Steps to begin today reducing your risk of cancer

If you knew there were certain lifestyle habits you could adopt to help reduce your risk of developing cancer, would you practice them?  Of course, there are no guarantees that you or your loved ones won’t get cancer.  But consider that if you were to at least practice healthy lifestyle behaviors, your chance of ever being diagnosed with cancer could possibly be reduced by almost 50%.

This is the message from a study published in the journal JAMA Oncology that sought out the answer to the question of, “How many cancer cases and deaths in the Unites States can be attributed to lifestyle factors?”  The cohort study revealed that adopting four healthy lifestyle behaviors appears to be the answer.

This is exciting news as this study confirms that following a healthy lifestyle pattern could make a substantial dent in the incidence of cancer in this country.  It points a finger at the true key to making this a reality starting and ending with the emphasis on primary prevention for cancer control. 

Cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death in the United States with 1.7 million new cancer cases and 609,640 cancer deaths projected to occur in 2018.  This study found that overall, 20% to 40% of carcinoma cases and about half of carcinoma deaths could potentially be prevented through certain lifestyle modifications. 

Here are the 4 lifestyle behaviors that if practiced throughout a lifetime, were found to be linked to a lower rate of cancer incidence and death:

1.     Don’t smoke

The study revealed that smoking contributed to 48.5% of deaths from the 12 smoking   related cancers in the United States including lung, pancreas, bladder, stomach, colon/rectal and esophagus.

The message here is plain and simple – don’t ever start smoking and if you already are, quit.  Smoking cessation is the single most important step to leading a long, healthy life.  Quitting smoking is not easy but your health depends on it. 

Not only does smoking vastly increase the risk of developing cancer, but it also increases the likelihood of heart disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, strokes, high blood pressure and a risk to unborn babies of pregnant women who smoke. 

2.     No or moderate alcohol drinking

Heavy alcohol consumption is another lifestyle factor contributing to the increased risk of cancers in various sites of the body – colorectal, breast, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and liver and possibly to a higher risk of cancers of the lung, pancreas, stomach, and gallbladder. 

Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than 2 drinks a day for a man and no more 1 drink a day for a woman. 

If you currently don’t drink beverages containing alcohol, don’t start.  Consuming alcohol should only be done in moderation and never drink and drive.

3.     Maintain a healthy body weight for life

Excess weight contributes to a host of health problems with one of them being an increased risk of cancer.  Cancers associated with obesity are esophagus, colorectal, pancreas, breast (after menopause), endometrium, kidney, and liver and probably increases risk of cancers in the ovaries, prostate (advanced only), and gallbladder. 

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index or BMI of 30 or greater.  Currently 38% of American adults are obese with 33% having a BMI of 25 to 29.9 which is defined as being overweight. 

The key here is to not gain excess weight in the first place.  Maintain a healthy body weight throughout your life is the way to go but, of course, this is easier said than done.  Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is possible when it is a priority in keeping you disease-free and out of doctor’s offices.

4.     Regular exercise

There’s just no way around it, exercise is always going to be part of a healthy lifestyle.  And a good thing it is as physical activity has been linked to a lower risk of cancers in the colorectum, breast, and endometrium.

The study showed that exercising at a moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes or at a vigorous intensity for at least 75 minutes every week appears to help prevent cancer cases in individuals. 

It just proves that exercise must be a healthy habit we all should participate in daily.  Find physical activities you enjoy doing to want to keep your interest.  Make the time, make it fun and you will be successful in making exercise a routine lifestyle habit. 

Besides the above 4 lifestyle modifications helping to reduce cancer risk, here are a few other healthy habits providing you that extra boost of protective factors:

·      Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant-based foods. 

Plant-based foods are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients.  Aim for at least 5 servings of day of fruits and vegetables and include more nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains to each meal and snack.

·      Get routine medical care and cancer screenings

For women, besides getting a yearly physical, this would include regular Pap tests starting at age 21 and mammogram screenings beginning at age 40. 

For men, annual physicals are also recommended along with PSA testing beginning at age 40. 

Both men and women should have a colonoscopy starting at age 50 or earlier if there is a family history of colon cancer.  Individuals should also check their skin for miles that are new, large, or irregular, contain more than one color, or change color. 

·      Get vaccinated against the Human Papilomavirus (HPV)

Every year in the U.S., nearly 500,000 women are diagnosed with low grade cervical precancers and more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with high grade cervical lesions.  More than 30,000 women and men (cancers of the penis, anus, and oropharynx – the back of the mouth and upper part of the throat) are diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection.  Getting vaccinated against HPV could prevent most of these cancers from ever developing.