Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer, and although it’s predominant in men, it affects both sexes.
Pain while urinating, discomfort in the abdominal area, and even blood in your urine can be symptoms of dangerous cancer, so if you feel there’s something wrong, visit your doctor. The bladder is a quite sensitive organ, which makes taking care of it critical for cancer prevention.
The food we eat can significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer, especially bladder cancer since many compounds in what we eat ends up being excreted through the urinary tract. These are the 9 foods that can reduce the risk of bladder cancer.
Water
Since the bladder is in charge of eliminating toxic compounds and residues, it is natural that what we eat affects the organ directly. The means to eliminate waste is urine, and urine is mostly water.
Concentrated urine disturbs the bladder and can cause not only discomfort and infections but cancer. Staying hydrated by consuming adequate amounts of water is one of the easiest, but most important things you must do to prevent bladder cancer.
There’s no magic number of glasses of water a day. Drink plain water whenever you’re thirsty and always have a bottle of water in hand.
Nuts
As part of an integral diet against bladder cancer, adding nuts to your diet, including walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, and peanuts is a great idea.
Monounsaturated fats reduce your levels of cholesterol in your bloodstream, improving blood circulation to the thin bladder tissue. Antioxidants in nuts can protect your bladder cells from damage, especially from free radicals that float in your bloodstream, caused by many factors, including smoking.
Dietary fiber in nuts also helps you to absorb less fat from foods, keeping your urinary system clean and healthy.
Lean Protein
Animal fat is causally linked to not only bladder cancer but all cancers, so reducing the intake of fatty meat is a priority.
Substituting fatty meat with plant-based protein sources like legumes is the best strategy. However, you still need animal protein to stay healthy — here’s where lean meats like poultry, pork, and veal are particularly important, they’re low-fat meat alternatives that will reduce cancer risk.
The leaner the meat, the easier it will be to digest, and the least toxic compounds will go through your digestive and urinary systems.
Fatty Fish
Cutting fat off your diet is not an effective strategy, you have to consider the different types of fat. Saturated fats, like the ones found in red meat, should be eaten only a few times a week.
Monounsaturated fats, like Omega-3 fatty acids, diminish your harmful LDL cholesterol levels while increasing your good cholesterol levels.
Omega-3 also contributes to a healthier immune system, amongst many health properties, making eating oily fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines twice a week a good way of preventing the formation of cancer cells.
Olive Oil
The best source for the right fat is olive oil. Oleic acid is a powerful antioxidant that protects your body from free radicals and can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, including bladder cancer.
The benefits of olive oil also extend to the circulatory system as it can keep arteries clear, and your artery walls strong and malleable.
According to a Belgian study, the consumption of olive oil has a significant reverse association with bladder cancer.
Homemade Food
As opposite to processed meat and ready meals, eating fresh food, with no nitrates, preservatives, colorants, salt, and other additives, can reduce the risk of bladder cancer development.
Accordion to the Investigative and Clinical Urology Center, consuming processed meats has shown an increase of up to 41% in the risk of getting bladder cancer.
Cruciferous Veggies
Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, kale, arugula, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy are only a few members of the cruciferous family, vegetables, and greens with amazing health properties.
Packed with vitamins and minerals, cruciferous vegetables also have cancer-fighting compounds that have given positive results in many studies. The evidence keeps piling up, as veggies like broccoli can not only prevent cancer development, but it can suppress its growth.
Citrus Fruits
Both vitamin C and dietary fiber present in citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits have an inverse relation with bladder cancer growth. And it’s not only citrus fruits, tomatoes, and bell peppers, for example, are excellent sources for vitamin C and are easier to add to our diets.
A high dose of vitamin C can kill cancer cells, and regular ingestion of foods high in vitamin C can help prevent cancer.
Green Tea
Antioxidants have proven to be the most effective way of keeping free radicals at bay, and free radicals are causally linked with cancer cell formation. One of the most significant contributors to harmful molecules in our bloodstream is smoking, which is correlated with bladder cancer.
Green tea has impressive amounts of antioxidants, especially when consumed in powdered form as in matcha tea and will protect your cells from damage, reducing the possibility of cancer growth.
Prevention is the key.
Bladder cancer is treatable if detected early, and treatment has a high success rate. This means identifying early symptoms can be the difference between a successful recovery and dangerous situations, but prevention is critical too. Eating well, avoiding excess fat, saturated oils, and processed foods can keep your urinary system healthy.
Smoking is linked to bladder cancer, so getting rid of destructive habits is a top priority, especially if you have a history of cancer in the family. Enjoy the food above as a part of a balanced diet and stay active. Stay safe, and enjoy a long, carefree life.
