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Last Updated on March 4, 2022
To say that cancer has had a major impact on society in the United States is an understatement. It is currently the second-leading cause of death in the country behind heart disease, and it will likely continue to be a serious problem for years to come. While it seems to strike at random, there are things that you can do to decrease your likelihood of developing cancer. Here are some tips that will help.
1. Don’t Use Tobacco
Using tobacco of any kind will increase your likelihood of developing cancer. Smoking cigarettes will obviously have a huge impact on your health, but so will chewing tobacco. Even spending too much time around secondhand smoke can be a problem. Overall, tobacco use has been linked to lung, mouth, throat, and pancreatic cancer, among many others, so avoid using tobacco products of any kind.
2. Eat a Balanced Diet
Your diet affects your health in many ways, and that includes your chances of developing cancer. Your diet should be based around eating fruits and vegetables as well as other foods from plant sources such as beans and whole grains. It should also include very little red or processed meats. If you want to eat meat, focus more on chicken or fish instead of beef and pork.
3. Drink in Moderation
If you must drink alcohol, try to limit yourself to one drink per day. Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Approximately one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, and while not all of that will be linked to alcohol, it is cause for concern.
4. Exercise Regularly
Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise is a great way to reduce your risk of developing cancer, but exercise has health benefits even if you don’t lose much weight. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes a day.
5. Avoid Getting Too Much Sun
Skin cancer is very common, but it is also very preventable. While it’s nice to be outside on a sunny day, you should be wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, staying in the shade whenever possible, and avoiding direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
6. Get Checked Regularly
Going to your doctor for an annual physical will go a long way towards staying cancer-free. Not only can your doctor give you advice on how to stay healthy overall, but they might also be able to find signs of cancer before it gets too difficult to treat. This includes being checked for breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. About one in nine men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes, so be sure to get this checked regularly, especially if you’re over the age of 50.
While the United States is the world’s largest medical device market with a value of around $140 billion, you can’t rely on medical treatments to keep you safe from cancer. Cancer can and does kill people every day, so keep these tips in mind if you want to stay safe.
