From Queens Library's expert-led panel, Cancer Awareness: What You Need to Know, featuring professionals from New York Hospital Queens, North Shore LIJ, the American Cancer Society, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

1. Dietary and Lifestyle Changes
to Help Prevent Cancer
Presentation by,
Simone Harounian
Dietitian and Diabetes Educator

2. Non-modifiable
Genetics
Environmental
Modifiable Our Focus!
Lifestyle
Diet
What Causes Cancer?

3. Modifiable Risk Factors
 Lifestyle
 Diet
Up to 1/3 of cancers can be avoided with a
nutritious diet, maintenance of a healthy
weight, and an active lifestyle

4. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol

5. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol

6. Plant-based Diets
 High in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.
 Dietary fiber
 Vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants
 Low in total and saturated fat

7. Benefits of Dietary Fiber
 Speeds up digestion
 Eliminates cancer compounds from the body
 Changes the bacteria in the gut to good bacteria
 Getting enough fiber can reduce the risk of:
 Colorectalcancer
 Breast cancer
 Some head/neck cancers

8. Sources of Fiber
 Whole Grains
 Legumes
 Vegetables
 Fruits
 Recommendations:
 Men: 32g per day
 Women: 25g per day
 (14g of dietary fiber per 1,000
calories daily)

9. Benefits of Vitamins and
Phytonutrients
 Act as antioxidants in the body
 Antioxidants:
 Reduce cells that damage the body
 Control cell growth and death
 These compounds may be protective against:
 Breast cancer
 Prostate cancer  Bladder cancer
 Colon cancer  Lung cancer
 Esophageal cancer

10. Sources of Vitamins and
Phytonutrients
 Vitamin A: liver, eggs, dairy
 ß-carotene: carrot, sweet-
potato, pumpkin, dark leafy
green vegetables
 Vitamin E: vegetable oils,
nuts, leafy green vegetables,
sweet potatoes, carrots, and
tomatoes
 Vitamin C: citrus fruits,
broccoli, cabbage
 Recommendations:
 2 cups of fruit daily
 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables

11. Benefits of Consuming a Low Diet
 Low intakes of saturated fat may prevent
inflammation
 Inflammation is often associated with cancer
 Increased waist
development
circumference and body
weight (obesity) may
increase the risk of
developing:
Colon cancer
Breast cancer
Multiple myeloma

12. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol

13. Limit Red and Processed Meats
 Some processed  Red meats:
meats may contain Hamburgers, steak,
carcinogens lamb roast, pork
 Recommendations chops
:  Processed meats:
 Eat less than 18 Smoked/cured/salte
ounces of red d meat, meat with
meat a week to added preservatives
reduce cancer risk such as hotdogs,
bacon, salami,
sausage

14. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol

15. Avoid Grilling and Frying Foods!
 Cancer causing compounds are
produced when animal products
are grilled or fried
 Chemicals formed when fat drips
off the meat into flames
 Try to replace grilling and frying
with baking, steaming, or boiling!

16. Optimize your diet!
1. Plant-based foods
2. Limit red and processed meats
3. Avoid grilling and frying foods
4. Limit alcohol

17. Limit Alcohol Consumption
 May damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer
 High alcohol consumption is associated with:
 Head and neck cancer Esophagus cancer
 Mouth cancer  Breast cancer
 Pharynx/Larynx cancer Liver cancer

 Recommendations:
 Men: 2 drinks per day
 Women 1 drink per day

18. Summary
There are many causes of cancer
Some causes can be changed
Diet is a modifiable risk factor
With these small steps, you can help reduce
your risk of cancer-causing agents!

19. Questions
?