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Top plant-based physician Dr. Neal Barnard has written an article outlining how eating vegan foods can help reduce cancer risk.
The doctor, who is President of the non-profit Physician’s Committee – and organization comprising 12,000 health care professionals – was writing in response to new study titled Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: a Global Perspective.
He said: “A new major report from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends emphasizing plant-based foods to reduce cancer risk.”
Analysis
The report analyzed data from 51 million people, in a bid to create a global blueprint for preventing cancer. According to Dr. Barnard, the researchers found ‘strong evidence that consuming both red meat and processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer’.
He adds: “They also found that there is evidence that consumption of dairy products could increase the risk of prostate cancer. The report notes that overweight and obesity are linked to 12 different types of cancer.”
On the positive side, the report notes how healthy lifestyle management can help reduce cancer risk – with one element of this being a plant-based diet.
‘Four takeaways’
Dr. Barnard outlined his ‘top takeaways’ from the report, starting with the fact that ’40 percent of cancer cases can be prevented by healthy diet and lifestyle’.
In addition, he said that eating plant foods can reduce cancer risk – and that phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are protective against cancer (plant foods are good sources of phytochemicals).
He concludes: “Processed meats, including bacon, sausage, and hot dogs, are definitively linked to cancer…processed meat is unsafe at any amount.”
