9 Cancer Prevention Tips to Reduce Risk of Cancer

The good news is that you can protect yourself from cancer by following a healthy lifestyle and avoiding some chemical substances (Carcinogens) that cause cancer. according to WHO 30 to 50%  of all cases of cancers are preventable.

Development of cancer in a person depends upon a combination of genetic makeup (genes) and his lifestyle. Genetic profile of a person is unchangeable but lifestyle can be modified so the exclusion of one risk factor in the form of lifestyle modification reduces the risk of developing cancer. For example, if a person has a family history of lung cancer he can reduce the risk of cancer by avoiding smoking.

Here are some important cancer prevention tips -

1. Stop Using Tobacco

According to WHO Tobacco kills more than 7 million people worldwide every year. Smoking causes 15 different types of cancers, lungs and heart diseases. Smokers are susceptible to cancer of the throat, oral cavity, larynx, kidney, bladder, oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, cervix, bowel and various types of leukaemias. Cigarette contains over 4000 chemicals from which 70 to 80 chemicals cause cancers.

Carcinogens in cigarettes -

• Nicotine
• Arsenic
• Lead
• Acetaldehyde
• Benzene
• Ammonia
• Carbon monoxide
• Chromium
• Acrylonitrile
• Nickel

These carcinogens present in smoke damage our DNA and affect the genes which protect us from cancer and weakens our immune system to fight against diseases. Carbon monoxide present in cigarette smoke reduces the capacity of haemoglobin to carry oxygen and damages lungs. Now you may have understood how dangerous smoking is for your health and how to quit smoking helps in cancer prevention. If you can not completely stop smoking, you can reduce the number of cigarettes smoked and slowly quit smoking. You can take help of your doctor for alternative methods.

Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute has created a website https://smokefree.gov/ to help people stop smoking.

2. Eat Healthy Food

If I ask how many of you people eat processed food? I know the answer to most of the people will yes. because all love testy processed food but do you know eating excessively processed food (Cake, biscuits, processed, processed red meat, meat products, bread) increases the risk of many diseases like cancer, Diabetes and cardiovascular. So you should reduce the intake of processed and fried food to prevent yourself from many deadly diseases.

                  Food rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grain and beans reduces the risk of cancer, that's why you should add vegetables and fruits to your daily diet. Vegetables and fruits contain antioxidants like vitamins (A, C and E),  beta-carotene and phytochemicals. These antioxidants neutralize the free radicals generated in our body during the various processes. Free radicals damage DNA in our body, thus plays a very important role in the development of cancer. Phytochemicals reduce the inflammation and growth of cancer cells.

Best Foood for Cancer Prevention

(1) Antioxidant-rich food- Pecans, oranges, dark leafy vegetables, berries, artichokes, beans, dark chocolates, kiwifruit

(2) food rich in carotenoids- Carrots, Apricots, mangoes, tomato, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale

(3) drink coffee because it reduces the risk of colon cancer

(4) Eat food that is rich in dietary fibres like beans, lentils, whole grains, broccoli because it helps in elimination of harmful substances from digestive tracts.

Read also : 
(1) Healthy Balanced Diet

(2) Diabetes Management: How Blood Sugar Can Be Maintained By Diet And Exercise

3. Do Regular Physical Activity

You know that regular exercise makes your heart healthy but do you know the regular physical activity is not only beneficial for the heart it also reduces the cancer risk. Doing physical activity helps in lowering the risk of prostate, breast, colon and uterine cancer.

It also helps in -

• Relieving Stress and improve mood
• Maintaining normal body weight
• Increases muscle strength
• reduces the risk of diabetes and heart diseases

How Physical activity helps in Cancer Prevention?

• Obesity is a risk factor for the development of cancer. Regular body activity decreases weight and prevents obesity thus it helps in lowering the risk of cancer.
• Oestrogen hormone considered a risk factor for breast and uterine cancer in women regular physical activity lowers the oestrogen level in the body. the lower level of oestrogen minimizes the risk of breast and uterus cancer in females.
• Exercise also reduces the level of insulin in our body. It has been found in many researches that insulin is associated with many cancers risk. By lowering the level of insulin in our body, exercise helps to prevent many cancers.
• Regular physical activity increases the bowel movements it helps in rapid removal of carcinogenic toxic substances from the intestine and reduces the inflammatory processes in the bowel.

