According to the latest cancer data released this year, there were about 4.064 million new cancer cases and 2.414 million deaths in my country in 2016. The overall cancer incidence and mortality are still on the rise.

Not only that, young cancer patients are also not a minority. The Lancet Oncology has released data on the global burden of cancer among young people, showing that cancer has become the fourth leading cause of death among young people. In 2019, 1.19 million people aged 15-39 were diagnosed with cancer and 396,000 died of cancer globally.

Cancer, as the main killer that threatens health, may sometimes be “provoked” by oneself.

1. Why is there a high incidence of cancer?

The high incidence of cancer now is partly self-inflicted and “provoked” cancer. Poor dietary habits, lifestyle and mentality all increase the risk of cancer.

Smoking, for example, has been identified as a high-risk factor for many cancers, and it increases the risk of lung cancer and other cancers. Similarly, alcohol consumption is associated with various diseases such as hepatitis, oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and gastric cancer.

Others such as staying up late, lack of exercise, obesity/overweight, long-term psychological depression, and overeating are all risk factors for cancer.

In addition, many peopleavoid medical treatment and have no awareness of early screening . I think I have a minor illness, and I don’t want to go to the hospital to see a doctor, or I feel that if I don’t see a doctor, I don’t have a disease. Some people even use drugs indiscriminately and believe in folk remedies, which in turn leads to aggravation of the disease.

Harvard School of Public Health research team analyzed and studied data collected for 20 years in 12 representative provinces/municipalities in my country, and found that about 50.4% of China’s The most common gastrointestinal cancers are related to unhealthy diet (high sodium diet, high intake of red and processed meat products, low intake of fruits and vegetables, etc.), smoking and drinking, insufficient exercise, and being overweight.

Second, these foods contain carcinogens

carcinogens In fact, it is very close to us. The following foods are class 1 carcinogens and should be avoided as much as possible.

1. Alcohol

Although alcohol itself is not a carcinogen, the alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde is 1 level carcinogens.

After ingesting alcohol, it is first metabolized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase, and then metabolized to acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and finally excreted. If the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in the drinker’s body is insufficient and cannot convert acetaldehyde to acetic acid in time, it will lead to the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the body.

Acetaldehyde can directly damage the DNA of cells, cause gene mutation, and also induce inflammation and cell replication, make normal cells cancerous, increase head and neck cancer, oral cancer, throat cancer risk of developing cancers such as cancer and esophageal cancer.

2, betel nut

As early as 2003, the International Center for Research on Cancer under the World Health Organization listed betel nut as a grade 1 carcinogen, which has obvious correlation with pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer and esophageal cancer.

Long-term chewing of betel nut will repeatedly rub and irritate the oral mucosa and gingival mucosa, which may cause edema, inflammation and non-healing of wounds, resulting in fibrous lesions of the mucosa, while the oral mucosa Fibrotic lesions have a higher propensity for malignant transformation.

In addition, arecoline in betel nut can become ammonium nitrite under the action of nitrosylation, which is mutagenic to human body and can lead to cancer.

3. Moldy food

Moldy rice, corn, peanuts and cooking oil, etc. Food can produce aflatoxin, a very strong carcinogen that can cause acute Poisoning can cause severe liver damage. Exposure to even mild doses can increase the risk of liver cancer.

It should be noted that some bamboo or wooden chopsticks and shovels with small cracks that have been used for a long time may also become moldy and deteriorate due to food residues hidden in the cracks. and contains aflatoxin.

4. Chinese salted fish< /p>

During the process of making Chinese-style salted fish, because the organs in the fish maw are not taken out, under chemical action and suitable conditions, N-substance can be produced Nitro compounds, long-term consumption or one-time consumption in large quantities, may induce cancers such as nasopharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer and liver cancer.

In addition, salted fish needs to be marinated by adding a lot of salt when making it. Excessive intake of salt for a long time will increase the risk of stomach problems and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. If the salted fish is not stored properly, it will also become moldy and deteriorate, producing a large amount of toxic bacteria such as aflatoxin.

5. Grilled food

Food such as meat are grilled or smoked at high temperature After roasting, may produceClass 1 carcinogen benzopyrene, and covered on food or inhaled through oil fumes. The more charred the part, the higher the benzopyrene content.

Consumption of foods containing benzopyrene for a long time and high frequency increases the risk of cancers such as stomach, rectal and lung cancer.

Of course, for carcinogens in food, toxicity cannot be ignored without dosage. Even a class 1 carcinogen does not mean that you will get cancer upon exposure. But if you don’t pay attention, the risk of developing cancer in the long term is increasing.

Third, are sweet potatoes, okra, and onions the nemesis of cancer?

Sweet potatoes, okra and onions can be seen in the list of super anti-cancer foods circulating in the market. Can they really fight cancer?

First, let’s talk about sweet potatoes. Although sweet potatoes are rich in nutritional value, there is no evidence that sweet potatoes can fight cancer, and my country has never released the so-called anti-cancer Food rankings.

From a nutritional point of view, the main component of sweet potato is starch, which is rich in dietary fiber, which can promote defecation to a certain extent. Complement with the protein in rice noodles, improve the utilization of protein.

ButSweet potato is just an ordinary food, recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents , The recommended intake of potato food is 50-100 grams per day.

Secondly, talk about okra. The main components of okra are carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and some minerals. It is the same as other ordinary vegetables, and there is nothing special about it.

The research that the polysaccharides contained in okra can inhibit the growth of cancer cells is still in the experimental stage, Even if this polysaccharide can really suppress cancer, it is often purified in large quantities in the test, and it is difficult to eat such a dose in the daily diet, that is to say, it is not advisable to eat okra to prevent cancer.

Come again,Can onions fight cancer? ? Although onions do contain flavonoids, sulfur-containing substances and other substances with certain anti-cancer activities, some cell or animal experiments have also verified the anti-cancer effects of these substances. However,The fact that a food contains a certain anti-cancer active ingredient does not mean that the food has an anti-cancer effect, so the claim that eating onions is anti-cancer is not credible.

If you want to rely on food to fight cancer, it is better to stay away from the carcinogens that have been identified, and at the same time eat healthy, exercise regularly, maintain your weight, have a good attitude, and regularly Physical examination.

You should also pay more attention to the changes in your body at ordinary times. Once symptoms of suspected cancer appear, you should go to the hospital for further examination in time. If you are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with cancer, don’t be superstitious about remedies, and you should go to a regular hospital for standardized treatment, so as not to delay the treatment and cause regrets.

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