3 Simple Diet Changes To Help Fight Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is by far the most widespread form of cancer in the United States, and the numbers are growing. Recent developments such as sunbeds increase your risk of developing this form of cancer, but while the figures are worrying, it's actually one of the easiest cancers to treat. Specifically, you can dramatically decrease your risk of developing the cancer by making some simple adjustments to your diet. Even if the cancer has started to grow, making some simple changes to your diet will increase your body's natural ability to fight against the tumor:
Drink More Tea!
The health benefits of green tea have been well known for some time; however, most people are only aware of the fat-fighting properties of green tea. However, evidence suggests that drinking green tea can significantly reduce your risk of many cancers, including skin cancer.
The active compounds in green tea that help fight fat are known as catechins. These same compounds also act to protect your cells against structural damage caused by free radicals. It is this protection against DNA restructuring that helps reduce your risk of cancer, as the catechins keep the DNA from irregular growth.
Specifically, green tea contains three main catechins that help fight cancer – EC (epicatechin), GC (gallocatechin) and EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). These compounds protect your DNA by inhibiting enzymes in your body which protect your DNA from suffering damage. Due to the high concentration of catechins found in green tea, it is advised to drink several cups per day in order to boost your body's self-protection mechanisms.
Add Some Exotic Berries to Your Diet
While all berries have antioxidant and protective properties that help your body fight cancer, there is one relatively unknown berry that could top all of them – the goji berry.
The goji berry has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time and is starting to find prominence in the West due to its various therapeutic properties. Specifically, research has shown that drinking concentrated goji berry juice significantly reduces the fluid retention experienced during sunburn.
While this research was carried out on mice, scientists believe the results highlight the need for human trials. Even if the sunburn protection isn't as prevalent in humans, the goji berry is packed full of antioxidants that can help flush your system of harmful toxins. Specifically, goji berries are one of the best sources of carotenoid antioxidants, which play a massive role in determining your maximum lifespan potential. Therefore, if you're looking to protect yourself against skin cancer and increase your expected lifespan, adding some exotic goji berries will go a long way!
Sweeten up Your Potato Selection
When it comes to adding carbohydrates to your diet, the sweet potato reigns supreme as the most nutritious source of good carbs available on the market. Not only are these potatoes packed full of fiber, helping you flush out toxins from your digestive system, but they are also full to the brim with nutrients that help your body fight against cancer.
Specifically, sweet potatoes contain extremely high levels of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. In addition to this, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C, which acts to destroy external tumors. While the best way to use vitamin C as a skin cancer treatment is by topically applying the substance, consuming high levels of vitamin C will allow your body to attack the cancer by itself.
Therefore, changing your choice of potato variant can be one of the best (and easiest!) ways to protect yourself from harmful tumors developing. Not only will your skin thank you, but the low calorific content of sweet potatoes means your waistline will be thankful also! For more information, talk to professionals that specialize in skin cancer treatment.
