Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk


Say no to smoking

If you don't smoke cigarettes, good for you. If you do smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health right now. No matter what your age or how long you have smoked, your health will improve once you quit. Cigarettes are not the only danger. Smokeless tobacco and cigars have also been linked to cancer. When you quit smoking or using tobacco products, you greatly reduce your risk of having cancer.

Practice preventive care

Are you seeing your doctor as often as you should? As your age increases, so does your need for cancer screenings. Seeing your doctor for regular exams can help you detect many forms of cancer early. You may be able to detect cancers of the prostate, breasts, colon, rectum, cervix, testes, tongue, mouth and skin.

Resist the rays

Chances are you've enjoyed time in the sun all of your life. But it's never too late to protect your skin from the sun's harmful effects. Exposure to sunlight causes nearly all cases of skin cancer. This includes the most aggressive and deadly skin cancer, melanoma.
To protect yourself, apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 before you go outside. Most people do not apply enough of the sunscreen to get the full SPF rating. An adult should use enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass or, roughly two tablespoons to cover arms, legs, neck and face. If you are using insect repellant or other lotions, apply the sunscreen first. Do this even on cloudy days. Reapply it often during the day. For adults and children, sunscreens should be applied 20 to 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours afterward, as well as after swimming or sweating.

Stay in shape

There is no denying the benefits of regular exercise. Cancer researchers estimate that 15 percent of all new colon cancer cases could be prevented if everyone exercised for 30 to 60 minutes or more per day. Exercise can also reduce your risk of prostate, breast, kidney and uterine cancers.

Eat protective foods

According to the Cancer Research Foundation of America, 35 percent of all cancers may be linked to diet. Are you doing all that you can to eat healthy?
Studies have shown that a diet low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and fiber may protect you from many forms of cancer. But no one fruit or vegetable can do it all.

Limit alcohol

If you drink alcohol, you can reduce your risk of many types of cancer by stopping or by limiting the amount you drink. Alcohol has been linked to cancers such as breast, liver, rectum, mouth, esophagus and bladder cancers.


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