We all know that smoking increases risk of lung cancer. It is a preventable cancer. Other factors also operate in causing it. One of them is a poor diet. A new study revealed that foods with high glycemic index can increase chances of lung cancer.
Lung cancer and causes
Lung cancer is a severe morbidity with high mortality. Smoking is the major cause of this cancer. According to Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and NHS, other factors also play a role in it. These include passive smoking, radon gas exposure, occupational exposure to certain harmful chemicals such as asbestos, air pollutants, and poor diet. The journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention of the American Association for Cancer Research published an article on this preventable cancer.
High glycemic index foods increase risk of lung cancer (Source: Daily Express)This article states that having a diet that majorly has foods that have a high glycemic index showed an independent association with an increased risk of developing cancer of the lung. A balanced diet is best to overcome all kinds of diseases and prevent cancer.
What experts say?
The American Lung Association (ALA) advises on proper diet to decrease this risk:
“There is some evidence that eating a plant-based diet high in fruits and vegetables, can lower your risk of developing lung cancer but more research needs to be done.”
“It is hard to know exactly how many fruits and vegetables you may need to lower your risk but trying to make half of your plate fresh fruits and vegetables at meals is a good place to start.”
Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (Source: Facebook)Professor Peter Johnson warns:
“Lung cancer is not always linked to smoking and its vital that everyone stays alert against suspected symptoms – so if you have a continuous cough or breathlessness, don’t ignore or assume it’s something else, please visit your GP and get it checked out – it probably won’t be cancer but catching it early can help save lives.”
NHS in partnership with Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is running a campaign to increase awareness of this disease. Peter adds:
“We have seen record numbers of people coming forward for tests and checks in the last year thanks to our campaigns and early diagnosis initiatives, and we are working hard to diagnose lung cancers earlier with our targeted lung health checks.”
Warning signs of cancer of the lung
The main symptoms of this cancer that should alert people include a long standing cough that lasts for more than two to three weeks. This cough worsens with time and does not respond to any conventional treatment. There is associated history of repeated chest infections.
Glycemic index and foods (Source: Style craze)The patient coughs out fresh blood. Breathing movements might cause pain. This increases with coughing. Patient has breathlessness and may feel tired on walking slightly and even at rest. The person is listless and has loss of appetite. He loses weight remarkably. X-ray and special scans confirm the diagnosis.
Read more: 9 foods from Hispanic culture that are tasty and nutritious!
High glycemic index foods are those that cause a high and rapid rise in blood sugar levels. These include sugary foods, sugary drinks and sodas, white bread, white rice, cornflakes, breakfast cereals that has added sugar, processed cheese, pasta etc.