Also known as “omentum,” belly fat is more threatening to your health than other types of fat because of where it’s located. By hanging off the center of the colon and covering the intestines inside the abdomen, omentum makes hormones that interrupt your body’s normal chemical functions. As these chemicals are able to feed on cancer cells, your body is ineffective in resisting the immune system’s response to them. The cancers most often linked with belly fat are uterine, colon, pancreatic and kidney cancers.
Uterine Cancer and Belly Fat
Also called endometrial cancer, uterine cancer starts in the lining of the uterus. When belly fat excretes estrogen, washing the uterine in it, this causes the uterine to be hyper-stimulated, which can lead to cancer. Drinking a cup of black coffee (without sugar and cream) helps lower the chances of uterine cancer. As coffee stimulates metabolism, it’s believed by some medical professionals that this can reduce estrogen.
Colon Cancer and Belly Fat
When belly fat falls over the colon it becomes entangled within this organ. This condition is destructive because it causes the colon to be more inflamed and weakens the immune function.
Dr. Oz recommends taking two baby aspirins daily, to help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Be sure you use warm water because baby aspirins can dissolve quicker than when taken with cooler water.
Pancreatic Cancer and Belly Fat
Lying deep in the abdomen, under the stomach and liver, the pancreases is close to the belly. This organ produces insulin, helping to manage how your body processes sugar. When the pancreases is weakened or damaged, it can be hard for it to produce insulin, which is the main cause of diabetes.
When your pancreases can’t control sugar because of belly fat, it becomes more likely to develop cancer. Eat foods rich in foliate, such as eggs, oranges, asparagus and green leafy vegetables, to help lower your risk of pancreatic cancer.
Kidney Cancer and Belly Fat
Belly fat produces leptin, which can trigger cancer cell growth because it helps blood vessels feed cancer cells located in the kidneys. To reduce your odds of kidney cancer, limit your consumption of salt and increase your potassium intake, by eating potassium rich foods such as bananas, broccoli and apricots.
Warnings
Keeping your waist size small is important for reducing the odds of contracting cancer. Calorie.com notes that the American Institute for Cancer Research contends that men with a waist size more than 37 inches and women with a waist size greater than 31.5 inches are more at risk for cancer.
Maintaining a healthy weight is also critical. Losing weight can lower the production of inflammatory cytokines, while increasing anti-inflammatory ones. Besides adhering to a healthy diet, keep physically fit so insulin can perform better.
Realize that excess fat around your stomach can also lead to other diseases such as diabetes and heart problems. By getting rid of belly fat you have a better chance of living longer, as well as enhancing your quality of life.
