Discover How a Nutritious Diet Can Help Lower the Risk of Cervical Cancer in Women

Cervical cancer is a serious health condition and is known to be a prominent cause of death in women globally. It is also known to be the second most common type of cancer affecting Indian females. Cervical cancer can affect the cells of the cervix, which is the part of the uterus that connects it with the vagina. If not treated at an early stage, it can be fatal. Chronic infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the prominent cause of this cancer. Also, certain lifestyle and environmental factors impact your health and increase the risk of this serious ailment to a large extent. Obesity, age, immunosuppressant drugs, a weakened immune system, and the use of oral contraceptives are some of the causes and risk factors of cervical cancer. Bleeding between periods, foul-smelling white discharge, lower abdominal pain, and low back pain are some of the common symptoms of this cancer. Every year, January is observed as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to spread awareness about this concerning health condition, educate the masses about preventive measures, and minimize the risk of development of this condition in women throughout the world. Fortunately, dietary modifications can help minimize the risk of the occurrence of cervical cancer.

Medical experts believe that adding some nutrients to your regular diet can prevent the risk of this fatal ailment. Diet and nutrition invariably affect your body. So, making some healthy changes to your diet and going for a well-balanced diet can help keep this cancer at bay. The right nutrition and eating a wholesome diet are some simple, easy, yet effective ways to lower the risk of cervical cancer. A diet comprising proteins, vitamins, healthy fats, and other crucial nutrients works. So, you might be wondering which and how diet can help lower the risk of cervical cancer, aren’t you? Keep reading to discover all about it.

Diet That Can Help Lower the Risk of Cervical Cancer:

Eating a plant-based diet is a healthy and effective way to avoid falling prey to deadly diseases. Here is a list of foods that when added to your diet can help reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer.

1. Fruits and Vegetables:

Packed with antioxidants and vitamins, fresh fruits and leafy and green vegetables are powerful natural foods that can help you keep cervical cancer at bay. So, increase your intake of vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. You may eat fresh fruits directly or raw. To consume vegetables, you may cook them or prepare salad or soups. Make sure that you eat fruits and vegetables of various colours and textures. So, it will supply you with a healthy dose of nutrients that will maintain your body healthy and safeguard you from the risk of cancer.

2. Whole grains:

Opt to have whole grains in your daily diet. Whole wheat, millets, barley, oatmeal, and brown rice, among others, provide you with a plethora of health benefits. They are rich in minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and vitamins, particularly folate. So, whole grains carry a high nutritional value that helps minimize the risk of developing cervical cancer. On the other hand, refined grains are deprived of essential nutrients. So, make sure that you choose to have whole grains in your diet instead of refined grains. Consulting expert nutritionists can help you include a variety of whole grains in your diet appropriately.

3. Legumes:

Legumes are excellent sources of minerals. Green peas, lentils, and beans are some of the legumes that are loaded with minerals, such as iron, potassium, and magnesium that help you keep cancer at bay. Moreover, they contain insoluble and soluble fibre. So, they help keep the hazards of cholesterol at bay. You may try a variety of recipes by using legumes, such as preparing vegetables with them, cooking rice adding them, salads, stews, and soups.

4. Raw Nuts:

Rich in proteins and healthy fats, nuts are other excellent foods to keep cervical cancer at bay. Additionally, nuts have abundant minerals, such as magnesium, selenium, copper, phosphorus, and manganese. Eating merely a handful of these nutrient-dense nuts helps you have a healthy dose of essential nutrients that aid avoid the risk of developing cervical cancer. So, add cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios to your regular diet.

Other Healthy Additions to Your Diet for Preventing Cervical Cancer:

Besides these nutritious plant-based foods, you can also include foods rich in flavonoids, folates, and carotenoids. Here’s a quick rundown of it.

A. Flavonoids:

Known for being naturally occurring healthy compounds in foods, such as vegetables, fruits, tea, roots, and chocolates, flavonoids are effective in keeping you healthy. They have the potential to act as antioxidants and manage your cellular functions smoothly. The intake of flavonoids also helps in releasing toxins out of your body and minimizing the risk of the development of serious health conditions. Flavonoids are the leading source of protection against cancer. So, ensure that you add foods abundant in flavonoids, such as broccoli, apples, black beans, cabbage, garlic, onions, brussels sprouts, soy, and lima beans, to your daily diet.

B. Folates:

Folates are other crucial nutrients that are vitamin B soluble in water. Eating foods rich in folates may safeguard you from the development of cervical cancer. It is believed that folate prevents the recurrence of HPV infection and protects you from the development of cervical cancer. Berries, dark green vegetables, oranges, avocadoes, and chickpeas are sources of folates that you can incorporate into your daily diet.

C. Carotenoids:

You receive vitamin A from carotenoids which helps lower your risk of developing cervical cancer. Carotenoids most commonly occur naturally in orange-coloured vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, oranges, squashes, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes, among others. Enrich your diet with vitamin A from carotenoids and reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by adding these nutritious vegetables and fruits.

Foods to Avoid to Minimize the Risk of Cervical Cancer:

Besides eating these nutritious foods for preventing cervical cancer, you also need to eliminate certain foods from your regular diet. Here’s a quick rundown of it.

• Processed and Red Meat: Avoid consuming processed meat and red meat, such as lamb, as it may increase your risk of developing cancer.
• Trans Fat & Saturated Fats: Eating Tran’s fats and saturated fats can be unhealthy. To maintain your uterus in good health and avoid falling prey to cervical cancer, make sure that you do not eat foods containing Tran’s fats and saturated fats.
• Sugary Foods and Beverages: Beverages and foods high in sugar are not healthy for the uterus. If you wish to keep cervical cancer at bay, limit your intake of sugar.
• Avoid or restrict your consumption of alcohol.
• Avoid or minimize your consumption of processed foods. Prefer whole foods.

So, let’s inculcate these dietary modifications in our routine life this Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and spread the word about it to help women worldwide stay healthy and avoid falling prey to this fatal disease. Consulting certified dieticians and nutritionists, such as health experts at Health Total, can help you receive a personalized diet comprising the right healthy foods to minimize your risk of developing this serious condition. Also, our health experts guide you in eliminating unhealthy foods and beverages from your diet to avoid the risk of this cancer. Our diet plan for minimizing the risk of cervical cancer not only aims at keeping the development of cancer at bay but also helps eliminate nutritional deficiencies, manages your weight, boosts your immunity, and improves your overall health. So, be quick, get in touch with us at Health Total, and take a step forward to keep cervical cancer at bay with our customized nutritious diet plan.

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