Help us keep safe from the COVID-19 Virus

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At this time, everyone is worried about the corona virus and how we can prevent its spread across Africa. SGMC wants to make sure that we keep our patients as safe as possible. For that reason, as from 16 March 2020 we have introduced additional admission procedures when patients come for appointments or treatment.


We have four stages of entry:

  • Phone enquiries. All people who would like to make enquiries are requested to call our Reception, where we will answer your questions about your travels, your level of exposure, and whether you display certain symptoms. Thereafter we will schedule an appointment for you to limit the time you have to spend in the clinic. Our phone numbers are +233 262 253 328 and +233 201 409 403.
  • Gate arrivals. Our security staff will do an initial assessment when you first arrive at the medical centre. They will also use a handheld temperature reader They will ask you some questions and will also check with any people who are with you in your group. From there you can proceed to the clinic parking lot or entry area.
  • Clinic entry. We have a washstand set up at our clinic entry. Please take a few moments to wash your hands with soap and water before approaching the entry desk. Here you will be greeted by a clinic team member. This person will ask you more detailed questions about to find out your level of risk. You will receive information about how you can better protect yourself from the virus. We will also ask you to follow certain processes that will help us keep our environment protected from exposure.
  • Reception desk. Please make sure you have all your contact information available for the front desk. It is very important that we have your correct phone numbers and the address of where you are staying, as well as your residential address. The receptionist will explain where you should sit and when you will see the doctor. While you are in reception, please limit your movement. If you use the water dispenser or go to the washroom, please remember to wash your hands or use the sanitizers BEFORE and AFTER.

Quarantine Process. Any patients or guests who are screened and determined to be high risk will be placed in a special quarantine area. This will allow us to deliver services in a more protected environment where we can minimize the risk of exposure for everyone. SGMC is well-equipped to handle risk cases, and we have stringent disinfection processes and high-risk treatment protocols to ensure we maintain a safe and healthy treatment centre.

If we work together, we can prevent the spread of the virus. We appreciate your help and patience as we do our best to maintain a safe and infection-free environment for our employees, our patients, their families and their friends. Let’s support Ghana and fight infection rates!

Trio Bridge Donates 100 Baseball Caps for Chemo Patients

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When you are in a fight against cancer, it’s good to know that you can count on support, and that your journey as a cancer patient matters. Sweden Ghana Medical Centre (SGMC) is grateful to the Trio Bridge Foundation for its pledge of support to our cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Our chemo patients receive doses of cytotoxic drugs which are specially formulated to destroy cancer cells that are growing rapidly in the patient’s body. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of chemotherapy drugs is that they also affect other fast-growing cells in the body. This is why people who are undergoing chemotherapy often lose their hair.

The good news is that after treatment, their hair grows back – many times it is thicker and stronger than before. But while our chemo patients are going through their treatment processes, as they lose hair their scalps become exposed and their heads are more sensitive to warmth and heat. For some of them, the loss of hair is also part of the stigma of being a cancer patient.

Chemotherapy is used for many types of cancer. As a result, our chemo patients are all ages, from young teenagers to older generations. It’s for the benefit of all our chemo patients that we are grateful for a generous donation we have received. On Monday February 24th, we were given 100 baseball caps by TRIO BRIDGE, a non-profit organization that essentially seeks to improve healthcare delivery in developing countries. Dr. Gilbert Buckle, Host of Trio Bridge Foundation in Ghana, personally presented our clinical treatment team with 100 NEW ERA baseball caps to be distributed amongst our patient network.

“We want cancer patients to know that Trio Bridge cares about improving healthcare in Africa,” was the message from Dr Buckle as he handed over the donated caps. The SGMC Cancer Care team will hand out caps not only to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at our Cancer Centre; we will also share these caps with the non-profit organizations we support that do patient advocacy for those dealing with cancer treatment.

After receiving the donation, the General Manager at SGMC, Janine de Nysschen, commented: “Our mission in the cancer clinic is to help take away the burden of cancer for our patients and their families. Gestures such as these – the donation of caps for chemotherapy patients – are both practical and inspirational. A simple cap will not only warm a sensitive scalp for a chemo patient. It will also reduce a little of the stigma of being a cancer patient.”

