For women 50 and older, reducing the risk of cancer is highly dependent on one’s “dietary pattern,” according to Janice Baker, M.B.A., R.D., a Certified Diabetes Educator and Registered Dietitian. “There is no one food that prevents cancer–it is the dietary pattern that makes the difference. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight and physical activity helps with reducing risk.”

Baker noted that a healthy dietary pattern is one that is rich in whole grains, a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, low fat/lean meat, chicken, fish, and dairy.

Why does Baker recommend these foods to help reduce the risk of cancer? Plant foods are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They also are low in caloric density, with the exception of nuts, seeds, and avocados which are higher in caloric density but healthful nonetheless. These attributes in their food help women to maintain a healthful weight and offer a variety of nutrients. “They work on several fronts to reduce cancer risks,” she said.

Steer Clear

“It’s best to avoid or minimize foods that are high in trans and saturated fat and that are highly processed,” said Baker. “Namely, sugary foods such as soft drinks, pastries, and candy; but also fried foods and foods prepared with a lot of oils, sauces, and gravies.” Salty snacks such as chips and crackers also fall into this category, she noted.  

“The foods mentioned above, when eaten in excess over time, easily contribute to weight gain,” said Baker, noting that weight gain “itself increases cancer risk because of the effect of excessive body fat on hormone levels, particularly insulin and estrogen.”

High levels of body fat–particularly abdominal fat–tend to increase insulin levels and other inflammation-inducing chemicals in the body. These not only increase the risk of cancer, but also diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, which “often go hand-in-hand with a cancer diagnosis,” said Baker.

Myths

Women’s magazines often claim there are specific foods, such as almonds, that burn abdominal fat, but Baker said those claims are just myths. “There are no foods that help burn off fat,” she said. “Physiology does not work this way. Food intake and a diet pattern that is calorie-controlled, with healthful amounts of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats–combined with activity on a daily basis–are what help to reduce fat.”

Extra abdominal fat comes from a change in metabolism due to age, Baker said, but that fat can be reduced with exercise and eating the right foods mentioned previously.

Get Physical

Other keys to being healthy are to stay active every day and to be conscious about not just what you eat but your eating habits such as where and when you eat, Baker said. “Avoid eating in front of screens or in your car,” she noted. “Just these habits alone can cause weight to creep up before you know it.”

While exercise is important, “first it is important to check with your doctor about any restrictions or recommendations about exercise, especially if there is a medical condition present such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes,” Baker warned.

“I do also highly recommend a consultation with a good personal trainer or a physical therapist who can help develop a safe and effective exercise plan,” Baker said, noting that everyone starts from a different point and has different surroundings and lifestyles, so a plan tailored to the individual is “very important.”

Once you are ready to become active, Baker recommended aerobic exercise such as walking, and strength/resistance work, which is important to control weight and maintain muscle mass. Light weights and resistance bands are “very good,” she said. 

 In exercising, “keeping to routine, like with your diet, is what gets results,” she said.

Meal Plan

For a well-balanced diet, Baker had the following meal recommendations:

●Breakfast:  A whole grain cereal such as oatmeal, with fruit and sliced/chopped nuts.

●Lunch:  A salad made from deep/brightly colored lettuces/vegetables and lean protein, or a sandwich made with whole wheat bread (even peanut butter and jelly!), with baby carrots and fruit.

●Snack: Fresh fruit and nuts.

●Dinner:  Use half of your plate for vegetables; divide the other half into two quarters, one quarter for lean protein and the other quarter for a high-fiber starch such as brown rice or baked sweet potato. 

●Dessert: Have some Greek yogurt sweetened with honey and granola, or a small serving of dark chocolate paired with berries or other fruit. In addition, Baker said to drink plenty of water and enjoy the comforts of tea. Green and black teas are good sources of healthful antioxidants, she said.

Portion control, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables to nine servings per day, using high fiber whole grain breads and cereals, and minimizing fatty and fried foods can provide a “significant amount of protection against” cancers and cardiovascular disease, said Baker.

        Pumpkin Brownies

Following is one of Baker’s favorite healthy snack recipes: pumpkin brownies, which are low in fat and sugar and packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 12 packets of Equal or Splenda (if you are not concerned about sugar intake, use another ¼ cup sugar instead)
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin (pure pumpkin – not pumpkin pie mix)
• ½ cup nuts (optional) 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together well. Beat eggs slightly and then mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Pour in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool, then cut into 24 squares.

Nutrition content:

• Serving size:  1 brownie
• Servings per recipe:  24 

        Calories per serving:  85  (69 calories per serving when made without nuts)

        Carbohydrate grams per serving:  10

        Protein grams per serving:  2

        Fat grams per serving:  5 

Hints

To dress this up, after its is cooled and before cutting, make up a cream cheese icing with an 8 oz. package of low fat cream cheese (also called Neufchatel), ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and 12-to-14 packets of Splenda (or ¼ cup powdered sugar to taste if you want a lower fat/sugar frosting). Spread on the brownies when cooled. You may also use another type of frosting if desired. Garnish with chopped pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds.

You may also cut back the brown sugar content of this recipe, increase the Splenda by about 5-to-8 packets. Total sugar should still be about ½ cup.

You may also use ½ cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup white flour instead of all white flour to increase fiber content.

–Jennifer Nunez

Resource:

Janice Baker, M.B.A., R.D., Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator:

www.bakernutrition.com