Cancer: A Deadly Disease with Childhood Roots

To all of us, cancer is perhaps the most frightening of diseases. If we thought that lessening our children's risk of developing cancer as adults was within our reach, which of us wouldn't do everything possible to make it happen? Well, we now know that by changing the foods we offer our children, we may be able to lower their risk potential for cancer.

There's no magic bullet, but we do have a fantastic opportunity to give our kids the best protection. The new research tells us that our best chance is an anticancer diet low in total fat, high in dietary fiber and in certain vitamins, all found in fruits and vegetables. In fact, if only one dietary change were to be initiated to reduce the risk of cancer, the best would be to eat a more colorful mix of fruits and vegetables like blueberries, pumpkin, mango, apricots, peaches, oranges, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, dark leafy greens, and watercress. These foods are low in calories, low in fat (particularly saturated fat), free of cholesterol, high in fiber and in beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A), vitamin C, and natural cancer-fighting compounds.