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Plenty of Veggies and Whole Grains Help Ward Off Pancreatic Cancer

The AARP Diet and Health study shows that maintaining a normal weight and eating a healthful diet reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is rare but quite aggressive. New research based on a study of half a million Americans over 50 years old shows that it is possible to reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

The subjects were part of the American Association for Retired Persons Diet and Health Study between 1995 and 2005. This was a large effort, with half a million volunteers who were 50 years old or older. They filled out detailed diet questionnaires at the beginning of the decade-long study.

Does a Healthy Diet Reduce the Chance of Pancreatic Cancer?

The researchers discovered that those who had the healthiest eating patterns, with plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, were 15 percent less likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the study.

Men who were overweight or obese benefited most from healthy eating habits, even though they didn’t lose weight as a result. The researchers point out that the study does not establish cause and effect, since people who follow healthy eating patterns may also have other healthy habits.

Arem et al, Journal of National Cancer Institute, Sep. 4, 2013

Keeping a Healthy Weight:

The same study found that weight does make a difference. Those who were overweight or obese, especially for a prolonged period of time, were at greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Significant weight gain in older years also contributed to pancreatic cancer risk.

Stolzenberg-Solomon et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Oct. 2013

If you would like to learn more about delicious ways to prepare vegetable-rich dishes, you may be interested in our cookbook, Recipes & Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy. In it, you will find two weeks of healthy and delicious meals and recipes, along with recipes from favorite People’s Pharmacy experts like Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard, Dr. Christopher Gardner of Stanford and Dr. Eric Westman of Duke.

 

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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