How Healthy Are You? – Take This Quiz

How Healthy Are You? – Take This Quiz

I’ve recently come across a new online health barometer that is a tool that helps informally guide your level of risk of serious disease, can indicate which organs may be most susceptible and also offers advice about which nutrients would be good to include in your diet to support these organs’ wellbeing. The barometer is hosted by Dietandcancer.co.uk.

“Diet may be associated with the cause of around 10% of all cancers and, if one includes obesity, even up to 25% of all cancers”

Professor Martyn Caplin, cancer expert and consultant gastroenterologist at London’s Royal Free Hospital

Lifestyle and diet are recognised by the World Cancer Research Fund as key factors in cancer predisposition so the barometer can work out your risk if you’re curious, worried or know already that you have an increased risk.

This innovate health risk barometer takes into account your age, gender, family history, lifestyle and diet habits to calculate your level of risk.

Nutrients and dietary supplements can play an important role in prevention and treatment of cancer but different types need different levels of certain nutrients or different combinations.

“I discovered that many of my patients were taking supplements without any rationale, so I undertook a comprehensive review of the evidence to support specific nutrients in preventative medicine.

I found that different organs are more at risk from low levels of certain nutrients and conversely would benefit from specific supplement combinations for each organ or condition.”

Professor Martyn Caplin

The results have been published in medical journals and the evidence suggests that nutrients including curcumin, lycopene, pomegranate, green tea, and other dietary components may have a role to play in reducing the risk of disease, and supporting the wellbeing of organs such as the bowel, breasts, prostate, pancreas and liver. Supplements have even been developed for different organs that you can choose if you have a higher risk of a particular type of cancer.

When I took the quiz I got the following result:

Low risk

“You are considered to have a low risk of organ disease. However a low risk does not necessarily mean you will not develop the disease. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can be effective in reducing your risk of disease, and supplements backed by clinical research can help to support your wellbeing. If you have any health concerns please consult your GP. Supplements do not replace the need to eat a varied and balanced diet or maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Based on your answers we recommend you focus on your…breast wellbeing.

Based on your answers we recommend that you follow a diet high in Zinc, Lycopene, Vitamin D and Turmeric.”

It was the result that I expected. I have an aunt with breast cancer so that’s why I need to focus on my breast health and other than that I have quite a healthy, balanced lifestyle with regular physical activity (running after a toddler!) and a diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Dietandcancer.co.uk also offers plenty of information about evidence-based targeted nutrition and links to an informative diet and health themed blog by an experienced oncology dietitian.