Nutrition
Preventing skin cancer with our diet
Intake of shrimps and salmon can prevent skin cancer
In this chapter, we will be discussing how we can prevent skin cancer with our diet.
Skin cancer is more common in Caucasians, but the incidence is on the rise in the black community according to WHO.
The two most common types are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but fortunately less common.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is more common in people who:
● Spend a lot of time in the sun or suffered sunburn.
● Have light coloured skin, hair and eye.
● Have family history.
● Older than 50 years.
Because the sun’s ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) rays promote cancer causing changes in the skin, learning sun safe practices is one way to protect one from skin cancer. Another way is to know the signs of skin cancer. This is usually a mole that is oddly shaped, strangely coloured, or unusually large, may be a sign of skin cancer, especially if it grows. That’s why it is important to check your skin regularly for moles and/or changes in already existing moles. You should also have your doctor check any suspicious skin markings and any changes in the way your skin looks. These steps can help in early diagnosis and management of skin cancer- the stage when cancer is most likely to be treated successfully. Catching cancer early may also prevent certain types of skin cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body.
In the misdt of all this, diet plays an important role which has to be harnessed.
Foods to include
● Astaxanthin rich foods such as; salmon and shrimps.
● Catechin rich foods such as green tea.
● D-limonene rich foods such as, grapefruit, oranges, pineapples, and bell peppers.
● Monounsaturated fatty acid rich foods such as; almonds, avocado, and walnuts.
Lifestyle modification
● Avoid direct exposure of the skin to the sun.
● Wear sunscreens when visiting the beach or pool.
● Wearing of protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses for people who work directly under the sun and people with light coloured skin, hair and eye.
● Avoid excessive bleaching of the skin.
● Avoid cigarette smoking.
In conclusion, managing skin cancer can be very stressful and uncomfortable. A well-tailored diet and lifestyle can go a long way to prevent skin cancer. By following the recommendations above skin cancer will become the least of our worries.
The writer Dr. Bernice Asare Korkor is the CEO of Holistic Health Consult.
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth” Email holistichealthconsult.gmail.com
Soya beans is a highly nutritious plant-based food with several health benefits:
-Rich source of protein
-Contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
-Helpful for vegetarians and vegans as an alternative to animal protein.
-Supports muscle growth and repair.
– Heart Health
-Helps lower cholesterol levels
-Contains healthy unsaturated fats and fibre that support cardiovascular health
-Can be part of a heart-friendly diet
-Bone health
-Provides calcium (in fortified soy products), magnesium, and protein
-Soy isoflavones may help maintain bone density, especially in postmenopausal women
– May help manage menopausal symptoms
-Contains natural compounds called isoflavones (phytoestrogens)
-Some women experience reduced hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms with soy consumption
-Supports weight management
-High protein and fibre content can increase fullness and reduce hunger
-May help with maintaining a healthy weight
-Good for blood sugar control
-Has a low glycemic index
-Protein and fibre can help stabilise blood sugar levels
Ghana has nutrition policies. Ghana has nutrition targets. Ghana has nutrition programmes spread across multiple ministries and dozens of implementing partners.
What Ghana does not have is a single, empowered body responsible for leading, coordinating, and holding all this together. That is the gap a National Nutrition Council would fill, and stakeholders are calling for one now.
The case for a council
At a stakeholder engagement convened under the Nourish Ghana project in 2025, participants proposed the establishment of a National Nutrition Council to provide effective leadership and a governance framework for addressing malnutrition in Ghana. The meeting, which brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media, highlighted a fundamental problem: nutrition responsibilities are fragmented across various ministries. Without a dedicated coordination body, efforts are duplicated, accountability is diffuse, and nutrition consistently loses out when budgets are tight.
The proposal echoes a model used in several countries that have made the fastest progress against malnutrition. Nigeria’s National Council on Nutrition, for example, recently pledged $107 million at the 2025 N4G Summit, a level of coordinated ambition that Ghana has struggled to match.
Ghana does have existing coordination structures worth acknowledging. The Scaling Up Nutrition Cross-Sectoral Planning Group (CSPG), established in 2012, was set up to harmonise planning, implementation, and monitoring of nutrition actions across sectors. It has produced real gains. But the challenge has been institutionalising those gains beyond project cycles, and analysts have called for an elevated national coordination body with presidential oversight to ensure genuine cross-sector accountability. A National Nutrition Council would go further, providing the dedicated financing and convening authority that the CSPG, as currently structured, does not have.
What a Council would do
A National Nutrition Council would provide political oversight and coordination across all sectors involved in nutrition, health, agriculture, education, social protection, and finance. It would track Ghana’s nutrition commitments, hold ministries accountable for delivery, and ensure that nutrition budgets are protected and spent effectively. Most importantly, it would give nutrition a permanent seat at the table where national development decisions are made.
The Time Is Now
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Paris Summit. Translating those commitments into results requires a governance structure that does not currently exist. Establishing a National Nutrition Council is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is the institutional foundation without which Ghana’s nutrition ambitions will remain promises on paper. Leaders must act on this proposal without delay.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
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