Concerned about cancer prevention? You need to adopt healthy habits, such as eating nutritious food and getting regular screenings. By adopting certain habits and modifying your lifestyle, you can lower your risk of cancer.
Sometimes, it is hard to know where to start, and changing habits can feel overwhelming. However, over time, these changes can lead to positive adjustments in your daily habits.
If you are also confused about where to start, here are 6 easy ways you can adopt to reduce the risk of cancer.
Get Screened Regularly
To reduce the risk of cancer, you should do regular self-exams. You can consult a reputable cancer center for screening, such as those for cancer of the skin, colon, cervix, and breast. This effort helps identify the early signs of cancer, making it easier to treat and manage.
Don’t Use Tobacco
Smoking is dangerous for many types of cancer, such as cancer of the lung, mouth, voice box, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidney. Only smoking is not a cause for cancer, but chewing tobacco also increases the risks of mouth, throat, and pancreatic cancer.
A great way to prevent cancer is to avoid tobacco. If you have difficulty quitting tobacco, you can ask a healthcare professional about products that can help you quit. They can also recommend some other safe alternatives to smoking.
Eat Healthy Foods
Eating healthy food not only prevents cancer but it might also lowers the risk. Try to incorporate healthy food options, such as fruits and vegetables, into your diet. Moreover, other foods from plant sources, such as whole grains and legumes, are also beneficial.
You should limit foods high in calories, fats, and added sugars, such as red meat, processed meats, refined grains, and saturated and trans fats. You can drink alcohol, but in moderation.
People should follow a Mediterranean diet, which includes using olive oil instead of butter and opting for fish over red meat.
Stay at a Healthy Weight and Regular Exercise
Maintaining a healthy weight helps to lower the risks of some types of cancer, such as breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and kidney cancer. Physical activities also contribute to lowering the risks of cancer, especially breast cancer and colon cancer.
While it’s challenging to find time for exercise, try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine.
Limit Consumption of “Fast Foods” and Other Processed Foods
Consuming fast food and processed food has become a habit for people. Limiting this food helps to control the calorie intake and leads to maintaining a healthy weight. There is strong evidence that fast food is high in fat, starches, or sugars that lead to weight gain and obesity. Great body fatness can cause different types of cancer.
Protect Yourself from Excessive Sun Exposure
Warm weather feels great, but too much exposure can lead to skin cancer, such as melanoma. Skin cancer starts in early childhood, so it’s essential to protect your children from it. You should also avoid tanning beds, which also cause cancer.
