| If you have a history of skin cancer, or are looking | | | | successfully treated when caught early. |
| for ways to reduce your risk, you might want to | | | | The Australian study found there was no significant |
| adopt a low fat diet menu according to research just | | | | association between the amount of fat a subject |
| out of Australia. The findings tie high intakes of total | | | | consumed each day and the overall risk of either |
| fat to increased risk of a form of skin cancer known | | | | basal cell or squamous cell cancers. |
| as squamous cell carcinoma among those who have a | | | | However, if a subject had a prior history of skin |
| history of the disease. The research appears in the | | | | cancer, higher total fat intake was associated with an |
| International Journal of Cancer. | | | | almost twofold increased risk of squamous cell |
| "In addition to protecting the skin from sunlight, | | | | cancers. |
| people who have a history of skin cancer would | | | | This supports a body of work that shows that prior |
| benefit from lowering their total fat intake," says Dr. | | | | skin cancers make high fat diets a no-no. |
| Torukiri I. Ibiebele of the Queensland Institute of | | | | Eating a low fat diet isn't as hard as you might think. |
| Medical Research in Australia. | | | | You need to start by being aware of what you're |
| Though intakes of dietary fat have been associated | | | | putting in your body. |
| with skin cancer in the past, until now there was | | | | Get into the habit of reading food labels, watch for |
| sparse, inconsistent evidence of any link between the | | | | the hidden fats in those processed and baked |
| two. | | | | goodies and don't neglect the fats and oils used in |
| The team studied the diet of 457 men, 600 women | | | | cooking. Keep your goals realistic, that means don't |
| aged 25-75 years old, computing their daily intake of | | | | cut everything all at once. |
| saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats | | | | Be sure that you stock your fridge and cabinets with |
| in meats, fried foods, breads, veggies and what's | | | | healthy options - whole grain pastas, breads and |
| used in cooking. | | | | grains, plus lots of fresh veggies and fruits. |
| The subjects all lived in the sub-tropical area of | | | | You can also work to make substitutions - leaner |
| Nambour, Queensland, a place with high exposure to | | | | cuts of meat, adding more chicken or fish (once or |
| ultraviolet sunlight. Findings stand up even after | | | | twice per week), fresh veggies and fruits to your |
| allowing for factors that could be linked to cancer | | | | menu. Always eat breakfast, as this will keep your |
| such as where a subject lived and their level of | | | | blood sugar levels stable till lunch, making you less |
| exposure to the sun. | | | | likely to snack. |
| Basic information about diet, skin color and sun | | | | Water is super helpful, as it aids digestion and keeps |
| exposure was collected using a questionnaire in 1992. | | | | you feeling fuller, longer. It's also important to watch |
| The follow up to the study lasted 11 years, during | | | | the portion sizes on all your meals, as what you've |
| which time 267 of the study subjects developed a | | | | become accustomed to seeing on restaurant plates is |
| total of 664 basal cell skin tumors - the worlds most | | | | usually quite a bit bigger than a true serving. |
| common skin cancer. | | | | Remember, deciding to choose a low fat diet menu |
| Another 127 subjects developed a total of 235 | | | | doesn't mean depriving yourself. Some fat is good, |
| squamous cell skin tumors - the second most | | | | and you can certainly enjoy a treat once in a while, |
| common form of skin cancer. These two forms of | | | | but cutting the unnecessary fats in your daily intake |
| non-melanoma skin cancer account for the vast | | | | can certainly be helpful for skin cancer patients, and |
| majority of skin cancers. These are readily and | | | | the rest of us too. |