Posted on: November 30, 2007

Eat to Prevent Cancer

You are what you eat when it comes to warding off cancer, especially when what you’re eating is processed foods and deli meat

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

A typical brown bag lunch, such as a ham sandwich, salted chips and a soft drink could put you at greater risk for cancer, according to a recent scientific report looking at food, nutrition, lifestyle and cancer prevention.

Processed meats, including lunch meats, bacon and sausage, are linked to colorectal cancer. If you add a bag of salted chips, you’re getting sodium, which is associated with stomach cancer. Caloric soft drinks can pack on the pounds, another red flag in the cancer war.

No wonder the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund recommend you change your menu.

But if your lunch-making skills haven’t evolved from tucking a couple of slices of bologna between bread, you may be at a loss for fast and healthy alternatives.

The good news is that you have a wide variety of options, including deli fare, if you select meat products that are free of preservatives and added sodium, according to Dee Sandquist, MS, registered dietitian.

However, you can also improve on your usual menu.

“For most Americans who are eating a lot of convenience foods, creating a home deli will help a lot,” Sandquist, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, Washington D.C., says.

“Roast a turkey breast, slice and freeze in single portions,” she says.

On a positive note, eating more fruits, vegetables and beans may be beneficial. You’ll get the dietary fiber and antioxidant vitamins in plant foods and you’ll probably be consuming fewer calories.

How about hummus instead of meat in a sandwich? Spread the bean paste on whole wheat bread or a whole-grain tortilla.

“If you’re ready to abandon the sandwich, it’s easy to pack a soup. You can experiment with different kinds of soup, lentil or black bean, for example,” says Sandquist, a dietitian in Vancouver, Wash.

Don’t forget to add fruits and vegetables to the lunch bag. Pack an apple or orange or a carton of salsa for dipping with raw cauliflower or mushrooms.

To reduce your likelihood of developing cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research, Washington D.C., recommends taking these steps:

• Get rid of excess weight. Stay as lean as possible within a body mass index (a ratio of height to weight) of 18.5 to 24.9. To calculate your BMI check the web site of the National Institutes of Health at http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

• Get at least 30 minutes or physical activity daily.

• Limit foods and sugary drinks high in fat and/or calories but low in nutrients.

• Limit red meat and avoid processed meat except for special occasions.

• Eat mostly foods of plant origin.

• Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages.

• Limit salt consumption.

Here are three healthy and easy lunch menus.

1. Hummus wrap: Spread 1/4-cup hummus on a multi-grain tortilla. Cover hummus with baby spinach leaves. Thinly slice 1 plum tomato and arrange over spinach. Roll up and wrap in plastic wrap. Add 3 fresh or dried figs and a small bag of baby carrots. Add tea or water for a beverage.

2. Chicken pockets: Buy or cook skinless, boneless chicken breast. Cut into strips. Pack into 2 or 3 mini whole-wheat pita breads. Add a small carton of tomato salsa and top the chicken pockets just before eating. Add a bunch of grapes.

3. Tuna lunch: Buy a small bag of baked, unsalted pita chips. Pack with a small pouch of tuna fish or salmon and a small bag filled with grape tomatoes. Add a small carton of low-fat plain yogurt for dipping.