Things You Can Do To Prevent Cancer

Maintain body weight within the normal range throughout adulthood.

“Maintenance of a healthy weight throughout life may be one of the most important ways to protect against cancer. Evidence shows that only a small proportion of cancers are inherited. Environmental factors are most important and can be modified,” concluded the international panel of experts. “Food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition play a central role in the prevention of cancer.” Being as lean as possible within the normal range from age 21 is optimal for cancer protection, but at any time in life, it helps to lose weight if you’re overweight, stated the panel. Even a 5 to 10% weight loss can be important.

Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day

“All forms of physical activity protect against some cancers as well as against weight gain,” wrote the WCRF/AICR cancer report. Optimally, the report advised, aim for moderate activity, like brisk walking, which essentially means walking as though you have somewhere to go (and you’re running a little late). As fitness improves, aim for 60 minutes or more of moderate activity – or for 30 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity – every day.

Limit consumption of calorie-dense foods. Avoid sugary drinks

Avoiding Soda May Help Prevent Cancer Avoiding calorie-rich, sugar-rich drinks may help you prevent cancer. the best way to prevent weight gain is to steer clear of calorie-dense foods like fat-rich fast foods as well as dry, processed foods such as chips and candy bars and even healthier options like bagels, pretzels, and dried cereals. That’s because all dry, processed foods pack a lot of calories into very small packages. “Food supplies that are mainly made up of processed foods, which often contain substantial amounts of fat or sugar, tend to be more calorie-dense than food supplies that include substantial amounts of fresh foods,” concluded the new cancer report.

Eat mostly foods of plant origin.

Advised the international panel of cancer experts: Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and eat relatively unprocessed whole grains and/or legumes (beans) with every meal. “These, and not foods of animal origin, are the recommended center for everyday meals.” All these foods contain “substantial amounts of dietary fiber and a variety of micronutrients, and are low or relatively low in calorie density.” One easy way to get a lot of veggies into your day, is to start each lunch and dinner with a big satisfying salad. We stress “big.” This is one case where “super sizing” is a very good thing. At salad bars, start with a big bowl and pile on the greens. Then add lots of colorful veggies and some lean protein, if you’d like, like beans, tofu, white meat chicken, or seafood. Beans are really high in fiber, so they will satisfy your appetite for a long time.

Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat.

According to the WCRF/AICR report, red meat, including beef, pork, and lamb, as well as processed meats like sausage, bacon, hot dogs, salami, and ham “are convincing or probable causes of some cancers,” including cancers of the colon, esophagus, lung, stomach, and prostate. Moreover, “diets with high levels of animal fats are often relatively high in calories, increasing the risk of weight gain.”Instead of red meat, the experts advised, select white meat poultry and seafood. “Flesh from wild animals, birds, and fish, whose nutritional profiles are different from those of domesticated and industrially reared creatures, is also preferred.”

Limit consumption of salt.

“Salt is necessary for human health and life itself, but at levels very much lower than those typically consumed in most parts of the world,” stated the cancer report. Salt and salt-preserved foods are a probable cause of some cancers, particularly stomach cancer. To avoid cancer, the panel recommends that consumption of processed foods with added salt be less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day. (Salt is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride.) To avoid not only cancer but also cardiovascular-related diseases like hypertension and heart attacks.

Aim to meet nutritional needs through food alone, not supplements.

Consuming supplements for cancer prevention “might have unexpected adverse effects,” concluded the WCRF/AICR panel. “The best source of nourishment is foods, not dietary supplements.” Ironically, the only foods that have never been labeled as “fortified” or “good for you” are the most genuinely healthful foods of all, the ones sitting quietly in the produce section, the lowly carrots and green beans and other fruits and vegetables. They’re naturally rich in virtually every nutrient we need, but never at artificially high, potentially dangerously levels. Our best bet: Eat real food. Whole fresh food. Yes, in our present state of confusion, that’s easier said than done. Here’s a tip: Buy foods your great-great grandmother would have recognized as food. Foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, potatoes, yams, oats, corn on the cob, and brown rice. These foods, mostly of plant origin, are, as the panel of leading cancer experts concluded, your best source of nourishment.

Mothers to breastfeed; children to be breastfed.

The evidence on cancer and other diseases shows that sustained exclusive breastfeeding is protective for the mother as well as the child. (Exclusive means human milk only, with no other food or drink, including water.) The panel therefore recommends that mothers breastfeed infants exclusively up to six months and continue with complementary feeding thereafter.

Some further points are:-

  1. Don't use tobacco
  2. Eat a Healthy Diet
  3. Protect yourself from sun
  4. Practice safe sex
  5. Don't share needles
  6. Get immunized
  7. Get regular medical care

  8. Prevention.......
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