About the donors: The TRIO Bridge Foundation is a registered charitable foundation and a social enterprise devoted to the promotion of a holistic and evidence-based approach to healthcare provision in developing countries. This is conducted through a structured high impact hands-on simulation training and targeted education.

About SGMC: The SGMC Cancer Centre is recognized for offering among the best private cancer care in West Africa. Our promise is that in everything we do, we will always strive to take away the burden of cancer. Our mission is to be a role model across Africa for oncology care. SGMC’s medical team is known for its excellent standards and the high quality of services and personal care we provide. We are pacesetters in our field, with skilled employees who are motivated to deliver the best cancer treatment outcomes for all our patients.

For more information about Sweden Ghana Medical Centre, please contact James Sarfo, Marketing Communications Manager at +233 508 559 514

Why I chose a PhD Research in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Treatment

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an International campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the most common cancer and cause of cancer-related death among Ghanaian women. Over the years, through education and screening drives, these campaigns have helped to increase breast cancer awareness and improved early detection. Consequently, In 2018, GLOBOCAN reported about 5000 new breast cancer cases in Ghana.

Planning radiotherapy treatment

In the treatment of breast cancer, External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) is required at a point for maximum therapeutic outcome and overall patient survival. Despite significant improvement in early diagnosis, there aren’t enough clinical trials ongoing in Africa on EBRT treatment plan and delivery for patients after breast conserving surgery or mastectomy. However, in developed lands breast cancer radiotherapy has evolved drastically with respect to clinical understanding, skills, technological advancements and clinical outcomes based on studies.

The major objective of my PhD research study is to highlight the clinical effects, variations and significance of breast cancer radiotherapy treatment planning techniques and EBRT treatment delivery.  I intend to explore the applications particularly for reducing long-term toxicity through dosimetric evaluation, image-guidance and management of breathing motion to enable precise delivery of a highly conformal dose to the cancer. 

As lead Medical Physicist and Radiation Protection and Safety manager for Sweden Ghana Medical Centre, I support the organization’s mission of taking away the burden of cancer. Through my research and team efforts in clinical practice, we continue to explore ways to minimize treatment complications for breast cancer patients.

5 tips for Primary Caregivers of Cancer Patients

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Every individual is different. But we have found that most patients diagnosed with cancer appreciate support from their family and friends. If you are a primary caregiver to a relative with cancer, here are 5 tips for you:
  1. Be patient. Both with yourself and your relative with cancer. A cancer diagnosis comes with a plethora of emotions that can be difficult to deal with. Usually, being patient allows you to sort through feelings of anger, dejection and fear.
  2. Keep open communication with the patient. This means openly talking about emotions and feelings. Instead of putting on a brave face, you may cry together, find laughter in simple things and sometimes just sit in silence. It is important to discuss how you can maintain a loving healthy relationship despite the disease. If appropriate, don’t shy away from speaking freely on difficult topics like treatment, sex life, nutrition and money.
  3. Support him/her in managing finances. Cancer care can be expensive, and money is usually a difficult subject for patients before, during and after treatment. A relative who is unable to fully finance cancer treatment might need support from other relatives, friends and even organizations. Openly discussing finances can help take away that burden from your relative with cancer.
  4. Keep informed about the cancer type, treatment and possible side effects as well as any available support groups. Your information should be from credible sources and intended to only support your relative in making decisions. It is not always necessary to offer advice unless you have been asked to.
  5. Take care of yourself. It is important you stay healthy and in good shape yourself during the difficult times. Keep up relationships with friends and other relatives, maintaining a trusted third party with whom you can share overwhelming feelings. Finally, take care of yourself both physically and emotionally. This means eating healthy, sleeping well and keeping a schedule of regular physical activity.

