Maintain a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight: These are the most prior aspects to keep body hale and hearty. It helps to reduce your risk of getting certain types of health problems, like, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive problems and even certain types of cancer.
Presently, there are about 10 million new cases of cancers diagnosed every year worldwide, according to one of the recent reports of the world health organization. Also, according to this report, in the lack of effective prevention campaigns, this number can rise to 20 million in 17 year' time. However, in controlled conditions, this prevalence can be reduced by a quarter as well.
The National cancer institute has also evidenced the importance of consuming many dietary and food components in the reducing or increasing risk of developing cancer, depending upon whether you are consuming healthy eating options or vice versa.
Moreover, evident from plenty of scientific evidence and clinical trials, there are many types of food components, which are significantly associated with reducing risk of getting cancer. For instance, cruciferous vegetables, red meat, spices, and berries are considered in the list of good foods.
One of such food components is seed. As seen in one of the previous articles, seeds significantly associated with preventing certain cancers and improved health care. There are a plethora of seeds more that have been consumed from ancient times and many of them are recently added to the list.
So, here are the seeds for cancer prevention.
- Chia seeds
- Caraway
- Flaxseeds
- Cumin seeds
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are considered the most powerful anti-cancer foods which are enriched in lignans. These are rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega 6 essential fatty acid, and linoleic acid which are plant-based only.
- These are known to prevent lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer.
- From the recent studies, it has been found that it declines the risk of colorectal cancer too.
- Besides, lignans have anti-estrogenic effects that inhibit cell growth in breast tumors. As breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women after heart diseases so it is a bliss for women.
How to consume the chia seeds to prevent cancer?
- Add chia seeds to any cuisine, such as, consumed with milk, water, or any delicious salad and even with a fruit dessert. Although they are easily consumed when soaked in water for 10-12 minutes at least.
- For topical use, chia seed oil can be used for breast cancer.
Caraway
Caraway also popularly known as Black Jeera can be consumed for cancer prevention. As they can restrict the growth of the cells that can cause Colon cancer. Although in daily life is known for being a great carminative but there is a lot more to know about it.
- Seeds of caraway and its extracted oil have potent chemopreventive properties as it induces the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S- transferase.
- It has been reported that carvone and limonene are the compounds responsible for cancer prevention while carvone act as an enzyme inducer.
How to consume caraway seeds for cancer prevention?
Caraway tea: Add 1 glass of boiling water in 1 tablespoon of pulverized fruits. Covered for half an hour, then strain through a dense strainer and then add honey- serve one tablespoonful and should be consumed after meals.
Flax seeds
Flax seeds exhibit potential health benefits, for instance, lowers the risk of heart diseases and diabetes. Along with these benefits, it is also used for preventing breast and prostate cancer. In cell studies, lignans present in these seeds uplift the antioxidants, counteracts the impact of carcinogens, improves deactivating enzymes and anti-inflammatory actions.
Overall, for cancer prevention flax seeds decline the growth and boosts up the self-destruction of cancer cells only.
- Consumption of flax seeds around 32 grams daily can reduce breast cancer risk.
It also prevents the body’s production of estrogen, so undoubtedly it is best for cancer prevention for the breast.
How to consume flax seeds for cancer prevention?
- It can be added to water and drinking it as a part of the daily fluid intake.
- The oil of flaxseeds can be used in salads.
- It is recommended to take it in less than 50 grams of quantity.
Cumin seeds
The potent anti-cancer potential of N. Sativa is well established through in vivo and in vitro reports. Both kinds of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of N. Sativa seeds are completely shown potent antiproliferative action.
1. On MCF- 7 human breast cancer cells:
- Effective towards clonal, breast, blood, and prostate cancer, however, it majorly degrades the mutagens and inclines the detoxifying enzymes which majorly depicts the antimutagenic effects of them.
- Pro-apoptotic effects: shows a major decline in prolactin, estradiol, and progesterone that’s the reason why it is best for the prevention of breast cancer.
- Although it is helpful for several other cancers too such as 1. Hepatic cancer as it shows a cytotoxic effect on human hepatoma cells.
2. Pancreatic cancer: It inhibits apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation in Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells.
3. Lungs and skin cancer: These seeds have a protective effect against MNU(methyl nitrosourea).
How to take black cumin to prevent cancer?
- Soak 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds in water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Cumin powder and yogurt: Mix one teaspoon of cumin powder with a teaspoon of yogurt and have it after the meals at least for 15 days.
To summarize, these powerful seeds must be consumed for cancer prevention, because it is the basic need to enhance our immunity against any antigen/mutagen.
Advisory
Keep yourself physically active, adopt healthy eating options.
Avoid sugary, fried and processed foods like processed meats and foods, carbonated sugary beverages, processed and junk food as these can become the prominent risk factors for developing cancer.
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