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Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides support for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
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At our National Cancer Information Center trained Cancer Information Specialists can answer questions 24 hours a day, every day of the year to empower you with accurate, up-to-date information to help you make educated health decisions. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with valuable services and resources.
Or ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help reduce your cancer risk. That’s one reason the American Cancer Society recommends eating a variety of these foods every day. These foods contain important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants and they’re usually low in calories. In general, those with the most color – dark green, red, yellow, and orange – have the most nutrients.
Think about how you can add more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your day while you watch your intake of refined carbohydrate and sugar.
Try one or two of these tips this week, and see if they help you eat healthier!
If you usually have cereal, slice a medium or half a large banana on top. As an alternative to cereal, pour half a cup of berries into a cup of plain low-fat yogurt. Slice a banana on top or eat it on the run. Prefer something more savory than sweet in the morning? Add spinach and tomato to your morning omelet, or keep sliced red, orange, and yellow peppers and hard boiled eggs, or individual cottage cheese cups in the fridge.
Snack time is a great time to work in more fruits or vegetables. Consider a snack of a single-serving container of applesauce, a handful of baby carrots, or a small orange.
When you need a quick lunch, try a pita sandwich or a wrap loaded with vegetables, or a cup of hearty vegetable soup. Add a small side salad with low-fat dressing.
Even if you only have a few minutes, dinner veggies are easy. Heat canned or frozen veggies (without added salt or sauces) in the microwave for a quick side dish. Microwave a sweet potato and add a teaspoon of butter, a splash of apple juice or squeeze of lemon, and a light sprinkling of cinnamon and brown sugar. Any one of these will add another serving of vegetables to your day.
Savor a frozen treat made from 100% juice or put ½ cup of melon slices, peaches, or other favorite fruit on a toasted whole-grain waffle and you’ve added even more healthy fruits to your day.
More menu ideas and recipes are available on our website and by calling 1-800-227-2345. You can also find lots of helpful tips at the Have a Plant: Fruits and Veggies for Better Health website.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Last Revised: October 18, 2021
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.