Top Ten Cancer Prevention Tips of the Decade

Anyone can get cancer, and there are certain risk factors that increase your chances of having cancer. But some forms of cancer are preventable, and this article will provide you with the top ten cancer prevention tips from this past decade. As the decade comes to a close, it's a good time to look back on the past ten years and see what we learned. Some tips are old but with new information, some tips are new, but all ten are smart, healthy tips that can help prevent cancer. This article summarizes the top ten cancer prevention tips of the decade. It does not constitute or replace medical advice.

1. Don't smoke. Smoking damages nearly every organ in your body and is linked to over 15 types of cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women worldwide. See

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/greatamericans/Smokeout.asp if you need help.

2. Stay out of the sun. UV rays from the sun cause almost all types of skin cancer, including the most deadly form, melanoma. Wear a hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, and sunscreen. See your dermatologist once a year for a skin check.

3. Don't have unsafe sex. The human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer, is spread through sex. This decade brought us a vaccine for this virus, so women may want to check with their doctor about receiving this vaccine. Hepatitis B and C, which can increase your risk of liver cancer, can also be spread by sexual contact.

4. Don't drink too much. Your risk of cancers, including mouth, throat, esophagus, kidney, liver and breast cancers, increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly. If you need help controlling your drinking, go to www.aa.org.

5. Control your weight. Each year, about 550,000 Americans die of cancer. One-third of these deaths are linked to poor diet, lack of exercise, and being overweight. The diet industry spends millions of dollarsevery year developing new ways to help us lose weight. It isn't always easy, but losing weight will improve the quality of your life in many ways, including lowering your risk of cancer. Weight Watchers is a great place to start if you need help. Go to www.weightwatchers.com.

6. Don't go to tanning parlors. We always knew these were bad, but this decade brought us definitive proof of just how bad. Your risk of developing melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer, jumps 300% if you use a tanning bed occasionally and 800% if you use one more than ten times a year.

7. Eat more vegetables. Eating at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day. Studies have shown that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of cancer. Just like we tell our children, try to eat a "rainbow", meaning vary the color of vegetables you eat. Sweet potatoes, watermelon, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, you get the idea. All of these can help lower your risk of lung, mouth, stomach and other cancers. Eating more fruits and vegetables is also a great way to control your weight., as you can subsitute these healthier choices for your usual higher fat foods.

8. Exercise. Exercise can lower your risk of cancer in two ways. First, it will help you to control your weight; as noted above, one third of cancer deaths are linked to being overweight. These deaths were also linked to lack of exercise itself. So try to get out there and work out two or three times a week, even if it's just a brisk walk. Once you get in the habit of exercising, try to build to every day, which is in line with today's cancer prevention guidelines. You can help lower your risk of breast, colon and other cancers just by being more active.

9. Eat less processed and red meats. Colon and prostate cancers have been linked to your consumption of processed and red meats. Try eating fish twice a week (being careful of those with higher mercury levels) in place of meat, and find substitutions for your regular luncheon meats (how about some fruit and a nice salad instead?)

10. Get immunized and screened. Women can be vaccinated for the human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer. You can also be vaccinated for Hepatitis B, which can increase your risk of liver cancer. Screening can catch abnormal cells before they become cancerous, cancer before it spreads, and other signs and symptoms of cancer.

Source List:

http://cancerdietitician.com/2009/07/05-cancer-prevention-tips-for-women.html

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_1.asp

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-prevention/CA00024

http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-care/c/75934/24339/beds-fast-facts