How To Lower Your Cancer Risk
Confused about conflicting medical studies? Adopt these eight strategies to head off cancer:
1. Live the active life:
 Even if you are lean, you cannot rest. According to a study co-sponsored by the Harvard School Of Public Health, thin women who exercise for less than an hour per week are up to 32 per cent more prone to cancer than equally slender but more active women. Experts believe that regular workouts boost your immune system. It is also said that exercising stops pre-cancerous cells from becoming malignant. Workouts seem to pay off most in the fight against breast cancer, but they also help prevent others such as colon and ovarian cancers. How much walking, jogging, swimming or tennis do you need to put in? Experts suggest 45 minutes, five days or more days a week. But everyday activities such as gardening, cleaning the house and climbing stairs count too. Remember to avoid the car and the lift whenever you can. Yoga (especially breathing exercises) has been known to boost the immune system. Learn and practice it five or more times a week for about 30-60 minutes. It requires no equipment, can be done anywhere, even when traveling and is not dependent on the weather, so you won't have any excuses to skip the routine. 2. Pay attention to those extra kilos:
Excess weight makes you more vulnerable to cancer of the breast, cervix, uterus, ovary, colon, kidney, liver and gallbladder. In fact, the more overweight you are, the higher your risk will be. Losing weight also helps you lower your levels of insulin and other factors that promote cancer growth. To find out whether your weight puts you at risk, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. It can be calculated by diving your weight in kilos by the square of your height in meters. Ideally it should be under 25. Even avoiding further weight gain is beneficial, since it prevents your cancer risk from increasing. 3. Say yes to lots of fruits and veggies:
 They are rich in antioxidants, which protect against cancer of the lung, stomach, colon, rectum, larynx, pancreas, breast and bladder. In fact, if we all ate five or more servings a day, cancer incidence worldwide would drop by 20 percent, according to a report co-sponsored by the American Institute for Cancer Research. You should aim for at least three veggie and two fruit servings daily. Include all colors - green (leafy vegetables, broccoli, lady's finger, capsicums), orange (carrots), yellow (papaya), red (tomato). Alternatively eat what is in season. Avoid cold storage supply as it loses some of its nutritional value in storage. 4. Get the tests that truly prevent:
When it comes to cancer screening, colonoscopy and Cervical Smear tests are important. They detect precancerous growths. If your Pap Smear test (Cervical Smear Test) reveals "bad" cells on your cervix, the gynecologist can remove them with a simple procedure that will not require hospitalization. During a colonoscopy, the doctor can snip out any polyps - growth of benign tissue that sometimes turn into cancer - as he examines your large intestine. You should have a Pap Smear Test every year if you're between 25 and 30; after that, if you've had three normal tests in a row, you may be screened once every 2-3 years. Colonoscopy screening should start at age 50 and then be repeated every five to ten years. Screening tests for cancer markers in the blood also help. Skin inspection, breast examination and oral check ups for high risk groups (tobacco chewers) are imperative too. Also people with a family history of cancer need to be vigilant. 5. Get your vitamin D:
 Recently a review of more than 63 studies found that this vitamin offers protection against colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. It helps keep cells tightly knit together, which prevents rogue cells from breaking away and mutating into cancer. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight. Alternate sources of vitamin D; Fortified dairy foods, cereals, orange juice, oily fish and most multivitamins. How much do you need? The daily requirement at 1,000 IUs for adults. (Consult your doctor). 6. Eat right Supplements:
Experts believe that if a multivitamin with folic acid is taken daily for at least 15 years, the risk of cancer reduces by over 50 per cent. Folic acid is an antioxidant that prevents the growth and development of cancerous cells. 7. Consider the pill:
Take contraceptives for 10-12 years and slash your risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. Even if you're on the Pill for a year, odds of getting these cancers go down. And protection continues long after you stop taking it for upto 30 years. 8. Do the obvious - quit smoking:
 Now there's a new reason: Recent research has shown smokers have a 30-40 per cent increased risk of breast cancer. Of course, quitting also cuts your chances of developing other cigarette-related malignancies of the lung, cervix and bladder. If you've tried and failed to quit before, this time try everything at once, from acupuncture to hypnosis to helplines. Even consult your doctor for anti-depressants. When you combine the drug with a nicotine-replacement patch, chances of staying cigarette free go up by 58 percent. ********************************************* Index Of Medical Terms Cancer Risks For Women |
