8. Nutrition’s Double-Edged Sword: Food as Foe and Friend
Ah, food! Usually the hero of any good story, but in the context of NPC, it plays both villain and savior. Studies have suggested a strong correlation between certain dietary habits and the risk of developing NPC. And no, we’re not talking about an extra sprinkle of cheese on your pizza.
Preserved foods, especially those rich in nitrates and nitrites, can increase NPC risks. These compounds undergo changes in the human body, and not the good kind. They transform into cancer-causing substances that make a beeline for the nasopharynx.
But here’s the twist. Other foods, rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C and E, can offer protective benefits. It’s as if your diet carries both the problem and the solution, a sort of yin-yang in nutritional terms.(8)
