Reference : Mayo Clinic, USA
Cancer
prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk
Concerned
about cancer prevention? Take charge by making changes such as eating a healthy
diet and getting regular screenings.
You've
probably heard conflicting reports about cancer prevention. Sometimes the
specific cancer-prevention tip recommended in one study or news report is
advised against in another.
In
many cases, what is known about cancer prevention is still evolving. However,
it's well-accepted that your chances of developing cancer are affected by the
lifestyle choices you make.
So
if you're concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that some
simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Consider these seven cancer
prevention tips.
1. Don't use tobacco
Using
any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has
been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, mouth,
throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. Xhewing tobacco has been
linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don't use
tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.
Avoiding
tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health
decisions you can make. It's also an important part of cancer prevention. If
you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and
other strategies for quitting.
2. Eat a healthy diet
Although
making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can't guarantee
cancer prevention, it might help reduce your risk. Consider these guidelines:
·
Eat plenty of fruits and
vegetables. Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other
foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.
·
Avoid obesity.
Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-calorie foods, including refined
sugars and fat from animal sources.
·
If you choose to drink
alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of
cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver —
increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've
been drinking regularly.
·
Limit processed meats.
A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer
agency of the World Health Organization, concluded that eating large amounts of
processed meat can slightly increase the risk of certain types of cancer.
In
addition, women who eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin
olive oil and mixed nuts might have a reduced risk of breast cancer. The
Mediterranean diet focuses on mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and
vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. People who follow the Mediterranean
diet choose healthy fats, like olive oil, over butter and fish instead of red
meat.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
and be physically active
Maintaining
a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including
cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.
Physical
activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical
activity on its own might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
Adults who participate in any
amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial
health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic
activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can
also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal,
include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if
you can do more, even better.
4. Protect yourself from the
sun
Skin
cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer — and one of the most
preventable. Try these tips:
·
Avoid midday sun.
Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are
strongest.
·
Stay in the shade.
When you're outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a
broad-brimmed hat help, too.
·
Cover exposed areas.
Wear tightly woven, loosefitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as
possible. Opt for bright or dark colors, which reflect more ultraviolet
radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.
·
Don't skimp on sunscreen.
Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you're outdoors, and reapply often.
·
Avoid tanning beds and
sunlamps. These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.
5. Get immunized
Cancer
prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your
doctor about immunization against:
·
Hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B
vaccine is recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are
sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, people with
sexually transmitted infections, intravenous drug users, men who have sex with
men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected
blood or body fluids.
·
Human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital
cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. The HPV vaccine
is recommended for girls and boys ages 11 and 12. It is also available to both
men and women age 26 or younger who didn't have the vaccine as adolescents.
6. Avoid risky behaviors
Another
effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviors that can lead to
infections that, in turn, might increase the risk of cancer. For example:
·
Practice safe sex.
Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you have sex. The
more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to
contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have
HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, liver and lung. HPV is
most often associated with cervical cancer, but it might also increase the risk
of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.
·
Don't share needles.
Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV, as well as
hepatitis B and hepatitis C — which can increase the risk of liver cancer. If
you're concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.
7. Get regular medical care
Regular
self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the
skin, colon, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering
cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor
about the best cancer screening schedule for you.
Take cancer prevention into
your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.
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