While cancer rates are decreasing as of 2009, cancer is still a very scary and dangerous illness to have to deal with. So many different type of cancers exist, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma and colon cancer, and really nobody is safe from this battle. While there is no cure for cancer, much research has led us to believe that certain lifestyle choices can impact our risk for developing cancer, and there are ways we may be able to prevent cancer from occurring.
Smoking
According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the United States today. Not only do cigarettes increase the likelihood of developing cancer but so do cigars, pipes, secondhand smoke and chewing tobacco. Smoking is taxing to the body because of the toxic chemicals that are found in these products. There can be as many as 4,000 different chemicals in just one cigarette. At least 60 of those chemicals have been shown to cause different forms of cancers, such as lung cancer, oral cancer, cancer of the larynx and even throat and bladder cancer. While some people are at higher risk of developing cancer because of genetics or health conditions, smoking is a choice, and eliminating this unhealthy habit is a great way to prevent cancer.
Dietary Changes
Making sure you consume five servings of fruits and vegetables each day can increase your prevention of cancer. The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in these raw ingredients can help prevent cancer from developing and growing in the cells of the body. Striving for five each day isn't hard to do if you add things such as salads, dried fruits, apples, cut-up veggies, fresh juices and baked potatoes to your daily meal routine.
Stay away from saturated fats, trans fats, fast food and overprocessed meals that can contain harmful artificial ingredients and chemicals and can also pack on the pounds, which isn't helpful to cancer prevention. Gaining unhealthy weight will only slow the body down and eliminate the body's ability to fight off something like cancer.
Fitness Changes
Getting enough activity during the day can help prevent cancer. Reducing the amount of stress you're under, getting in better shape and keeping the body healthy and strong is a great step in the direction of cancer prevention. Adults should get about 30 minutes of exercise per day for at least five days each week. This can include walking, jogging, aerobics, biking, rollerblading, swimming or playing sports. Even making changes to your daily routine like parking far away from the door in a parking lot so you walk farther, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk during lunch instead of sitting around for an hour can all help prevent cancer by staying active and healthy.
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