maintain a healthy weight.
Your BMI is in the obese range. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. You can take steps to maintain a healthy weight.
How many calories should I eat a day?
If you’ve ever examined the Nutrition Facts label on food, you’ve likely seen a phrase like “2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”
This guideline can help determine how certain foods fit into an overall diet, but it is not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to find calorie recommendations specific to you and your health goals.
To learn more about calorie recommendations, we spoke to senior clinical dietitian Jessica Tilton. Here is what she shared.
What are calories?
“Calories are the energy in food,” Tilton says, noting they come from nutrients including:
- Fats
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
After you consume calories, your body converts and uses them for energy. When you eat more calories than your body needs, your body stores them as fat, Tilton explains.
“You gain weight if you eat more calories than your body needs. You lose weight if you eat less than your body needs,” she says.
What factors influence calorie needs?
Many factors determine how many calories your body uses. Tilton says these include your:
- Age
- Gender
- Weight
- Height
- Muscle mass
- Physical activity level
How do I know how many calories I need?
There are many online resources that can help you determine exactly how many calories your body needs.
One such tool is the Body Weight Planner offered by the National Institutes of Health. First, you enter your weight, height, age, sex and physical activity level. Then, you can enter your goal weight and how soon you’d like to reach it, as well as any physical activity changes you plan to make. The planner then shows the number of calories needed to maintain current weight, reach a goal weight and maintain a goal weight.
If you’re an MD Anderson patient, you can also request a referral to one of our registered dietitians who can help you determine your calorie needs during cancer treatment.
Regardless of how many calories you need, MD Anderson dietitians recommend eating healthy foods such as meals rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Losing weight requires a calorie deficit, which means eating fewer calories than the body burns. This can be accomplished through diet and increased physical activity.
Your calorie needs will change as you lose weight. This is because when someone has less body mass, they burn fewer calories, Tilton explains. She recommends using weight loss predictor tools to measure your estimated weight loss over time. You can also use body weight planner tools or a weight loss predictor calculator to determine updated calorie needs as your weight changes.
“Weight loss is not linear,” she says. “It's a marathon. It's not a race.”
There are many healthy food and drink swaps you can make to support weight loss efforts.
Here are a few swaps Tilton recommends:
- Sparkling water instead of soda
- Baked or broiled foods instead of deep-fried options
- Lean protein instead of options with more fat
- Fruits and nuts rather than chips
Should I count calories?
Choosing to count calories is a personal decision.
For some, logging what they eat is a helpful way to track calories and other macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fat and protein. If tracking what you eat every day feels overwhelming, Tilton suggests doing so three times per week instead of daily. This will help you get an idea of your typical eating habits and whether they are aligned with your recommended calorie intake.
For others, counting calories may feel restrictive or unpractical. If this is the case for you, Tilton suggests focusing on the overall content of your diet and monitoring portion size. For example, at lunch and dinner, fill one half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein and the remaining quarter with carbohydrates or starches.
"That way you wouldn't be counting calories; you would just be changing the content of your diet and monitoring portions,” she says.
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.
7 questions about B vitamin supplements
If you follow professional or collegiate sports, you’ve probably heard at least a few athletes say they needed a B12 injection to boost their energy levels.
You may have also heard claims that B vitamins can reduce anxiety, nausea, insomnia, depression, or other conditions that cancer patients commonly experience as side effects of treatment.
But how many different kinds of B vitamins are there, and how do our bodies use them? Are B vitamin supplements safe for cancer patients to take during treatment?
We went to clinical dietitian Juhina Farooki for answers to these questions and more.
What are B vitamins, and how do our bodies use them?
B vitamins are naturally occurring micronutrients that help our bodies convert carbohydrates, fats and protein into glucose, a simple sugar that the body uses for fuel. They’re sometimes called “anti-stress vitamins,” because they boost the body’s immune system during times of strain.
B vitamins play a key role in the nervous system, too, as they’re needed for good brain function. They also help keep the liver, skin, hair, and eyes healthy.
Do our bodies produce B vitamins themselves or must we get them from our diet?
B vitamins occur naturally in a variety of plant- and animal-based foods, but they can also be taken as a nutritional supplement. Some B vitamins are added to “fortified” foods, too, such as enriched flour, pastas, breads, and breakfast cereals.
Are there different types of B vitamins?
Yes. Most are known by their “B name” as well as another title.
- B1 (thiamine)
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B3 (niacin)
- B5 (pantothenic acid)
- B6 (pyridoxine)
- B7 (biotin)
- B9 (folate)
- B12 (cobalamin)
What’s the difference between vitamin B and a vitamin B complex?
Any of the eight different B vitamins can be taken individually, or you can take all or most of them in a variety of combinations. Any given combination of B vitamins in a pill or liquid form is known as a B vitamin complex.
How would you know if you have a vitamin B deficiency?
Most people who are healthy, well-nourished and eating well-balanced meals don’t need a vitamin B supplement. But we might do a blood test if someone is showing any of the following symptoms:
- chronic constipation
- confusion
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- numbness
- weakness
- weight loss
Can you overdose on vitamin B?
It’s possible, but not very likely.
Vitamins come in two different categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
- Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in our bodies, so getting too much of them can be dangerous.
- Water-soluble vitamins are circulated in the bloodstream, so any excess is removed by our kidneys and secreted in our urine.
Only the vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. All the rest are water-soluble. So, while there are upper limits that people should stay below for B vitamins, it’s pretty unusual for anyone to reach them.
Is it safe for cancer patients undergoing treatment to take a vitamin B supplement?
That depends on each person’s particular situation.
Ideally, we’d like for patients to obtain all the B vitamins they need from the foods they eat. But if someone has a history of bariatric surgery, for instance, then thiamin and B12 injections might be beneficial.
This is because B12 is absorbed in the latter part of the small intestine, but the process requires hydrochloric acid from the stomach. Thiamine is absorbed in the small intestine, but often with gastric surgeries, part of the small intestine is bypassed, leading to a potential deficiency.
If someone is not eating enough due to appetite changes, nausea or vomiting, then they might need a supplement.
But some types of B vitamins can be unsafe for certain patients to take, either because they reduce the effectiveness of particular cancer treatments or because they can interact adversely with certain medications. That’s why it’s super important to check with your doctor before taking any kind of nutritional supplement.
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.