Society has an abundance of methods to prevent cancer, and remarkably these methods do not require special equipment, expensive medications or special foods. Everything needed for good health surrounds people on a daily basis through technology, friends and family, and medical professionals. The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 1 million people a year receive a diagnosis of cancer. Using as many strategies as possible can reduce the probability of your becoming one of them.
Forgo Tobacco
Smoking causes 90 percent of all lung cancer cases diagnosed every year in the United States, and lung cancer ranks highest as the deadliest of all cancers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette smoking, however, is not the only tobacco responsible for cancer. Smokeless tobacco users run the risk of developing cancer of the lips, upper and lower mouth, tongue, cheek, and gum. Lung cancer patients commonly have a lobe or an entire lung removed to save their lives. Smokeless tobacco users have also had parts of their mouth removed to cure their cancers. The possibility of disfigurement makes a strong case for quitting tobacco.
Slather on Sunscreen
Skin cancer ranks as the most common cancer in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The deadly melanoma type of skin cancer can leave a person physically scarred from the removal process. Use a sunscreen with the SPF number high enough for the time you plan on spending in the sun. Remember an SPF of 15 allows you to remain in the sun 15 times longer than the time it will take you to begin burning without the sunscreen. For a very fair person, one minute may be it, so an SPF of 15 will buy him 15 minutes before he needs to reapply. Walking through a store, you may see SPFs as high as 60.
Fitness First
Doctors tout the benefits of fitness daily on television, radio and even the Internet. Society simply cannot escape the message that an active lifestyle lowers the risks of many cancers. Still, many healthy people get cancer. Genetics plays a part indeed, but the job remains to protect the body in every way possible from the ravages of cancer by not giving cancer a fertile ground in which to plant seed. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise every day and further recommends to add more minutes of exercise to the routine when comfortable to do so.
Food Rules
Locally-grown food consumed in its natural state, without additives or heat, provides the highest amount of nutrients to the body. These nutrients strengthen the immune system against attack from cancer-causing free radicals caused by the environment, stress and poor food choices. After harvesting, food begins to lose some of the vital nutrients as decomposition begins. Farmers' markets sell local produce at reasonable prices, plus you have the added benefit of holding conversations with the person growing your food. You can ask questions about the farmer's growing process and when the harvest took place. Foods eaten raw or barely cooked retain the enzymes which aid the digestive process. Raw foods also provide fiber which the intestines need to flush out toxins capable of causing cancer from the gastrointestinal tract.
Screenings Save Lives
Routine cancer screenings performed by an individual during self-examinations and doctors running diagnostic tests save lives every year through early detection of cancers. Women need regular mammograms and pap smears according to the guidelines set out for their age group, and men need testicular and prostate exams. Discuss self-exam techniques for breast and testicular cancer with your doctor, if you have never performed one. The National Cancer Institute also recommends regular cancer screenings for colon, skin, lung and stomach cancer. Talk to your doctor about the recommended frequency of these screenings.
References
- The Mayo Clinic: Cancer Prevention: 7 Steps to Reduce Your Risk
- American Cancer Society: Cancer Prevention
- National Cancer Institute: Smokeless Tobacco and Cancer: Questions and Answers
- National Cancer Institute: Screening Screening and Testing to Detect Cancer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Skin Cancer Statistics