9 cancer facts you need to know

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  1. Cancer is a group of disease caused by uncontrolled growth of the body’s cells into abnormal cells which can spread to other regions of the body.
  2. Cancer can affect any part of your body even including your eye and tongue. While in most areas it presents as a lump which can be detected by self, in other parts of the body like the stomach, blood and lung symptoms aren’t readily observed. Screening and detection saves the day in such cases.
  3. Only 5-10% of cancers are inherited. The vast majority of cancers can be attributed to lifestyle factors.
  4. Cancer can be prevented. Certain practices such as smoking have been linked to onset of cancer. Thus, avoiding tobacco use is a key way to prevent lung and other cancers. Also, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers protection against a variety of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Other ways to prevent cancer include exercising and having a good sleep.
  5. In developing countries, many are predisposed to cancers arising from infections such as cervical cancer from the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Liver cancer from Hepatitis B and C infections. In 2008, approximately 85% of women diagnosed with cervical were from developing countries
  6. Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy are the conventional ways of treating cancers. Research into other forms of treatment such as immunotherapy is underway and being considered for cancer management.
  7. Any two people who have the same type of cancer can have different treatment regimen which depends on the aggressive nature of cancer, age, overall health, among other factors.
  8. Doctors do not use the term “cure’ for cancer. This is because although an individual can be cancer-free after treatment, there is always the possibility that the cancer can come back (recurrence). The term remission is used for an individual who has no cancer left after treatment
  9. In Ghana, the commonest cancers are breast, cervix and ovary for women and prostate, liver and stomach for men.

Sugar and Cancer

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The link between cancer and sugar has been investigated by various researchers from as far back as the 1960s. Some researchers have looked at the sources of the sugars to determine effect on onset and disease progression. For instance, in a large prospective study spanning 20years, the association between intake of dietary carbohydrates and colorectal cancer was assessed in 6107 participants. Men who consumed sucrose from sources such as table sugar, sweetened beverages, alcohol etc. had a slightly higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to the control group. This has been corroborated by other studies which have established a link between high intake of sugars and increased incidence of bowel, rectal, colon, lung and pancreatic cancers1,2,3,4,5. A number of these associations were also linked to other factors such as level of physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and intake of other fatty foods. Conversely, eating of unrefined sugars as derived from raw and cooked vegetables was seen to be protective against colorectal cancer. Here again, fruits although protective were less so in comparison to vegetables possibly due to their relatively higher sugar content6.

In an experimental setup to determine the relationship between sugars and tumour growth, human prostate tumour cells were implanted in murine models and observed over 9 weeks. At the end of the period, mice who were fed a high carbohydrate diet had larger tumours compared to those on low-carbohydrate diets7. This observation seems to suggest that high sugar content contributes to growth of tumour cells. In the tumour microenvironment, there is metabolic competition between tumour and normal cells over sugars. T cells – which help to fight and clear tumours – require lactate, a form of sugar, for their effector function of tumour clearance. However, glucose utilization by tumours restrict T-cell function thereby allowing cancer progression8. When Seely et al. analyzed the relationship between sugar consumption and deaths from breast cancer, it was seen that older women with disease who consumed high amounts of sugar were likelier to die from breast cancer than younger women with disease9.

From the above, the following deductions can be made: regular intake of refined sugars from sweetened beverages and pastries increases your risk of cancer whereas a balanced amount of vegetables and fruits can significantly protect you from developing cancer; after receiving a cancer diagnosis, an individual who takes in high glucose foods can fuel the growth of tumours resulting in poorer prognosis. Thus, consulting with a registered nutritionist can help one to create and maintain healthy nutritional habits while receiving cancer treatment.

