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| dred diseases involving abnormal growth of cells within organs or tissues. The tumors formed by these cells can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors, the nondeadly kind, do not spread to surrounding tissue; cells from malignant tumors do, often causing tumors in other parts of the body. |
| Cancer starts when the unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals damage healthy cells and prevent normal cell activity and growth. Researchers link the preponderance of cancers to various factors, including diet, smoking, stress, sexual and reproductive history, and occupational hazards. Chemical pollutants and environmental conditions are other major suspects. |
| According to the National Cancer Institute, there is no evidence that any kind of diet, food, or vitamin or mineral supplement can either cure cancer or stop it from coming back; however, there is much evidence that certain foods can help prevent cancer from happening at all. Foods that are low in fat, and high in fiber and antioxidant nutrientsincluding vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, selenium, and phytonutrientsare your best cancer-preventive prescription. |
| Smart Foods |
| All the foods in this book! |
| SMART SOURCES |
| According to the National Cancer Institute, the nearly fifteen thousand chemical additives that help preserve, flavor, and color foods are "subjected to extremely careful laboratory screening before they are used, and scientists believe it is unlikely that they contribute significantly to the overall cancer risk in humans." If you have questions about specific food additives, contact: |
| U.S.Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Direct Additives Branch 200 C St. SW Washington, DC 20204 |
| Cataracts |
| The leading cause of eyesight loss among elderly Americans, cataracts result from proteins that accumulate inside the eyes' lenses and from degeneration of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for visual detail. Many factors may contribute to cataract formation, but good eating habitsparticularly early in lifecan help reduce their occur- |
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