Fresh News from the Cancer Research Conference

The news is fresh fruits and veggies.

Not that you didn't know it already, but the beneficial evidence for fresh raw fruits and vegetables is mounting rapidly and causing the cancer research community to refocus on life style as a cancer preventative and treatment.

On Friday, December 7, 2007 the American Association for Cancer Research conference on cancer prevention was held in Philadelphia. Several studies were released that add to the growing case that our diet and life style is the strongest weapon we have against cancer.

Researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York found that those who ate just a minimal amount of raw veggies had a 40 percent lower risk of bladder cancer. But the team did not find the same effect for cooked vegetables.

"Cooking can reduce 60 to 90 percent of ITCs, (isothiocyanates)," Dr. Li Tang, who led the study, said in a statement. ITCs are known to lower cancer so keep the raw percentage of your veggie intake high to get the best nutrient value.

At the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers found that both smoker and nonsmokers can reduce their risk for lung cancer by adding salads to their diet and exercise to their life. Think about that for a second. Salads can help even for smokers. Leafy greens have more mojo than cigarettes!

"Although this is a very preliminary analysis, it give us some important clues about how everyone -- smokers and non-smokers alike -- might be able to reduce their risk of developing lung cancer," Michele Forman, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Texas, said in a prepared statement.

"If you are worried about lung cancer risk, this study shows that you may benefit from eating a healthy diet and being physically active," she said.

The more that researches study cancer, the more they find that we - our bodies - have an incredible power to keep us healthy if we make healthy choices. Take a tip from the U of T and add a salad to your meals at least once a day. You'll be amazed at the change.