References

  1. Michaud, D.S., Fuchs, C.S., Liu, S., Willett, W.C., Colditz, G.A. and Giovannucci, E., 2005. Dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate, sugar, and colorectal cancer risk in men and women. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers, 14(1), pp.138-147.
  2. Baghurst, P.A., McMichael, A.J., Slavotinek, A.H., Baghurst, K.I., Boyle, P. and Walker, A.M., 1991. A case-control study of diet and cancer of the pancreas. American Journal of Epidemiology, 134(2), pp.167-179.
  3. Bristol, J.B., Emmett, P.M., Heaton, K.W. and Williamson, R.C., 1985. Sugar, fat, and the risk of colorectal cancer. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 291(6507), pp.1467-1470.
  4. Bostick, R.M., Potter, J.D., Kushi, L.H., Sellers, T.A., Steinmetz, K.A., McKenzie, D.R., Gapstur, S.M. and Folsom, A.R., 1994. Sugar, meat, and fat intake, and non-dietary risk factors for colon cancer incidence in Iowa women (United States). Cancer Causes & Control, 5(1), pp.38-52.
  5. De Stefani, E., Deneo‐Pellegrini, H., Mendilaharsu, M., Ronco, A. and Carzoglio, J.C., 1998. Dietary sugar and lung cancer: A case‐control study in Uruguay.
  6. Franceschi, S., Favero, A., La Vecchia, C., Negri, E., Conti, E., Montella, M., Giacosa, A., Nanni, O. and Decarli, A., 1997. Food groups and risk of colorectal cancer in Italy. International Journal of Cancer, 72(1), pp.56-61.
  7. Venkateswaran, V., Haddad, A.Q., Fleshner, N.E., Fan, R., Sugar, L.M., Nam, R., Klotz, L.H. and Pollak, M., 2007. Association of diet-induced hyperinsulinemia with accelerated growth of prostate cancer (LNCaP) xenografts. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 99(23), pp.1793-1800.
  8. Chang, C.H., Qiu, J., O’Sullivan, D., Buck, M.D., Noguchi, T., Curtis, J.D., Chen, Q., Gindin, M., Gubin, M.M., van der Windt, G.J. and Tonc, E., 2015. Metabolic competition in the tumor microenvironment is a driver of cancer progression. Cell, 162(6), pp.1229-1241.
  9. Seely, S. and Horrobin, D.F., 1983. Diet and breast cancer: the possible connection with sugar consumption. Medical hypotheses, 11(3), pp.319-327.

Foods that cause gas and bloating

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Some foods, no matter how healthy can sometimes result in swelling or accumulation of gas in the belly or abdomen. This condition known as bloating can either be a nuisance or an indication of a more serious condition.In general, eating large quantities of food, eating quickly and intake of fatty and rich foods have been linked to bloating. Today’s post however is looking at temporary bloating caused by some food groups and what replacements are available for such.

FOOD THAT CAUSE GAS AND BLOATING WHAT TO EAT INSTEAD
Beans Pinto beans and black beans (may be more digestible, especially after soaking) Alternatively, replace beans with grains, meat or quinoa
Lentils Light colored lentils are generally lower in fiber than darker ones, and may therefore cause less bloating.
Carbonated drinks Plain water is always best. Other healthy alternatives include herbal and fruit teas and fruit-flavored still water.
Wheat Gluten-free alternatives to wheat, such as pure oats, quinoa, buckwheat, almond flour and coconut flour.
Cruciferous vegetable family includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc. Spinach, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes and zucchini.
Onions Try using other herbs and spices in your cooking, such as thyme, parsley, chives or basil.
Barley also found in malted drinks and beers Refined barley, like pearl or scotch barley. Replace with other grains or pseudo-cereals like oats, brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat.
Rye (cereal grain that is related to wheat) Replace with other grains or pseudo-cereals like oats, brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat.
Dairy Products People who are lactose intolerant can sometimes handle cream and butter, or fermented dairy like yogurt.

Lactose-free milk products are also available.

Other alternatives to regular milk include coconut, almond, soy or rice milks.
Apples Cooked apples may be easier to digest than fresh ones.

Other fruits, such as bananas, grapefruit, mandarins, oranges or berries, etc.
Garlic Try using other herbs and spices in your cooking, such as thyme, parsley, chives or basil.
Sugar alcohols (used to replace sugar in sugar-free foods and chewing gums). Common types include xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol. Erythritol is also a sugar alcohol, but it is easier on digestion than the ones mentioned above. Stevia is also a healthy alternative to sugar and sugar alcohols.
Beer/ Malt/ Fizzy Drinks Water is always the best beverage, but if you are looking for alcoholic alternatives then red wine, white wine or spirits may cause less bloating.

TRAMADOL IS NOT TIC-TAC

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The recent surge in the misuse and abuse of opioid analgesics by the Ghanaian youth is alarming and very disheartening. Codeine containing antitussives are being mixed with various beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic and gulped down like shots of vodka while capsules of tramadol are swallowed like tic-tac. These practices can in part be attributed to ignorance about the systemic effects of such drugs on one’s health thus, necessitating this brief write-up.

Opioids are DRUGS indicated for Pain and used sometimes in extreme cases of cough, diarrhoeal diseases and other diagnosed conditions. Like all drugs, they are to be taken with caution and expert advice must always be sought. Opioids are only prescribed in the event of moderate to severe pain for the management of such. Hence when the pain is mild, Aspirin, Paracetamol and the Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Naproxen etc. are preferred unless the patient has a condition that doesn’t allow for any of the aforementioned drugs to be used.