Related: Exercise guidelines for cancer prevention

4. Drink Plenty of Water

Water is very essential and fundamental structural component of cells. The human body is made up of about 60% water. Water provides a medium for all metabolic reactions in our body. Drinking adequate clean water helps in detoxification, nutrient Synthesis, digestion and cancer prevention.

Water makes digestive tract more flexible to pass food easily along through intestinal tract and also helps in fast excretion of toxins which decreases the contact time between digestive tract mucosa and toxins, and prevent from many diseases and colon cancer.

Drinking lots of water also decrease the risk of Bladder cancer by removing toxins presents in the bladder and diluting the concentration of toxins.

How much Water should you drink?

According to American cancer society you should drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to reduce the risk of cancer. your water demand of body depends on your body activity and the surrounding environment in cool conditions and less working conditions you should drink 2-2.5 litre water and in summer drink up to 3 litres of water.

5. Avoid Alcohol

Limiting alcohol intake plays an important role in Cancer prevention. In many studies association of alcohol and cancer has been found. Yeah, it is true that not everyone who drinks will get cancer, but chances of getting cancer are more in alcoholic than nonalcoholics. Person Who drinks excessively are at the highest risk of developing cancer. Alcoholics are at the risk of seven different types of cancer -

• Mouth
• Throat
• Larynx
• Oesophagus
• Breast
• Liver
• Bowel

How Alcohol causes Cancer?

• Alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde in the body. This acetaldehyde can damage DNA and can cause cancer.
• Drinking alcohol increases estrogen levels in the body. This raised level of oestrogen acts as a messenger for cell division and increases the risk of breast cancer.
• People who have been drinking alcohol for long periods can develop liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis patients are more susceptible to liver cancer.
• Excessive drinking also makes people obese because alcohol provides extra calories. Obesity increases the risk of various cancers.

Also read: Tips for limiting alcohol intake

6. Avoid Sun exposure

Ultraviolet radiation from sun and tanning beds is dangerous for our skin because it damages DNA of skin cells and causes cancer. People of all ages should avoid long sun exposure especially during the mid-morning and afternoon ( 10 a.m to 4 p.m) because the intensity of sunlight is very high during this period.

Exposure to UV radiations is associated with the risk of three types of skin cancers -

1. Basal cell carcinoma

2. Squamous cell carcinoma

3. Melanoma

Prevention guidelines from skin cancer foundation-

• Don't expose yourself to sunlight from 10 am to 4 pm.
• Avoid tanning and tanning beds
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (15 SPF or higher) before going out.
• Cover yourself with clothing, hat and sunglasses.
• Visit your physician for regular skin examination (at least once a year)

7. Get Immunized

In cancer prevention, vaccines are available to protect against certain types of cancers -

1. Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human papillomavirus causes cervical, Vaginal, vulvar, anal and squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. The U.S. food and drug administration approved a vaccine for HPV infection. It is available for both male (aged 9-21) and female (aged 9-26).

2. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

Hepatitis B virus causes liver infection. Chronic (long-term) hepatitis b infection makes liver susceptible for liver cancer. HBV vaccine is available for both gender and all age groups.

For complete information on vaccination Talk to your doctor.

more information:- National Cancer Institute

8. Self Examination to detect early signs of Cancer

It is very easy and important way for cancer prevention. you can detect some cancer yourself by knowing about following Warning signs of cancer -

• Self-examination of the breast
• Change in wart or mole size
• a persistent change in bowel habits
• a swelling or sore that does not get better
• Sudden and unexplained loss of weight
• a persistent cough or hoarseness

9. Get Regular Medical Checkups and screening

Regular medical checkup helps in early detection of cancer. if a cancer is recognised in early stages than chances of survival is very high. contact your doctor for complete screening guidelines of colon, breast, cervical and prostate cancer.

Read  complete Cancer screening guidelines by American Cancer Society

At last, I just want to say that by following these cancer prevention tips not give us assurance that we will get cancer or not but by following these tips we can reduce the risk of getting cancer.

Read also: 11 Brain damaging habits that you must avoid