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There aren't three more frightening words in the English language than “you have cancer.” Unfortunately, too many people will hear this diagnosis sometime in their lifetime. From lung cancer to breast cancer, colon cancer to skin cancer, it seems there is no shortage of varieties of cancer that we have to worry about and try to avoid.
Sometimes the suggestions on how to stay cancer-free can be contradictory. Do we avoid alcohol all together or is it healthy to drink wine now and then? Is sunlight in small amounts good for us or will sun exposure lead to skin cancer? Trying to figure out what we can do to minimize our risks of getting cancer may be confusing but the good news is, there are definitely things that all of us can do. It might feel as if cancer is out there lurking around in the darkness trying to make us ill, but we can fight back and do as much possible to keep it at bay.
In this article, we’ll start with five tips to reduce our risk of getting cancer. In part two, we’ll look at five more:
Tip #1—Don’t even think about smoking, chewing tobacco, or inhaling snuff. Truly, there is no such thing as a good type of tobacco. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that if you smoke a pipe instead of cigarettes, or only chew tobacco on the weekends that you’re doing yourself any favors. Staying away from tobacco by either not starting or by doing everything in your power to quit, is one of the most important health decisions you can make and it may go a long way in helping you prevent cancer. Smoking has been linked to a variety of cancer types including cancer of the cervix, lip, lung, mouth, throat, pancreas and more. Chewing tobacco can lead to cancer of the esophagus, mouth, throat and pancreas and inhaled chewing tobacco may cause cancer of the esophagus and mouth.
Tip #2—Be sun and skin safe. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in men and women. It’s also one of the most preventable. What's key is to avoid UV ray exposure by making sure you wear your sunscreen, even on cloudy days, staying out of the sun in the middle of the day, staying covered up outdoors and avoiding tanning beds. Also, be aware of your skin and what moles or other marks look like. Check your skin regularly (use a mirror to look at hard-to-see areas like your back). If you notice a change in anything, see a dermatologist right away.
Tip #3—Eat a healthy diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables. The American Cancer Society suggests that we eat five or more servings of fruits and veggies every day. Try to eat things from other plant sources like beans and whole grains. A diet loaded with fruits and vegetables has been found to reduce the risk of getting certain cancers, like cancer of the colon, lung, stomach and esophagus.
Tip #4—Maintain a healthy weight and be active. Being too heavy may increase your chances of developing breast, colon, kidney, stomach, uterine and esophageal cancer. Regular physical activity may reduce the risk of getting breast, colon, uterine and prostate cancer. Try to do something active for 30 minutes most days of the week. This can be broken up into a couple of 15 minute walks or other types of exercise that you like to do.
Tip #5—See your doctor regularly for check-ups and keep tabs on yourself too. Going in for annual exams and doing self-examinations won’t guarantee to keep cancer away, but they can increase the chance that you will find a problem early on, when treatment may be more successful. For everyone, regular checkups of your rectum, colon, mouth, and skin are important. For men, add in your prostate and testes and for women, include your breasts and cervix.
Stay tuned for part two, and five more tips that may help decrease the chances of developing cancer.
References:
www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-prevention/CA00024
http://cancer.about.com/od/causes/tp/topreventcancer.htm
Add a Comment1 Comments
Alison - These are great tips for cancer prevention, as well as for living a healthy lifestyle. Many people today seem to still think cancer is rare, and don't realize more people today are living with cancer than are dying from it. As we continue to live longer, more and more of us will get cancer. Everyone needs this type of information, and I strongly encourage parents to share these tips with their children. Thanks for your article! Pat
February 10, 2010 - 5:45pmThis Comment