A recently published study by the University of Manchester in England linked being overweight with an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer. This is not the first study to link being overweight and some types of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer of the colon, breast, uterus, kidney and esophagus are associated with obesity and physical inactivity.
Establishing healthy eating habits and exercising can help prevent weight gain. If you are overweight, losing even five to ten percent of your total weight can provide health benefits.
Where Do You Start?
First, you may want to establish eating goals that include decreasing the amount of fat you eat. You want to decrease the amount of saturated fat to less than ten percent of total calories for the day. Based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day, this would be a maximum of about 22 grams of saturated fat per day. You should also limit your cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams (mgs) per day. Trans fats should be eliminated from your diet. This is easier now that the Food and Drug Administration requires the trans fat content be listed on food labels along with saturated fat and cholesterol.
Second, add antioxidants to your diet. Antioxidants work by boosting the body's defenses against free radicals. Free radicals can damage your body's cells through oxidation, the same process that rusts metal. The body has a natural defense system against free radicals and can usually repair the damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants, such as selenium and beta-carotene, help to reinforce this defense system. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, wheat germ, nuts and seeds are good sources of antioxidants. Good sources of selenium include seafood, meat and cereals.
Next, there are other vitamins and minerals that when included in your diet offer protection. Folic Acid, found in citrus fruits and dark, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, are essential to forming new cells and tissues as well as keeping red blood cells healthy. Calcium found in dairy products and leafy green vegetables, as well as Vitamin D, found in salmon and egg yolks, strengthen bones.
Fourth, fiber in your diet can improve your overall health. Although there is evidence that fiber improves health by moving wastes through your body faster, the research as to whether or not fiber protects against digestive cancers has conflicting results. Good sources of fiber include whole grain breads, cereals, prunes, berries, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, and brown rice.
The American Cancer Society has the following guidelines for eating a healthy, cancer-fighting diet:
- Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources.
- Limit your intake of high-fat foods
- Be physically active
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages
Be Physically Active
Healthy eating combined with physical exercise can help you lose weight or maintain your appropriate weight. Walking is an excellent way to exercise that is an easy fit into your lifestyle. You can walk at lunch or walk with your family after dinner.
Our WalkingWorks® Program, available to all Service Benefit Plan members, can help you get started and stay on track. First, go to the WalkingWorks section on this web site.
Next, sign up for your free pedometer so you can count your steps. You may be surprised by how much you walk during a normal day at home and at work. Once you get your pedometer, you can go online to access the participant's guide and track your progress in reaching any walking goals you may set.
WalkingWorks is also a great way to start a healthy competition where you work or with your family. By keeping track of the steps you take on your pedometer, you can compete to see who walks the most each week, each month, or during a specific period of time.
For more information about WalkingWorks, please refer to Section 5(h) in our 2010 Service Benefit Plan brochure.
Always check with your physician before starting an exercise program or changing your diet.