Like all drugs, Opioids have their side effects. These include:

  • Mood changes – feeling high, euphoria, somnolence
  • Sedation, Drowsiness, inability to concentrate
  • Depression
  • Gastrointestinal issues- stomach issues that can arise include Nausea and vomiting, Constipation, abdominal cramping among others. Constipation is usually the worst due to difficulty in its management. – which is
  • Urinary retention
  • Urticaria, Itching,
  • Respiratory depression – breathing become slowed, shallow and may even cease in severe cases
  • Brain damage due to reduced Oxygen to the brain from Respiratory depression.

After Tramadol or codeine pills are taken, they interact with brain receptors leading to the alteration of pain. In addition, dopamine activity is increased and contributes to feelings of reward in an individual. Such feelings reinforce the user’s desire to continually use the pills, albeit unconventionally, causing him/her to develop Dependence with time. Over time, the effects a particular dose or number of pills give decreases in a process known as Tolerance and might result in various cases of over-dose and drug misuse until an individual is completely addicted. More often than not a user does not recognize symptoms of addiction despite the negative consequences and adverse effects experienced. This corroborates the words of Dr. Russell Portenoy, a renowned pain specialist who defined addiction as a behavioural pattern characterized by loss of control over drug use, compulsive drug use, and continued use of a drug despite harm.

The psychosocial effects of abusing opioids are strained relationships with loved ones, diminished finances, decreased self-worth, among others. The short-lived feelings of ecstasy experienced with opioid abuse pales in significance to the long term detrimental effects on one’s health, wealth and overall wellbeing. That being said, our encouragement is to desist from taking drugs unless prescribed by a registered health professional. In addition, if you are caught in a web of opioid abuse, then please speak to your doctor, pharmacist or trusted health professional and you would be amazed by the help available to you.

By Caleb Oppong – Wiafe, Registered Pharmacist.

Could your bloated belly be a sign of Ovarian Cancer?

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What will you do about a persistent bloated tummy? Should you be concerned? Ovarian cancer is among the first 5 cancers causing deaths in women in sub-Saharan Africa1. Evidence from a population based cancer registry in Ghana recorded more female cancers (69.6%) than male; with ovarian cancer being the 3rd commonest (11.3%)4. Similar results were observed in a large scale study in Nigeria11 where Ovarian cancer was reported as the second commonest (30.5%) with a higher proportion compared to other gynaecological cancers. The age of incidence was also relatively lower compared to other gynaecological cancers like cervical and endometrial10. It is estimated that more than 70% of women with ovarian cancer receive a diagnosis at a later stage of the disease2 resulting in poorer prognosis and thus, increased mortalities. One of the primary reasons for this delay is due to the painless growth of ovarian tumours3 which has earned it the infamous “silent killer” tag. This notwithstanding, it is believed that certain abdominal and urinary symptoms should be given a closer look to help in the early detection of ovarian cancers.

In a large case-control study to determine the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, abdominal and gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloated tummy, abdominal pains and constipation were the most cited symptoms. It was observed that participants who reported persistence of these symptoms developed ovarian tumours compared to those who observed these symptoms 1-2times per month2. These findings have been confirmed by several studies with other symptoms such as feeling full quickly and nausea adding to the list6,7. Because these symptoms are not gynaecological in nature, more often than not, they are ignored or missed. This necessitated signing of a consensus statement to encourage primary care physicians to recognize these symptoms which suddenly arise with increasing severity as possible ovarian cancer signs.

What should you do? Due to changing dietary habits and the adoption of western lifestyles, many African women have central or abdominal obesity. Unfortunately, this is sometimes viewed as signs of good living and very few take active steps to report increase in abdominal girth or bloating. It is worthy to note that the symptoms discussed above could be indicative of other conditions such as bladder infections and irritable bowel syndrome and that; other factors such as genetics, parity (pregnancy and birth), urinary symptoms and age at menopause affect ovarian carcinogenesis8,9. Nevertheless, one should keep in mind that the rate of survival decreases from 80-90% to 20-30% when the disease is diagnosed late. The encouragement is to see your primary physician when you experience sudden increase in abdominal bloating and crampy abdominal pain with increasing severity. A longer interval between onset of symptoms and reporting results largely in poor prognosis. Remember, early diagnosis saves the day!

