.png)
Exercise regularly to enhance the immune system and decrease cancer risk. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Here’s the bad news: Nearly half of today’s North American men and one-third of women will develop cancer, making it the second leading cause of death after heart disease.
To some people, fate deals a bad hand when they inherit genes that increase the risk of cancer. But here’s the good news: Dr. John Swartzberg and Dr. Jeffery Wolf at the University of California say that lifestyle changes can help people reduce the risk of at least 65 percent of cancers.
1. Use Alcohol Moderately
Cancers of the esophagus (stomach tube), mouth, throat, and larynx are linked to alcohol. The more you drink, the greater the risk.
…lifestyle changes can help people reduce the risk of at least 65 percent of cancers.
For women who know they have a higher risk of breast cancer or have had breast cancer, the advice is to forego the alcoholic drink or do so occasionally. Moderate drinking means one or two drinks a day for men and one drink for women.
2. Test the Water for Arsenic
This should not be necessary for city dwellers. But if you’re on a farm and use well water, high levels of arsenic have been associated with cancers of the bladder, colon, kidneys, liver, lung, and skin.
Arsenic is tasteless, odorless and is found in soil, rocks, water, and air. Water filters that are placed on the faucet do not remove arsenic. The only solution is bottled water.
3. Decrease Workplace Exposure to Carcinogens
Bartenders and waiters who work in venues that still allow smoking should look for a smoke-free environment to decrease the risk of lung cancer.
Funeral directors and those who work in nail salons can become exposed to formaldehyde, increasing the risk of nasal cancer. Others who work in chemical or printing plants may be exposed to benzene, a chemical that is linked to leukemia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
4. Decrease Sun Exposure
Ultraviolet light from tanning beds is estimated to cause 2 million cases of skin cancer every year.
5. Get Moving
Prostate, lung, and uterine cancer are associated with inactivity. Exercise enhances the immune system and decreases cancer risk by lowering cellular growth.
6. Shed Pounds
Studies suggest that being obese accounts for 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent in women. These deaths occur from cancers of the large bowel, esophagus, liver, uterus, and from leukemia.
Why this happens is not totally understood, but there’s evidence it may be associated with the production of hormones. Obesity is also linked to chronic inflammation, which may trigger cancer growth.
7. Decrease High-Heat Cooking
Heating food over coals or flames creates chemicals called heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are believed to increase cancer risk. Most people associate this risk with grilling. But it’s also true for pan-frying foods on the stove.
These chemicals are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic, prostate, and colon malignancy. You can lower risk by meat or chicken on the grill and turning food often to prevent charring.
8. Limit Radiation Exposure
It seems unbelievable, but every year 10 percent of Americans get a CT scan. Equally frightening, the number getting this procedure increases every year. These scans now account for half of our radiation exposure.
One CT scan has the same radiation as 500 X-rays of the lungs. So always ask your doctors if the same result could be achieved by either an ultrasound or an MRI.
9. Don’t Smoke
I tell patients to see a psychiatrist if they still smoke cigarettes, pipes, smokeless tobacco, or cigars. Smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable deaths. Remember, it is never too late to quit smoking and stop needless lung and other cancer deaths.
10. Eat a Nutritious Diet
What is an anti-cancer diet? Authorities state repeatedly it’s prudent to limit the amount of red meat, pork, and particularly processed meats, and to increase the amount of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Dr. Gifford-Jones is a medical journalist with a private medical practice in Toronto. His website is DocGiff.com. He may be contacted at Info@docgiff.com.
The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.
