8 Tips on How to Prevent Cancer
8 Tips on How to Prevent Cancer
February has been declared as National Cancer Prevention month. In accordance with that, I’m sharing helpful tips and advice about cancer prevention and risk reduction. Cancer researchers make new breakthroughs all the time. Following those discoveries, there are always new guidelines or recommended actions we should take to reduce the risk of cancer. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and think that you can’t do everything they are suggesting. For a more realistic approach, I’ve compiled some of the most important lifestyle and behavior changes that reduce the risk of contracting many types of cancers. These changes will make a big difference in your overall health.
Quit smoking, now!
Today, we know that smoking increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Smoking is the number one cause of lung, throat and tongue cancers. It also contributes to chronic respiratory problems like COPD, Asthma, and Emphysema. So many cancers do not provide preventative opportunities, but smoking-related cancers do. You can drastically reduce your odds of getting lung cancer if you simply stop smoking. I advise you to talk to your physician and discuss some way they can help you with this.
Eat Healthy To Stay Healthy
The connection between cancer and diet is unquestionable. Your diet and lifestyle choices are the most important things that you can do proactively to lower your risk of cancer. We know that fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants. The higher the percentage of these foods in your diet, the more antioxidants you’ll be ingesting, it’s simple as that. These power foods are just as critical in preventing other health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Keep Your Weight Checked
Replace those unhealthy fats with healthy fats. You can get healthy fat from fresh fish, avocados, olive oil, grapeseed oil, or my favorite source- nuts. Look for cold pressed extra virgin oils. “Cold pressed” means those oils are minimally refined. Consider cutting down on meat and having one meatless meal every week. You might be surprised at how delicious vegetarian meals can be. You can find fantastic healthy recipes all over the Internet. You don’t have to stop eating red meat altogether. Eat it less often and eat chicken and fish more often. Small steps can lead to big changes.
Sun Exposure Awareness
You may think that you only need to worry about protecting your skin from sun damage during the summer. The National Council on Skin Cancer Protection explains that surfaces like sand, snow, and water reflect the sun’s damaging rays, so you can get a sunburn while playing in the snow, skiing or participating in winter snow activities. Whenever you’re out and about, cover the exposed areas on your body with a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more. Look for products that protect you from the damage of both the UVA and UVB rays. Don’t forget to reapply it at least every two hours when you’re in the sun.
Be Moderate In Alcohol Consumption
Research shows that there is a direct link between alcohol consumption and certain types of cancers, including breast, colon, esophageal, laryngeal, and pharyngeal cancers.
People who drink and smoke are most likely to develop cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, and pharynx. In the bodies of smokers and drinkers, alcohol acts like a solvent that absorbs the carcinogenic substances in tobacco, allowing them to penetrate the cells that line the GI tract. The more you smoke and drink, the greater the damage.
Get Rid Of Pollutants
Reduce your risk of cancer risk by protecting yourself in the workplace against cancer-causing substances by following health and safety instructions.
Breast Feeding
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises moms to exclusively give breast milk for six months, and then to continue with the breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods for up to two years after. Not only will this protect moms against breast cancer, but it will also protect the child against infections and other childhood diseases. Breast milk is a proven immune system booster.
Get Tested
Have your doctor order any necessary tests and be sure to ask for a blood work-up on an annual basis. Women over the age of 40 should have yearly mammogram screenings. Men and women over 50 should have a colonoscopy every five or ten years, depending on your family history.
One of the best ways to improve your chances of a long, healthy life is through cancer screening tests. Screening is an excellent way to catch cancer early when it is most easily treated and often cured completely. Nine out of 10 breasts, colon and prostate cancer patients survive when their disease is found early.
It can take time to change behavior, but once you get into a healthy routine, you’ll notice how much better you feel.
Take Care Of Yourself
Don’t forget that the decisions you make regarding behaviors and activities that contribute to your risk of developing different types of cancers will have an impact on your entire family. You are an example for your children and the choices they make later in life. Take care of yourself, take the time every day to attend to your body in the best way that you can. Cancer can really be a blessing in disguise, waking us up to the beauty that life is.