Most Africans don’t know that what they eat can cause them serious health conditions. Most people who are in the hospital suffering from one illness or the other developed diseases from what they eat and drink. That is why we should always be mindful of what we eat. Some of the food we eat are poisonous to our health and can cause us very severe problems. If you are careful about what you eat, you will understand the carcinogenic or anti-carcinogenic properties of various foods. If you haven’t heard of carcinogens, a carcinogen is a substance or agent that can cause cancer. This means that there are foods that can increase the risk of cancer.
Celebrity world mission is to better the health of Africans and make them understand the risk of living an unhealthy lifestyle. I am committed to providing you with reliable, substantiated facts so you can make the necessary changes to your lifestyle, from maintaining a healthy diet to kicking unhealthy habits. My aim in writing this piece is to educate and give you credible information on cancer-causing foods. This information is backed by credible sources WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION and CANCER RESEARCH UK.
Not everything you put in your mouth is good for you, most times eating the wrong food makes us unhealthy and reduces our lifespan on earth. There are thousands of benefits, people who eat the right food enjoy. They are always filled with the right vitamins and minerals, their bodies need. These foods also help us in the reduction of some deadly health conditions like can’t and another related disease. Cancer is one leading cause of death among men and women, there specific cancers that are the major cause of death among men and women.
In women, they suffer more from lung and breast cancer. In men, they suffer more from prostate and lung cancer while children suffer more from leukaemia (cancer of the blood). To reduce the risk of cancer, you need to eat the right foods, foods that are healthy and favourable to your body system.
There are foods you need to avoid or reduce the intake, these foods can cause you cancer when consumed excessively. If you love your life and want to live longer than expected so to enjoy the fruit of your labour, here are foods to run away from:
Cancer-Causing Foods Are As Follows:
#1. Processed meat and fish
World Health Organization (WHO) has identified processed meat and fish as one of the leading causes of cancer. They can cause major cancers like the stomach and colorectal cancer which are mostly suffered by women. Processed meat contains artificial preservatives and chemicals that are not favourable to our health and body system. There are so many examples of processed meat that are available in the African market. Examples of them are Frankfurter hotdogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, beef jerky and canned or lunch meat, sardine, etc. There are better alternatives to processed meat and fish. Instead of using processed meat and fish to cook your meal, you should use whitefish, white meat such as chicken or turkey, or meat-substitutes like snails, etc.
#2. Red meat
Fresh meat is far better than processed meat. But it has its own health risk. This is the most common meat in Africa, especially in Nigeria. Red meat can increase heart disease and high blood pressure. Red meat is probably carcinogenic to humans. And has a strong link to colorectal cancer. An increase in red meat consumption can cause an individual both pancreatic and prostate cancer. If you are aspiring to live a cancer-free life you need to reduce the consumption of red meat. The best alternative for red meat is white meat or fish.
#3. Barbecues and smoke meat or fish
Most people are used to smoked foods, they just can’t eat a meal without adding smoked fish. Some medical researches suggests that smoked meat or fish may increase the risk of cancer. This is because they are easily contaminated and exposed to open air, which makes it easy for fine particles from the firewood or charcoal to come in contact with the food. Eating food that is exposed to fine particles can damage the body organs and cause an individual to develop cancer. Also, a substance called heterocyclic amines is formed in foods that are cooked at are burnt due to high temperatures used in cooking. Heterocyclic amines have been proven to be a cause of cancer in animals but not fully proven in humans.
4. Alcohol
Alcohol consumption is a common lifestyle among men and women. In three among four persons consume alcoholic beverages in one way or the other. In Africa, the consumption of alcoholic beverages consumption is on the rise and has caused many defects and diseases among its consumers. Different medical programs have been organized to create awareness on the effect of alcohol consumption and to promote its reduction in consumption but these programs have not been successful because many youths and elders still engaged in this activity. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, which means there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. Meaning that alcohol is a cancer-causing agent in humans. Alcohol is capable of causing us so many types of cancer including mouth cancer, lung cancer, oesophagus cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, bowel cancer, blood cancer, etc. Moderate alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of these cancers, low consumption of alcohol doesn’t have much effect on humans and reduce the risk of other diseases. If you moderate the intake of an alcoholic substance you are also reducing the risk of stroke, chaotic heart disease, kidney disease, etc.
#5. Salted fish
Most people in Africa salt their fish and food just to preserve them. Salting is the process of adding raw salt to food just to preserve the food. This method of preserving food is frequently used in Africa, South-East Asia, and China. Salting your fish and other food produce is very dangerous and result in the production of carcinogenic by-products. Adding too much raw salt on fish is grouped as a first-class carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer in humans. The best alternative to salt fish and meat is fresh fish, seafood such as prawns, mussels, or squid.
#6. Sugary drinks or non-diet soda
Sugary drinks or sodas are unhealthy food for adults. This food stores fat in the human body causing them Obesity. Obesity is a major risk factor for several cancers and other diseases. You should eat good foods rather than eating foods that will cause you serious health conditions. Sodas are not favourable to men and women above the age of 25. At this age, you should be careful of what you eat to maintain a healthy weight. The best way of achieving this is through the consumption of a balanced diet and more edible fruits and vegetables. Excess consumption of sugary foods and drinks increases your risk of breast cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, weight gain, blood cell damage, etc. If you love your life and want to live longer in life you should avoid these foods.
#7. Fast food or processed foods
Processed foods are not healthy and can cause a whole lot of diseases. If you want you to want to live long and avoid being taken unaware by a certain health condition. You should eat more homemade foods than processed foods. World Health Organization and the World Cancer Research Fund have warned people to limit the consumption of fast foods and other processed foods like canned fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish, etc. These foods have high fats content and contain artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours, and preservatives which are cancer-causing agents. Reducing the consumption of these foods helps in controlling calories in the body and helps maintain good body weight. Instead of eating many junk foods, you should try better alternatives like homemade fruit juice, ice cream, salad, whole grain bread, vegetable sauce, etc.
Note: as you avoid these foods in preventing cancers, you are also helping yourself in preventing other diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart problems, liver problems, kidney problems, poor vision, etc.
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