Deciding what to eat for breakfast might be one of the first choices you make in a day. And that choice can have consequences for the rest of your day and your overall health, including your risk for cancer.
Many of the same foods that help with heart health can also help reduce your risk for cancer, Dr. Suneel Kamath, a medical oncologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells TODAY.com.
For Kamath, like many of the experts TODAY.com spoke to, healthy eating means following the principles of the Mediterranean diet, including focusing on lean protein sources, leafy green vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts and olive oil. That also means limiting the amount of highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates and red meat they eat.
A healthy breakfast “truly can start the day off right,” Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist treating breast cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tells TODAY.com. In addition to helping prevent cancer, smart food choices can contribute to better cancer outcomes after diagnosis, the American Cancer Society notes.
But trying to change your eating habits all at once can be daunting. “Particularly in the setting of a cancer diagnosis and anxiety about one’s health, it can be overwhelming to try to make lifestyle changes. So we try to start small,” Comen says.
It could be as simple as swapping out orange juice for a glass of water in the morning or going on 10-minute walks during the day. Over time, small changes like this evolve into big wins, she adds.
“And if, for whatever reason, it wasn’t the breakfast of champions, it doesn’t mean that lunch and dinner and everything thereafter is a wash,” Comen says. “You can always regain a healthy path forward. And food doesn’t have to be punishing.”
What oncologists eat for breakfast:
Oatmeal with fruit, nuts and seeds
For Dr. Jennifer McQuade, most mornings start with oatmeal. “I tend to prefer the steel cut, which is a bit higher in fiber,” McQuade, assistant professor and physician-scientist in melanoma…
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