Think Before You Eat and Drink The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) continues its 365 Health Challenge and encourages everyone to eat and drink smartly. Research strongly indicates that making smart choices regarding what is taken in and exercising regularly can have a positive effect, not only on a person’s well-being, but also reduces individual cancer risk. https://www.cansa.org.za/adopt-a-balanced-lifestyle/

1. LEAD A BALANCED
LIFESTYLE
Smart Eating and Drinking Habits
www.cansa.org.za
Toll free 0800 22 66 22
072 197 9305
071 867 3530
English, Afrikaans
Xhosa, Zulu,
Sotho, Siswati
#LowerCancerRisk

2. You can lower
your cancer risk:
• Be selective about
what you eat
• Maintain a healthy
weight or lose excess
weight
#LowerCancerRisk

3. Think Before You Eat & Drink
● CANSA continues its 365 Health Challenge and
encourages everyone to eat and drink smartly
● Dietary and physical activity factors have been
shown to affect biological processes and cancers
associated with diet are commonly found in the
digestive tract (oesophagus, stomach, bowel)
● A poor diet has been linked to increased cancer
risk, and could lead to problems with weight
management or obesity, which has been positively
linked to an increased risk of 11 cancers
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
Eating and
Drinking Habits

4. www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
● Let traffic lights remind and guide you to make smart,
informed choices to enable leading a balanced lifestyle
that helps lower your cancer risk
● Food preparation methods can also add to increasing
cancer risk, as harmful chemicals may form when
certain methods are used, like braaiing & deep frying
● Being inactive and overweight also increases cancer
risk - an increased Body Mass Index (BMI) and having an
expanding waist line – above 80 cm for women and
above 94 cm for men
Think Before You Eat & Drink

5. ● The National Cancer Registry (2014) shows a steady
increase in the number of patients diagnosed with
colorectal cancer which brings this cancer to among the
top 4 cancers diagnosed in South Africa (excluding skin
cancers)
● There is very strong evidence that eating foods high in
fibre (incl. from wholegrains, pulses, legumes, lentils) and
regularly eating non-starchy vegetables and fruit can help
to reduce cancer risk
● Excessive intake of red and processed meat, and alcohol
may increase the risk for cancer
● Eating large quantities of fast foods that are high in fat,
starches and/or sugar (sugar sweetened beverages) can
lead to weight gain which increases the risk for cancer
What Research says…
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22

6. GREEN = Go for it!
● Vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, pulses and wholegrains
contain nutrients incl. vitamins, minerals, plant chemicals & fibre
● Aim to eat up to 5 to 7 portions of non-starchy vegetables and
fruits in season every day where possible
● Include wholegrains and minimally processed grains as a source
of fibre (30g daily)
● Dry beans, soya beans and other legumes/lentils are high in fibre
& isoflavones. Try to include them in meals 3-4 times a week
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
Lower cancer risk

7. www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
ORANGE = Take care!
● Eating habits can influence body weight, which in turn can affect
your risk of developing cancer
● Foods that are high in kilojoules (energy) like sweets, chocolates,
cakes, biscuits, pastries, desserts, crisps are also high in sugar
and/or fat and when eaten more often can lead to weight gain
● Beverages sweetened with sugar and alcoholic drinks high in
kilojoules can lead to weight gain
● Limit amount of ‘fast foods’ & processed foods high in fat (fried),
sugar, refined starches (like white bread)
Can influence cancer risk

8. www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
RED = Beware!
● Eating large amounts of processed meat and too much red meat
(try to limit to less than 3 portions per week)
● The cooking process when preparing meat may form chemicals
that increase cancer risk, like when braaiing/deep frying
● Eating large amounts of foods that have been preserved/cured
using a lot of salt (e.g. biltong)
● Avoid alcoholic drinks as it is a Group 1 carcinogen (cancer causing)
● Being overweight or obese increases the risk of 11 cancers
Please get your doctor’s approval and consult with a registered dietitian regarding your diet, especially if you would like to make
changes to improve your health and if you have an existing medical condition.
Increased cancer risk

9. BE ACTIVE!
● Balance your intake of energy
with the amount of energy you use
each day
● Exercise moderately to vigorously for
at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days
of the week
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
Lower cancer risk

10. WHAT CAN I DO
TO LOWER MY
CANCER RISK,
BY MAKING
SMART
CHOICES?

11. ● …commit to meat free
Mondays / limit red
meat to 3 portions
per week
● …try out the recipes
in the CANSA B-well
cookbook – download
here
● …use healthier food
preparation methods
like less braaiing/deep
frying
Challenge myself - I will…
START where you are
USE what you have
DO what you can!
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
#IAmAndIWill

12. ● …drink clean, safe water instead of
diluted fruit juice from Monday to
Friday each week
● …commit to having beans, lentils or
fresh vegetables three times a week
● …cut down on foods that are high in
kilojoules, sugar
& fat, processed
‘fast foods’
Challenge myself - I will…
START where you are
USE what you have
DO what you can!
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
#IAmAndIWill

13. 1 slice of whole
wheat toast +
½ cup of beans +
1 cup green salad or
1 cup carrot &
orange or pineapple
salad
½ cup of samp +
½ cup of beans +
1 cup of cooked
spinach with
tomatoes and
onions
½ cup of oats
porridge + ½ cup of
low fat milk +
1 small banana or
a small chopped
apple or handful of
berries
1½ cups of bean
salad =
cooked beans with
chopped tomatoes,
celery, peppers
Recipe
ideas
www.cansa.org.za
Toll free 0800 22 66 22

14. www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
#CANSAeducation
Help CANSA expand its cancer education and screening programmes,
please consider making a donation at any of our CANSA
Care Centres country-wide
or Online at
http://www.cansa.org.za/personal-donation-options/
or Make a donation via SnapScan
or Zapper on your
smartphone:
What can you do to help?

15. Credits ● Presentation template by SlidesGo
Disclaimer
Whilst the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) has taken every precaution in compiling this
presentation, neither it, nor any contributor(s) to this presentation can be held responsible for any action (or
the lack thereof) taken by any person or organisation wherever they shall be based, as a result, direct or
otherwise, of information contained in, or accessed through, this presentation.
● Please get your doctor’s approval and consult with a registered dietitian regarding your diet, especially if you would like to
make changes to improve your health and if you have an existing medical condition
● For cancer survivors, the factors mentioned in these infographics may possibly interact with medical treatments for cancer
but are different for different cancers, so it’s important to be aware and discuss with your doctor
www.cansa.org.za | Toll free 0800 22 66 22
● Image: Freepik pages 1,4-9