Just 2 years ago, an estimated 1.5 million people in the US were
diagnosed with cancer. There were over 650,000+ cancer deaths last year,
which ranks cancer as the #2 leading cause of death (after heart
disease). The number of people diagnosed with cancer continue to rise.
Cancer
is caused by changes in genes that control the growth and death of
cells, and mutations in certain genes can make cancer more likely to
develop. The disease develops when cells continue to grow and divide
instead of dying off, as they would normally do. As cancer cells
multiply, they can damage nearby tissues and spread to other parts of
the body and develop into new tumors.
What you put into your body
through drinking, eating, your activity level, and other lifestyle
behaviors can all affect your risk for cancer. Find out more about these
risks and how you can prevent cancer.
Here are the Top 10 Ways To Prevent Cancer:
1.
Avoid tobacco products and second-hand smoke - Lung cancer is the
leading cause of cancer deaths in the US for both men and women. Smoking
is the most preventable cause of death in our society. Smoking causes
damage to nearly every organ in the human body, is linked to 15+
different cancers, and causes 30% of all cancer deaths. Yet 1 in 5
Americans continue to smoke. If you do smoke, take the necessary steps
to quit for your health and your loved ones.
2. Your diet can
affect your risk for cancer. Eat right, be active, and maintaining a
healthy weight are important ways to reduce your risk of cancer (not to
mention heart disease and diabetes as well). Eat and exercise your way
to better health. What you eat (and exclude from your diet), along with
how active you are, can decrease your risk of developing cancer. The
best ways to reduce your risk is through simple lifestyle changes like
smart cooking, controlling your weight, and adding fruits and veggies to
your diet.
3. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight - Obesity
increases your chance of developing certain types of cancer: breast,
kidney, esophagus, colon/rectum, and pancreas. Make smart food choices,
control portion sizes, and fill up on fruits and vegetables to help
manage your healthy weight.
4. Exercise - Regular exercise burns
calories and can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Pick
something that keeps you moving like walking, hiking, biking, swimming,
dancing, and team sports. Gradually work up to 30-45 minutes of
exercise/day for five+ days per week.
5. Eat more vegetables,
fruits, and whole grains - they are naturally rich in dietary
antioxidants like vitamin C & E, and carotenoids that help to
protect your healthy genes from oxidative damage. Fruits and vegetables
are also rich in fiber, which can speed the transit of food through the
digestive system and may reduce the absorption of cancer-causing
chemicals. So eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables may be the
best way to ensure broad-spectrum protection. It is generally best to
eat fresh rather than salted, cured, or pickled. The less processed the
food, the healthier it will be for you.
6. Limit alcohol intake -
Excess alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of
cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast, and
colon/rectum. It is recommended that men should limit their intake to no
more than 2 drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to no
more than 1 drink daily.
7. Practice sun safety and check for
changes in your skin - The sun's UV rays cause the vast majority of skin
cancers including melanoma, which can be life threatening. The sun's
peak time is between 10 am and 3 pm, so limit sunlight exposure during
that time. If you are outside for long periods of time, use sunscreen
with an SPF of at least 15+. Know your skin and be aware of the
location, size, and shape of moles and skin spots and report any
changes. A sunburn is short lived, but damage to the deep layers of skin
remain and can eventually cause cancer. It is important that sun-safe
habits should begin in childhood and last a lifetime.
8. Reduce
your exposure to potential carcinogens - Many substances in the
environment have the potential to put you at higher risk for developing
cancer. A carcinogen is a substance known to cause cancer in humans.
There are a number of specific known and possible carcinogens such as
infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) and air pollution
to name a few. When you are on the job, try and minimize your exposure
to fumes, dust, solvents, and chemicals.
Try to reduce your everyday exposure to potentially toxic environmental chemicals in the home so...
- Dust and vacuum regularly to rid your home of toxins attracted to dust
- Open windows and use fresh air to freshen and minimize indoor pollution; don't use air-fresheners that have many chemicals and perfume in them
- Filter your drinking water to remove pollutants using reverse osmosis or distilled water
- Switch to green cleaning non-toxic products that are safe but still powerful.
- Dust and vacuum regularly to rid your home of toxins attracted to dust
- Open windows and use fresh air to freshen and minimize indoor pollution; don't use air-fresheners that have many chemicals and perfume in them
- Filter your drinking water to remove pollutants using reverse osmosis or distilled water
- Switch to green cleaning non-toxic products that are safe but still powerful.
9.
Know your family history - There are different kinds of genes that can
be involved in cancer, and some can be passed from parents to children.
5-10% of cancers are due to a genetic predisposition to cancer. Family
history is a risk factor for common types of cancer including breast,
ovarian, colon, and prostate cancer.
For individuals with an
average risk of cancer, the following cancer screening guidelines are
recommended (but I personally recommend starting many of these earlier
than suggested by many books and physicians, it's better to have early
detection if possible):
- Breast cancer: Women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40 and conduct regular breast self-exams starting in the 20's.
- Colon and rectal cancer: Men and women should have one or more screening tests including a colonoscopy starting at age 50.
- Cervical cancer: All women should begin cervical cancer screening no later than 21 years of age.
- Prostate cancer: Men should have the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination annually beginning at age 50.
- Breast cancer: Women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40 and conduct regular breast self-exams starting in the 20's.
- Colon and rectal cancer: Men and women should have one or more screening tests including a colonoscopy starting at age 50.
- Cervical cancer: All women should begin cervical cancer screening no later than 21 years of age.
- Prostate cancer: Men should have the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination annually beginning at age 50.
10.
Choose your dietary supplements wisely - Dietary supplements play a key
role in making up the nutrient shortfalls in your diet, and they
provide a means of achieving optimal nutrient levels needed to achieve
and maintain the best of health.By
T. Rewerts