Simple But Effective Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk

Simple lifestyle changes can make a difference in lowering your risk of developing cancer. Take charge by following these cancer-prevention tips:

Don’t smoke.

Smoking is linked to various types of cancer, including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. If you are a non-smoker, stay away from places where people smoke as exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.

Drink alcohol moderately.

Long-term, high-volume alcohol intake increases your risk for cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver.

Eat a healthy diet.

Research shows that a diet filled with a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and other plant foods helps lower risk for many cancers. Cancer-fighting fruits and veggies include apples, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, dark green leafy vegetables, grapes, tomatoes, and turnips, among others.

Limit your intake of processed meats such as sausages, hotdogs, ham, bacon, corned beef and canned meat. Research shows that eating large amounts of processed meat can slightly increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including stomach cancer.

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. Aside from helping you control your weight, physical activity might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. Aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity.

Have regular health check-ups.

Regular screening for various types of cancer can increase your chances of detecting cancer early, and early detection of cancer greatly increases the chances for successful treatment. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you.

Also, talk to your doctor about vaccination against hepatitis B and HPV or human papillomavirus. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. 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. Vaccination against these viral infections has been shown to substantially lower cancer risk.

 

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-Medical Observer

 

References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/cancer-prevention/art-20044816. Accessed 30 November 2019
https://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/. Accessed 30 November 2019

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