Eating Healthy During the Summer and All Year Long.

Summer means vacations, barbecues and days of relaxation by the pool. But your well-deserved break may not promote a healthy lifestyle. The professional staff and oncologists at the Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center emphasize the importance of maintaining a proper diet, which plays a major role in cancer causation and prevention. We can reduce our risk of many cancers through weight loss and dietary changes to prevent obesity.

As recently reported by the American Cancer Society, researchers suggest that each year as many as 90,000 individuals die of cancer due to excess body weight. The 16-year study, reported in the April 24, 2003, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that being overweight accounts for 20 percent of cancer deaths among American women and 14 percent among men.

Of the 556,500 cancer deaths expected in 2003, one-third will be related to poor nutrition, obesity, physical inactivity and other lifestyle factors that could be prevented.

In the new study and previous ones, being overweight is associated with cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, esophagus, gall bladder, kidney and uterus. The study also links excess weight with cancers of the cervix and ovaries, pancreas and liver; multiple myeloma; non-Hodgkins lymphoma; and, in men, stomach and prostate cancers.

The staff of Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center offers these recommendations for staying healthy this summer - and all year long.

Cut down on total fat intake. Try to avoid excess saturated fats found in meats, poultry, eggs, and foods that contain palm or coconut oil. Limiting intake of polyunsaturated (margarines and corn, soybean and sesame oils) and monounsaturated (avocados, olives, peanuts, olive and peanut oil) fats is also recommended.

Eat more high-fiber foods. This includes whole grain breads, cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Add at least two servings each of fruits and vegetables a day to your diet. Also, add three to four servings of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower) per week.

Eat red meat sparingly. Choose fish or chicken as a substitute.

Try having one meatless meal each week and change the "focus" of your plate to emphasize vegetables, fruits and grains.

Avoid fried foods. Steam, bake or poach instead.

Grill safely by choosing lean meats. This helps reduce "flare ups" caused by dripping fat that can promote cancer causing substances.

Eat a variety of foods.

Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.

And remember, "eating healthier" doesn’t mean giving up fun foods. It just means learning to eat smarter - and that includes your guilty favorites! In moderation, of course.

Consult your physician for more information on how to eat healthy and maintain your proper weight. For more information, please contact Sherri Cirignano, RD, oncology dietitian at (908) 788-6514.