References:

  1. http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_population.aspx
  2. Goff, B.A., Mandel, L.S., Drescher, C.W., Urban, N., Gough, S., Schurman, K.M., Patras, J., Mahony, B.S. and Andersen, M.R., 2007. Development of an ovarian cancer symptom index. Cancer, 109(2), pp.221-227.
  3. Smith, L.H., Morris, C.R., Yasmeen, S., Parikh‐Patel, A., Cress, R.D. and Romano, P.S., 2005. Ovarian cancer: can we make the clinical diagnosis earlier?. Cancer, 104(7), pp.1398-1407.
  4. Laryea, D.O., Awuah, B., Amoako, Y.A., Osei-Bonsu, E., Dogbe, J., Larsen-Reindorf, R., Ansong, D., Yeboah-Awudzi, K., Oppong, J.K., Konney, T.O. and Boadu, K.O., 2014. Cancer incidence in Ghana, 2012: evidence from a population-based cancer registry. BMC cancer, 14(1), p.362.
  5. Goff, B.A., Mandel, L.S., Melancon, C.H. and Muntz, H.G., 2004. Frequency of symptoms of ovarian cancer in women presenting to primary care clinics. Jama, 291(22), pp.2705-2712.
  6. Bankhead, C.R., Kehoe, S.T. and Austoker, J., 2005. Symptoms associated with diagnosis of ovarian cancer: a systematic review. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 112(7), pp.857-865.
  7. Rossing, M.A., Wicklund, K.G., Cushing-Haugen, K.L. and Weiss, N.S., 2010. Predictive value of symptoms for early detection of ovarian cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 102(4), pp.222-229.
  8. https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/99/18/1359/925194
  9. Parazzini, F., Franceschi, S., La Vecchia, C. and Fasoli, M., 1991. The epidemiology of ovarian cancer. Gynecologic oncology, 43(1), pp.9-23.
  10. Nkyekyer, K., 2000. Pattern of gynaecological cancers in Ghana. East African medical journal, 77(10).
  11. Yakasai, I.A., Ugwa, E.A. and Otubu, J., 2013. Gynecological malignancies in Aminu Kano teaching hospital Kano: A 3 year review. Nigerian journal of clinical practice, 16(1), pp.63-66.

Rainbow-Coloured Foods: Yellow and Orange

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Food Colour: ORANGE/YELLOW

So if you have been watching this space you will realise that I have been briefly highlighting the colour of food: specifically fruits and vegetables and their health benefits. Today, is the turn of the orange and yellow hue. Foods of these colours include yellow melons, pineapples, oranges, lemons, carrots, sweet potatoes, star fruits, etc.

The orange and yellow hues are rich in carotenoids1, a class of naturally occurring plant chemicals or phytonutrients2. These are also responsible for the red in fruits and vegetables. The health benefits that come with eating orange, yellow and red fruits and vegetables are as a result of the ability of the carotenoids in these fruits and vegetables to act as provitamins (can be converted to actual vitamins inside the human body such as Beta carotene into vitamin A) and an antioxidant3 (Read the previous article to get the summarised list of benefits for eating antioxidants: https://www.sgmccancercentre.com/2018/03/rainbow-coloured-foods-red-2/).

I would like to end here by quoting the conclusion of a 2017 academic article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology written by Lee et al: “Vegetables and fruits intake from various colour groups may protect against colorectal cancer.”4

By Frema Asiedu (Registered Nutritionist)

References:

  • Slavin, J. L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables. Advances in Nutrition, 3(4), 506–516. http://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.002154
  • Jessie Szalay 2015. What Are Carotenoids? Retrieved on 19th March 2017 from https://www.livescience.com/52487-carotenoids.html
  • Liu, R. H. (2013). Health-Promoting Components of Fruits and Vegetables in the Diet. Advances in Nutrition, 4(3), 384S–392S. http://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.003517
  • Lee, J., Shin, A., Oh, J. H., & Kim, J. (2017). Colors of vegetables and fruits and the risks of colorectal cancer. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 23(14), 2527–2538. http://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v23.i14.2527

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