Your Diet and The Link to Your Stomach Cancer Risks
Your risk of stomach cancer can be based on gender, age, ethnicity, and geography. Though these risk factors are uncontrollable, there are a few risks, such as diet and tobacco use, that you can control. By adopting a healthy lifestyle and changing your diet, you can reduce your chances of not only stomach cancer but all cancers. Here’s how:
Fill Your Plates With Fruits and Vegetables
The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables and fruits every day. Broccoli, cabbage, and cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, which has been shown to reduce tumor size in mice. Tomatoes and carrots have been linked to a decrease in not only stomach cancer but lung and prostate, too.
Fruits are loaded with antioxidants, especially certain citrus fruits, and have been shown to reduce your chance of stomach cancer. Salty and smoked foods have also been known to increase your chance of stomach cancer, so limit your intake if possible.
Keep a Healthy Weight
Being overweight or obese may be a risk factor for several types of cancers and may even be a common cause of cancer in the upper part of the stomach. In general, leading a healthy and active lifestyle can improve your overall health and wellness, limiting your chance for illness.
Consult Your Doctor About Symptoms
Stomach cancer symptoms can often mimic other illnesses, so it’s essential to be open and honest with your doctor about any new or long-lasting symptoms. Some of the most common include:
- Fatigue
- Feeling full or bloated after eating
- Severe or persistent heartburn
- Unexplained and persistent nausea
- Stomach pains
- Persistent vomiting
- Unintentional weight loss
By keeping the dialogue open with your doctor, they can rule out the more common causes of your symptoms and spot anything worrisome early on.
Avoid Tobacco Use
It’s no secret that tobacco has been linked to cancer. Regular tobacco use puts you at risk for several illnesses, including an increased chance of stomach cancer; in fact, the rate of stomach cancer is about double for those who smoke.
It is important, and often comforting, to know everything you can about cancer when fighting it. At Kirby Medical Center, we use state-of-the-art equipment along with National Cancer Institute research programs to provide excellent oncology services. We are dedicated to helping patients fight cancer so they can live more comfortably. Call (217) 876-6600 for more on our oncology services.