Cancer is a very deadly disease and we have all lost someone dear to us to this disease I’m sure. Really sad, because most times it starts out small and the monster then begins to eat away the bodies of our loved ones. I personally wish all these science people would gather around and find a cure for cancer rather than making a new line of microwave ovens. Thomas A. Sellers, Ph.D., associate director for cancer prevention and control at Moffitt Cancer Centre in Tampa said, “As many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle.”
There are many causes of cancer and there is still no known cure for it, but we can take active deliberate steps in making sure we do all our best to prevent it and reduce our risks of being infected by this deadly killer. Though what is known about cancer prevention is still evolving, however, it has been discovered that our chances of developing cancer are affected by the lifestyle choices we make. So if you’re concerned about cancer prevention, note that some simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
These are a few tips to help you prevent cancer:
1. Have a healthy diet:
Your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Reduce the consumption of fatty foods; they later lead to obesity and being overweight increases your risk of having diseases like cancer. Reduce your alcohol consumption; drink 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.
2. Be active and exercise regularly:
There are a lot of advantages that having a healthy weight has, one is that it lowers the risks of several types of cancer. This is where physical activity counts because it helps lower your weight and boosts your immunity.
3. Avoid smoking:
Smoking or using any kind of tobacco increases your risk of getting cancer; because cigarettes have been clinically linked with certain kinds of cancers especially lung, bladder, cervix, kidney, oral and skin cancer.
4. Avoid too much exposure to the sun:
This could result in skin cancer so make sure you do not stay in the sun for too long, stay under shades or use umbrellas. Also, you should use creams that have sunscreen to protect your skin when going out and you could see the sun isn’t happy at all.
5. Do regular medical check-ups:
Having regular medical check-ups and doing self-screening is very important. Check for lumps in your breast, have a pap smear done; don’t be nonchalant or careless about your health. If you see anything or notice any symptom in your body that you don’t understand, go see your doctor.
6. Watch your caffeine consumption:
A hot cup of coffee in the morning isn’t a bad idea, but you have to be careful and not get addicted because it could put you at a risk of getting cancer.
7. Drink plenty of water:
You can never get enough of water, so take lots of it and stay hydrated. You see, drinking a lot of water helps reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to flush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day.
8. Avoid processed foods:
It is better to eat fresh foods and products in their original form as most processed and canned foods contain lots of chemicals and preservatives that are carcinogenic in nature. Carcinogenic compounds are things that are harmful to your body and health and that could also lead to cancer.
9. Do not ignore symptoms or pains:
Early detection is a very vital way of preventing cancer as it helps to stop the spread of cancer in the body and into organs. If you think something is wrong, then it probably is, go and see your doctor.
10. Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation:
Don’t sleep with your mobile phones near your head or body, avoid doing unnecessary scans. According to Barton Kamen, MD, Ph.D., the chief medical officer for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society, “CT scans are a great diagnostic tool, but they deliver much more radiation than x-rays and maybe overused”. High doses of radiation can trigger leukemia, so make sure scans are not repeated if you see multiple doctors, and ask if another test, such as an ultrasound or MRI, could substitute.