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Though there’s no guaranteed way to avoid cancer, these four strategies are highly effective at reducing risk for the disease. Courtesy photo
Cancer affects lives in every corner of the globe. Whether it’s encountered as a patient, caregiver or supporter, cancer will affect the vast majority of individuals at some point in their lives. That prevalence underscores the significance of learning about the disease, including ways to reduce the risk of being diagnosed.
What is cancer?
According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is a disease in which cells in the bodygrowuncontrollablyand spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start just about anywhere, as humans are made up of trillions of cells. When a person has cancer,abnormalordamaged cells grow and multiply when they normally should die and have new, healthy cells take their place.
Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they don’t need signalling to grow, nor do they stop multiplying. They also do not stop growing when encountering other cells and can hide from the immune system. All of these conditions and others combine to make cancer a very serious condition. That means it could be of the utmost important to do everything possible to reduce your risk of acquiring the disease. Though there’s no guaranteed way to avoid cancer, these four strategies are highly effective at reducing risk for the disease.
1. Healthy eating
Consuming a healthy diet can go a long way toward reducing cancer risk. The Mayo Clinic says people should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and even choose foods from plant sources as the foundation of their diets. Limiting refined sugars and fats from animal sources also is effective.
Eating processed meat also has been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, according to the World Health Organization. Consumption of alcohol also increases cancer risk.
2. Quit tobacco
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, says the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention.Smoking cigarettes is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, with about 80 to 90 percent of lungcancerdeathsattributed to cigarettes in the United States. Tobacco also causes cancer elsewhere in the body. The single best way to reduce cancer risk is to avoid tobacco to begin with or, for current smokers, to quit smoking immediately.
3. Maintain a healthy weight The CDC says being overweight or obese has been linked to a higher risk of 13 different types of cancer. Diet is important in maintaining a healthy weight, but so is regular physical exercise. People should strive for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or a minimum of 75 minutes a week of intense aerobic activity.
4. Protect skin from the sun Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease. Covering the skin, avoiding midday sun, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day, and avoiding sunlamps and tanning beds is essential.
Whilethereisnocompletely foolproof way to prevent cancer, there are many ways to reduce risk for the disease.