Cancer is something that concerns so many of us around the world. It kills people each and every day, however, what you may not realise is that 4 in 10 cancer cases can be prevented*. Whilst there is no way to prevent cancer from happening, you can reduce your risk. 4th February is World Cancer Day, so why not take a look at some of the ways that you can reduce the risks of contracting cancer in your life? All thanks to making some changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Your diet
There are always stories in the news about how various foods and diets are linked to cancer. This this largely due to the fact that we are researching constantly into cancer and how our lifestyle and diet affects it.There is no single food or supplement that you can take to prevent cancer, however there are links to particular groups of foods that could reduce your cancer risk.
The main aim is to have a balanced diet, so here are some of the things that you should aim for in your food choices.
- Have at least 5 portions of fruit and veg each and every day
- Enjoy plenty of bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, especially those that are wholegrain as these contain more fibre
- Eat some meat, fish, eggs, beans as well as milk and dairy foods.
- Only have small amounts of high fat and sugar foods such as cakes, biscuits and crisps.
By balancing your diet you will be making sure that you take in all the nutrients that you need, looking after your body and your wellbeing. Being obese is a risk factor for particular types of cancer, including uterus cancer, kidney cancer and bowel cancer, this is why it is important to keep an eye on what you eat, as well as increasing your activity levels.
Exercise
There is evidence that those people who are physically active will have a lower risk of developing bowel and breast cancer. It isn’t know why this occurs, but it is thought to relate to the link between exercise and hormone levels.
Having high levels of some hormones within your body can increase your cancer risk. Something that exercise can reduce.
No-one wants to hear the words “you have cancer” in their lifetime, so why not use World Cancer Day on the 4th February as a starting point for improving your diet and lifestyle choices. Whether it is taking on some more exercise, eating a better diet or quitting smoking. All of these are positive changes and will help you to reduce your cancer risk as well as help you to have a healthy, happy and hopefully long life.
*source Cancer Research UK
