An oncology dietitian has revealed that the two supermarket purchases are more likely to increase the risk of cancer than any other.
Nichole Andrewsfrom the US, said people should avoid consuming alcohol and processed meat wherever possible to ensure their health is at its best.
“I know everyone tells you that everything increases the risk of cancer when it comes to food, and that’s not the case,” Nichole said.
Instead, she claimed that avoiding alcohol and processed or pre-cooked meats is your best chance at lowering your risk of the disease.
Nichole is a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in oncology nutrition and works with cancer survivors to support their recovery and health through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes.
Oncology dietitian Nichole Andrews (pictured) said the ‘only’ two foods that increase the risk of cancer are alcohol and processed meats such as ham and salami.
Nichole said all alcohol, even red wine, should be avoided as it has been linked to six different types of cancer.
‘Alcohol consumption isn’t just a buzz-kill for your liver health; it also increases the risk of breast, mouth, throat, esophageal and colon cancer,” she explained.
According to the Australian Cancer CouncilThere is ‘compelling evidence’ that drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, increases the risk of cancer.
Cancer isn’t the only health risk alcohol poses, as it contributes to weight gain and obesity and is linked to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, alcohol addiction, stroke, suicide, injury and car accidents.
Aussies who do consume alcohol should drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks in a day.
Nichole said all alcohol has been linked to six different types of cancer, while eating processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer
It is also recommended to have at least two alcohol-free days per week and not save the 10 weekly drinks for one session.
Drinkers should also alternate their drinks with water or fruit drinks and make sure they completely empty their glass before refilling so they can reliably track how much they consume.
Nichole also said to avoid processed meats, including bacon, ham and pre-cooked sausages such as chorizo and frankfurters.
She said this meat has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
“The high heat associated with meat processing can produce carcinogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines, further increasing the risk of cancer,” she said.
‘Red meat contains heme iron, which, when metabolized, can generate harmful compounds that can damage the colon.’
There is strong evidence that processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer, according to the Cancer Council.
Processed meats can be high in fat and salt and should be limited or avoided altogether.
This includes things like frankfurts (hot dogs), salami, chorizo, cabanossi, cransky, corned beef, pepperoni, pastrami, bacon and ham.
Sausages such as those often cooked on the barbecue are safe because they should not contain the preservative nitrate or nitrite, which has been linked to stomach cancer.
Dr. Kimmie Ng, an oncologist at the leading Dana-Farber Cancer Center, has dedicated her life to the study of gastrointestinal cancers and is particularly concerned about the increase in such cancers in people under the age of 50.
Nichole said the science behind why the foods increase cancer risk is “eye-opening.”
“Alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde, a known carcinogen, while processed meat contains compounds such as nitrites and N-nitroso compounds, which can wreak havoc on our DNA and increase the risk of cancer,” she said.
Nichole’s advice comes as a leading doctor founded one of the world’s first centers dedicated to studying an explosion of cancers in young people.
Dr. Kimmie Ng has become a frontline witness to one of the biggest medical mysteries of her generation.
In the 1990s, doctors saw a rise in the number of otherwise healthy people under the age of 50 affected by cancer, especially colorectal cancer.
Thirty years later, scientists expect the number of patients with premature colon cancer to double by 2030, in what some are calling an “epidemic.”
Dr. Ng, who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, which also includes stomach and pancreatic cancers, said the days when cancer was a disease of the elderly are over.
“That’s not what we see in our clinics. Actually, these very, very young people are often very healthy,” she said.
Rates of gastrointestinal cancers rose most in the youngest age group, followed by the cohort of 20-29 year olds. There were also more cases of gastrointestinal cancer among the elderly, although in that case it is still considered early-onset cancer
‘They are very active, exercise a lot, follow a healthy diet, have no history of cancer in the family and have no background of a genetic syndrome.’
This new alarming group has no family history of cancer, does not smoke and drinks less than previous generations.
Dr. Ng said: ‘Why do these otherwise healthy young people in the prime of their lives develop cancer and often very advanced stages of cancer?’
She said that until doctors know more, patients under 50 should be vigilant for alarming symptoms of the cancer.
The three main symptoms that appear years before diagnosis are: blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, and stomach pain.
She added that fatigue and unexplained weight loss are also highly suggestive.
Junk food, plastic pollution and the overuse of antibiotics are some of the factors believed to be behind the rise in premature cancers, but the evidence is inconclusive.
