The Cancer Connection

The Seven Habits You Can Ditch to Reduce Your Risk

Cancer doesn’t usually strike out of nowhere. In a number of cases, this disease is believed to be preventable by good nutritional and lifestyle choices.

EATING PROCESSED MEAT

Back in 2015, the World Health Organisation classified salami, sausages, ham, bacon and other processed meats as a group one carcinogen (known to cause cancer).

Research has found that eating around 50g a day (that’s around one sausage or two small rashers of bacon) can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

There are also links with increased cases of pancreatic and prostate cancer. It’s thought this is due to the fact that as well as usually containing high levels of salt and fat, processed meats have added nitrogen-based preservatives and are often smoked, which adds to the risk of cancer.

EATING TOO MUCH MEAT

Beef, lamb and pork are a good source of nutrients, such as protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. However, research shows that people who eat large amounts of red meat are more likely to develop bowel cancer. A chemical found in red meat called haem can damage nearby cells when it is broken down in the bowel. Cancer may be more likely to develop in those cells as a result.