Preventing Cancer

Many people who have had a loved one diagnosed with cancer or have been diagnosed themselves inevitably end up asking, "what is cancer exactly?" Although cancer itself is explainable, in many cases, the exact cause of cancer is unknown or unpreventable. However, there are certain precautions and changes to your lifestyle you can make to lower your risk for cancer.

Avoid Tobacco Products
The number one thing you can do to prevent cancer is to stay away from tobacco products. Smoking and second-hand smoke have been found to have strong links with not only lung cancer but also bladder, kidney and cervix cancer. Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S., with over 220,000 diagnoses per year. One form of lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer that accounts for 15% is rarely seen in people who have never smoked before. Additionally, smokeless and chewing tobacco has been linked to cancers of the oral cavity and pancreatic cancer. Both smoking and smokeless tobacco contain harmful chemicals called carcinogens. These chemicals interrupt normal cell development, igniting the start of cancer development.

Eat Healthy
Having a healthy, balanced diet may not completely prevent cancer, but it may definitely help lower your risk. It is important to limit fat in your diet because higher fat diets also tend to be higher in calories. This can increase your chances of being overweight or obese, which can put you at a high risk for cancer. You should also eat many fruits and vegetables because these foods are high in antioxidants, which help repair the body’s cells. Studies have shown that green, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables may help prevent cancer and that dark fruits like grapes and blueberries may also have some cancer-fighting properties. Last, if you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Excessive alcohol intake increases you risk for cancers of the breast, colon, lung, kidney, and liver.

Protect Your Skin
Although skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States, it is also one of the most preventable. With just a few easy preventive measures, you can easily lower your risk for skin cancer. The most important precaution you can take is to avoid tanning beds and sunlamps as these are just as damaging or worse for your skin than natural sunlight. Also, it is important to always wear a skin protector of at least SPF 15 daily to protect your skin from the natural light exposure it receives. On that same note, try to stay out of the sun from 10a.m. to 4p.m. each day. This is when the sun’s rays are the most harmful.

Exercise
It has been shown that exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight can reduce your risk for cancers such as breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week.

Get Your Immunizations
Some viral infections like Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis B have been linked to certain types of cancer, so it is important to get your immunizations against these and other types of viruses. HPV, a sexually transmitted disease, has been linked to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is available to men and women under the age of 26. Hepatitis B can increase your risk for liver cancer. The Hepatitis B vaccine is typically given to infants but also adults who are at high risk for the viral infection. These high-risk adults include sexually active adults who are not monogamous and health care professionals who are often exposed to infected blood and bodily fluids.

Taking these precautions may help reduce your risk of certain cancers but they cannot prevent cancer completely. It is important to do regular self-exams and get screenings for cancers of the skin, breast, colon, prostate, and cervix, especially if you start to notice some of the symptoms of cancer. This can increase your chances of catching the cancer at an early stage, when it is most easily treated.