Seniors Choose vitamins Over Healthy Diet for Cancer Prevention – (10-09-00)

Seniors Choose vitamins Over Healthy Diet for Cancer Prevention

Never forget that man will never rival nature. Whole foods are always the best route to go to protect our health. With a healthy diet, a minimum of a good quality multivitamin, extra vitamin C and E, calcium and an essential fatty acid is all that should be needed.

Results of a new survey suggest that older Americans prefer to take vitamin supplements rather than make dietary changes to reduce their risk of cancer. The findings are disturbing, according to researchers, since nutrients and vitamins in fruits, vegetables and whole grains are believed to significantly reduce cancer risk. In contrast, the effects of vitamin supplements on cancer risk are largely untested, according to the American Institute for Cancer research (AICR), the Washington, DC-based group that conducted the survey. “We’ve known for some time that usage of dietary supplements is on the rise, but we still don’t know a great deal about how, or if, these substances affect cancer risk,” Melanie Polk, director of nutrition education at AICR, commented in a statement. “The fact that so many Americans — especially older Americans — are seeking cancer protection in pills and powders is alarming.” “The emphasis on the importance of eating a mostly plant-based diet…for lower cancer risk should be an important part of disease prevention and health promotion efforts,” Polk said.