Cancer Nutrition Counseling

Fried foods, alcohol, and processed foods—you probably know that these aren’t healthy choices, but did you know, that too much of these foods can increase your cancer risk? "We know that salami and other processed meats, prosciutto, ham, bacon, those are group one carcinogen so I would definitely be mindful to stay away from them," said Lee Health community outreach dietitian, Aikaterina Galeos. Health experts say it’s not only what you eat that matters—but it’s also how it’s prepared. "When we cook any kind of muscle meat over a hot flame, there are compounds that are formed. They are carcinogenic. These things are formed when you smoke meat when you grill meat," she explained. She recommends lowering your meat intake and increasing your fruits and vegetables. "Those phytonutrients that are in fruits and vegetables are known to be anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory," said Galeos. And while cooking can increase the benefits of certain vegetables, it can also decrease the benefits of others. "Like with tomatoes you have lycopene is enhanced when tomatoes are cooked. Lycopene is a type of nutrient that helps to protect against cancer and other things. The more we cook cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, the less sulforaphane that’s available to our body. Those are also phytonutrients and those are also cancer protectants as well," she said. Being mindful about what you’re eating and how it’s prepared can benefit your overall health and lower your risk for cancer. View More Health Matters video segments at LeeHealth.org/Healthmatters/