By Karen A. Stephenson

Those who promote eating food grown from the soil now have further proof that these foods have the vitamins and minerals needed to help thwart many types of cancer.

In June 2009, the British Journal of Cancer published a report titled, "Cancer Incidence in British Vegetarians" which compiled the results of a two long-term studies. In total, 61,000 people were followed by several scientists over a 12-year period. During this time, 3,350 participants were diagnosed with cancer; 68% ate meat in their diet, 24% were vegetarians and 9.5% were individuals who ate fish but no meat.

Although giving up meat, red meats in particular, may improve the health of many individuals, fruits and vegetables can't take full credit for the reduction in some cancers. A steady diet of whole grains, soy-based foods and nuts is also essential in providing the fibre, antioxidants and other nutrients required to maintain good health.

When researchers of these two studies compared the risk for specific cancers, the vegetarian diet did provide some protection. Compared to those who ate meat, stomach cancer was reduced by 64%, bladder cancer by 53%, bone marrow cancer by 75%, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 43%.

Previous studies have linked vegetarian diets with lower blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure and lower body weights, as well as a reduced risk of cancer.

The American Dietetic Association published a review in June 2009 that shows vegetarian diets have numerous health advantages, including a lower risk of dying from heart disease. Naomi Allen of Oxford University, who co-authored the British report released earlier this summer, stated that even though vegetarians and fish eaters are at lower risk of cancer, the specific reasons why are unknown. She also said that the differences in cancer risks were independent of other factors that included obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking.

In an article published in The Guardian on July 1, 2009, Allen was quoted: "It is a significant difference, but we should be a bit cautious since it is the first study showing that the risk of cancer of the blood is lower in vegetarians. We need to know what aspect of a fish and vegetarian diet is protecting against cancer. Is it the higher fibre intake, higher intake of fruit and vegetables, is it just meat per se?"

This Oxford University research is the latest in a series of reports aimed at discouraging people from eating too much meat. In 2008, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, highly recommended giving up meat at least once a week as a way of combating global warming. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that meat production accounts for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Becoming a Vegetarian

It is highly advisable to seek guidance from a medical professional or a nutritionist if one is considering becoming a vegetarian. Many doctors find that people who make the switch are not fully aware of the medical risks in ensuring the body gets everything it needs to be healthy.

Vegetarians need twice as much iron as those who eat meat because the body absorbs iron from plant sources less efficiently.

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that many vegetarians lack because milk, oily fish and soy beverages are their main sources of this vitamin. The Canadian Cancer Society advises that most people should take a 1,000 IU vitamin D supplement in the winter months because our skin produces most of the vitamin D we need from sunshine exposure and in winter, sunlight is decreased. They also advise that those over 50 years of age and those who have dark-colored skin should not expose their skin to the sun in the summer months, thus further decreasing their Vitamin D intake.

There's no doubt that reducing meat intake is a healthy choice. However, it is not yet fully determined if red meat on its own increases the risk of death or if it's the compounds produced during high-temperature cooking, or the preservatives and food dyes added to meat. Regardless, for those who love their meat, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends selecting lean meats and alternatives, trimming visible fat from meats, removing the skin from poultry, and roasting, baking or poaching meats so that little or no fat needs to be added. Regardless of your dietary choices, be sure that they include an abundance of fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and grains, because it takes a lot more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away!