5 Ways To Reduce Cancer Risk
No one wants to get cancer. It’s not a pleasant thing, no matter what type or severity it is, which is why millions of pounds are poured into cancer research every year. As well as looking for cures and diagnosis methods, scientists are looking for ways to prevent cancer from occurring in the first place. And while not all cancers can be prevented, researchers have found that there are things you can do to lower your risk of developing cancer. And since it's the time for changes and resolutions, we thought we would share our top 5.
Not Smoking
If you’re a smoker, one of the best things you can do to reduce the risk of cancer is quit. Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer, and the more you smoke, the higher the risk. In fact, smoking 15-24 cigarettes a day increases your cancer risk by 26 times! It also puts you at higher risk for other cancers too, including cancer of the:
Mouth
Larynx
Pharynx
Oesophagus
Kidney
Cervix
Liver
Bladder
Stomach
Colon
So if you've been meaning to quit but need a push, let this be it.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Being a healthy weight has a lot of different health benefits and can generally improve your quality of life. But did you know that it can also reduce your risk of cancer? There are a couple of reasons for this.
First, fat cells produce hormones that can Increase your risk of cancer, like oestrogen and insulin. Higher oestrogen levels increase the risk of breast and womb cancer, while high Insulin increases the risk of bowel, kidney and pancreatic cancer.
Excess body fat can also cause inflammation - damaging the body and increasing the risk of cancers - as well as weakening the immune system, making it harder for the body to identify and deal with pre-cancerous cells effectively. The more excess weight you carry tend the longer you've been overweight, the higher the risk becomes.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Not only does eating a healthy, balanced diet help you maintain a healthy weight, but it also reduces the risk of cancer all on its own. For example, eating more whole grains is good for your digestive system and makes you poop more often, which reduces cell damage in the bowel and the risk of bowel cancer. Eating less processed and red meat will do the same thing, while cutting down on alcohol reduces cell damage all across the whole body. Including high- fibre foods like vegetables as well as dairy also reduce the risk of bowel cancers.
There's no 'anti-cancer' diet, and anyone who tries to sell you one is lying, but keeping a healthy, balanced diet can help reduce the risk.
Cut Back on the Booze
All alcohol causes damage to your body. It doesn't matter what type of alcohol it is, cutting back reduces your risk for 7 different kinds of cancer. Even a short period without drinking alcohol can rapidly reduce the levels of two key growth factors in your body that are associated with cancer. I will also lower the level of acetaldehyde in your body, which is a class 1 carcinogen and actually damages your DNA. And that's just two reasons. There are many more reasons that cutting down alcohol is a huge Positive for reducing your cancer risk. Which is why the NHS recommends a maximum of 14 units per week, and to have several drink- free days throughout the week too.
Be Safe in the Sun
To be clear, that means all the time - not just when it's sunny or warm outside. Too much UV radiation from the sun (or from sunbeds) causes damage to our skin cells, which can easily turn into skin cancer. In fact, that's why 'you peel when you're sunburnt - it's your body's way of getting rid of damaged cells before they can turn cancerous. So, wear sun cream every day, and when the weather is very warm, make sure you cover up and spend some time in the shade.
Bonus Protection
If you have a child aged 11-13, they will be offered the HPV vaccine by the NHS. This vaccine is safe, and proven effective at both protecting against the HPV virus and reducing the risk of some types of cancer. Because the rollout of this vaccine was fairly recent, anyone under 25 who hasn't had the vaccine is also eligible.
We know that no cancers can be prevented completely, but there are some very simple steps you can take to reduce your personal risk. If everyone in the UK did these things, then every GP would only see 6 new cancer cases a year instead of 10. And that's a huge difference!
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