MORE REASONS FOR YOU TO SWITCH TO A PLANT-BASED DIET

What we eat and drink impacts our health and fitness, our longevity, resistance to disease and quality of life too. What we consume also affects how our bodies respond to the fitness regimen we follow. Driven by the promise of better health, improved results of their workout regime and lower risk of disease, millions across the world have changed their eating and drinking habits. One of the biggest game-changers going on a plant-based lifestyle.

These changes in diet for better health are vindicated by a recent study which found a direct relationship between a plant-based diet and a lower risk of bowel cancer among men. The research, spanning over 19 years, involved 79,952 US-based multi-ethnic men. The researchers found that those who ate the largest amounts of healthy plant-based foods had a 22% lower risk of bowel cancer, compared to those

who ate the least. The study also investigated the associations between predefined indices of plant-based diets, and risk of colorectal cancer and evaluated whether the association varies by sex, race, and ethnicity. They found no such link between plant-based diet and cancer among women, of whom there were 93,475 in the study. Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy and the fourth most common cause of cancer death worldwide.

Cancer can be preventable with lifestyle improvement in which dietary factors are very important. “Various studies have shown that vegetarians have a reduced risk of not just degenerative diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, but have shown to have reduced risk for certain cancer as well. This is because plant foods especially fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and legumes, especially soy, nuts and seeds have fibers which along with maintaining weight also lower the risk of cancers. Along with soluble fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals such as carotenoids, indoles, and isoflavones are also present in plant foods and these have been found to be protective against specific cancers.”