Cancer prevention is a reality, but eating healthy is not enough to achieve it. Food, exercise level, and smoking, among other determining factors, have an impact on a person’s health and risk of developing cancer. The American Cancer Society offers six steps you must follow to reduce the risk of cancer:
Get cancer exam
Regular detection exams can catch some cancers early on, when they are smaller, have not spread, and are easier to treat. Talk to your physician about breast, cervical, colon, lung, and prostate cancer detection tests.
Maintain a healthy diet
Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for many types of cancer, including breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer.
Exercise regularly
- Adults: 150 minutes of moderate activity distributed over the week.
- Children: 1 hour of moderate activity daily.
Eat a healthy diet
- Eat at least 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables a day.
- Choose whole grain, instead of refined white flour bread, whole grain cereal, and brown rice.
- Eat less red and processed meats such as bacon, cold cuts, and sausages.
Avoid tobacco
Tobacco consumption is responsible for approximately 1 out of every 5 deaths every year.
Limit your alcohol consumption
Studies have shown that alcohol can increase the risk of suffering some specific types of cancer including breast, oral, throat, laryngeal, esophageal, liver, colon, and rectal cancer. Recommendation: men 2 drinks a day and women 1 drink a day.
Adopt a healthier lifestyle and enjoy the sense of wellbeing that living a balanced life offer.
Reference: Sociedad Americana del Cáncer
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