Daily Habits That Will Prevent The Risk Of Cancer

There is nothing yet that can prevent cancer. Cancer is related to genetics, age, environmental factors, and sometimes plain luck. What we know now is that cancer prevention is still evolving.

However, healthy lifestyle choices can lower the risk and make a difference. In this guide, we will talk about various daily habits that will prevent the risk of cancer. 

Don’t Consume tobacco

Avoid tobacco in any form, even exposure to 2nd hand smoking. You don’t have to be any scientist or doctor to understand the disadvantages of tobacco. 

Consuming tobacco products puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking leads to various types of cancer like lung, throat, mouth, larynx, kidney, and many more.

Chewing tobacco causes oral cavity and pancreas. Lung cancer is the foremost cause of death from cancer worldwide. 

There is no safe level of smoke, be it pipes, cigarettes, or even secondhand smoke. If you don’t smoke or consume tobacco, don’t start, and if you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about the stop smoking products and other ways to help you quit for good. 

Eat a healthy diet

Eating healthy meals or making healthy selections while buying groceries won’t guarantee cancer prevention, but it might reduce your risk. 

  • Consume a lot of fruits and vegetables

Many veggies and fruits are rich in antioxidants, and regular consumption of antioxidants helps prevent the cancer-promoting cells from developing.

Plant-based food also helps reduce inflammation, which is another risk factor for various types of cancer. Including fruit and non-starchy vegetables like spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumber helps protect against stomach, esophageal and oral cancer as well as lung cancer. You can also consume healthy juices and make smoothies at home from antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

  • Consume whole grains instead of processed grains

When the grains are processed, they go through a lot of techniques that refine them, but they lack the nutrients that are necessary. Due to this, experts recommend eating whole grains rather than processed and refined grains.

Also, the compounds found in whole grains, such as dietary fiber and lignans, help prevent or lower the risk of cancer. 

  • Avoid or limit processed meats

According to WHO, consuming deli meat or hot dogs regularly may increase your risk of colorectal cancer. Meat does provide a variety of health benefits, but when it is heavily processed, it could increase the risk of cancer. 

Although the link between red meat like veal, lamb, beef, and cancer is not clear, it is advisable to consume no more than 500 grams per week. 

Drink clean water

Water is an essential nutrient in detoxifying the body and preventing cancer. It is a primary component of your body’s cells and provides nourishment to your whole body.

Most of the bodily functions are supported by water, such as eliminating toxins, maintaining ideal body temperature, joint health, etc. Along with drinking water in quantity, the quality of water also plays an important role. It is wise to install a water purifier at home and office space.

Water keeps things moving in your digestive tract. It pushes food through the intestines and promotes healthy digestion. Water flushes out of the toxins, prevents waste buildup, and hence prevents various diseases related to rectum or colon, like colorectal cancer.

Consuming water and having more water-rich foods helps promote the growth, survival, and reproduction of cells. This also protects your organs like the bladder, colon, and breast tissue from developing cancer.

Maintain a healthy weight

Obesity may lead to various health issues like diabetes and heart diseases. It also increases the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colon, lung, and kidney. According to experts, fatty tissues may disturb certain hormones, and it may lead to tumor development. 

Also, obesity puts the body under stress that inhibits the repair of damaged cells. 

Experts recommend not to let fat accumulate around the abdomen. Reducing your waistline means reducing the risk of cancer too. 

Be physically active

Exercising not only helps you control your weight, but staying physically active can reduce the chance of breast cancer and colon cancer. It also lowers the risk of lung, prostate, and endometrial cancer. 

Many studies have shown that people who are physically active have various health benefits. As a rule of thumb, include at least 30 mins of physical activity in your daily routine (treadmill walking or cycling). If you can do more, it’s better. 

Vitamins and mineral supplements

We all need nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fats for our bodies to work properly. By intaking vitamin and mineral supplements, you can prevent cancer as these supplements are full of antioxidants. One such magical supplement is vitamin D.

Vitamin D has a special consideration in cancer treatment. Studies have shown that vitamin D helps in both cancer prevention and cancer treatment.

People with high vitamin D have more survival rates from lung cancer. Just like vitamin D, Vitamin B12 is also important in the prevention of cancer.

However, use vitamins and mineral supplements only after consulting your oncologist.

Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most common kinds of cancer is Skin cancer. To prevent this cancer, try these tips – 

  • Avoid going out in the middle of the day, especially between 11 AM to 3 PM, this is the time when the sun’s rays are the strongest. 
  • If you are outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Wear full clothes during summers; also sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats may help. 
  • Cover as much skin as you can. Avoid wear dark colors and opt for lighters shades that reflect sunlight and UV radiations
  • Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. If you are outdoors for a long time, try a sunscreen with SPF 50. Apply it generously and also reapply it every two hours.
  • Avoid tanning booths and sunlamps as they emit ultraviolet radiation which is linked to melanoma and may damage your skin.
  • Don’t worry about electromagnetic radiation from microwaves and mobile phones as they do not cause cancer. 

Get your caffeine fix

If you are a coffee or tea lover, you are in luck!

According to studies, coffee and caffeine do not increase the risk of cancer, in fact, in a few cases, they may have decreased the risk of certain types of cancer. 

Also, coffee and tea contain antioxidants and other various nutrients that promote healthier living. 

But if you have other underlying health conditions like high blood pressure or other heart-related issues, talk to your doctor about how much caffeine is safe. 

Practice safer sex

Practicing safe sex helps prevent HPV, which is a sexually transmitted infection and it can cause cervical cancer in women. It might also increase the risk of other cancer related to reproductive organs. 

Also, people with HIV or AIDS have a high risk of anus, lung, and liver cancer. Safe sex means using condoms and talking to your partner about his.her sexual history. 

Get regular medical care

It is advisable to do regular self-examination and screenings at your doctor’s office for various common types of cancer like skin, breast, cervix, etc. By regular screening, you can discover your cancer early and it is most likely to be treated successfully. 

Visiting your doctor regularly is good for your health. There are various types of screening tests for colon cancer. Talk to your doctor and make an appointment. 

Getting Immunized

Talk to your doctor about a certain vaccination that may help prevent cancer and protect from certain viral infections.

Hepatitis B – It may increase your risk of developing liver cancer. It is recommended for certain adults at high risk like sexually active adults, people using intravenous drugs, health care, and public safety working whore are exposed to infected blood, etc. 

HPV (Human papillomavirus) – It is a sexually transmitted virus that may lead to cervical and other genetical cancer. This vaccine is recommended for children aged 11 or 12. Check with your doctor to find the HPV vaccine near you.

Conclusion

Breast, skin, lungs, prostate, kidney, and colorectal cancers are among the top cancer types diagnosed every year. With a healthy diet and good habits, you can lower your risk of potentially fatal cancer. I hope this guide provides you the answers you were looking for. 

Dolly Savla
 

Dolly is a part of the content creation team at reviews.in. Her strength lies in creating content about sports, fitness and lifestyle. Creating art, drinking coffee and reading books, makes her happy when not working with reviews.

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