Cancer is a terrible disease and it can kill you. In fact, there were 8.2 million deaths due to cancer in just 2012. According to experts, the number of people who are afflicted with the disease would increase by 70% in the future. This is devastating, but the truth is 1/3 of common cancers can be avoided. To begin your fight against cancer, here are 13 very simple ways on how you can live a cancer-free life:
1. Stop drinking sugary drinks. You may think sugary drinks are the culprits behind diabetes and obesity, but they also cause some cancers, including endometrial cancer. These beverages increase your cancer risk by up to 87% mainly because they contribute to weight gain.
2. Be more active. To prevent cancer, stand more and sit less. Sitting all day increases your chances of acquiring colon and endometrial cancer up to 24%. If watching TV is your hobby, it’s time to lessen it; otherwise, your risk increases to 54% the more you sit in front of your TV. Get up and walk around even just for a few minutes every hour to lower your cancer risk.
3. Have a healthy weight. Being obese is not only unattractive, but also dangerous to your health. You should only have a BMI of 20 to 25 to be considered healthy.
4. Eat healthy. When you eat more fruits and vegetables, you reduce your risk of having colon cancer. Add whole grains to the list and these three groups of food that are rich in fiber can help prevent cancer.
5. Stop eating red meat as much as possible. Red meat is tasty, but this only increases your cancer risk. Lean meats are still the best and it always helps if you marinate your meat, especially when you plan to grill it.
6. Avoid drinking alcohol. Throat and mouth cancers can be caused by excessive alcohol consumption. While you don’t have to stay away from alcohol 100%, drinking less can help reduce your risk of developing such cancers.
7. Reduce your sodium intake. Salt content in staple foods, such as meat, bread, and spreads could be high and they could help cancer attack you. Also be mindful of the hidden salt content in some products.
8. Breastfeeding is not only good for your baby, but for you as well. Mothers should breastfeed their newborns to reduce cancer risk.
9. Don’t take supplements. To prevent cancer, you should just eat food and avoid taking supplements. Talk to your doctor if you think you need the supplement.
10. Get your daily dose of vitamin D. The sun is the best source for vitamin D, so go out and have at least 15 minutes of sun every day to combat cancer.
11. Stop tobacco use. It is no secret that tobacco causes cancer, so it is time for you to quit smoking if you truly want to avoid developing cancer.
12. Reduce your light exposure at night. Having a dark bedroom can lower your risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer.
13. Some vaccines prevent cancer. Contact your local vaccination authorities to help prevent cancer by vaccine against HPV and other infections that cause cancer.
Cancers do not just appear overnight. Eating healthy, being active, and other lifestyle changes can help you reduce your cancer risk.