How to Drastically Reduce Your Chance of Getting Cancer

We all know that cancer is a deadly disease. While it is true that the chances of surviving cancer have reduced in recent years, the fact is that no human being would like to go through the pain and treatments involved in this deadly disease.

The best thing to do, therefore, is to bring about certain changes in your life that can help prevent cancer. Take a look at the top five ways that can help you drastically cut down your risk of getting cancer.

1 – A Healthy Diet is Your Best Option To Fight Cancer:

We have heard this one so many times and yet we ignore it. Eating a healthy and balanced diet boosts your immune system and prevents the occurrence of many diseases, including cancer. So, make sure to choose your food carefully.

Fruits and vegetables are wonderful sources of antioxidants; things that help reduce the damaging effects of free radicals. If you don’t already know, free radicals can damage cells that can cause further damage to your health and cause diseases such as cancer.

If you want to get a good dose of antioxidants, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Include powerful cancer-fighting vegetables, such as broccoli, Brazil nuts, garlic, spinach and tomato in your daily diet. Go for fresh fruits such cantaloupes, blueberries, cherries and papayas.

Fish is another potent cancer-fighting food. It helps you get a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, a wonderful nutrient for reducing cancer. Include fishes such as salmon, mackerel, halibut and sardines in your diet at least 2 or 3 times a week.

2 – Get Rid of the Excess Weight:

Obesity is one of the leading causes of cancer. So, it goes without saying that if you are overweight, you are putting yourself at a risk for life-threatening diseases such as cancer, as well as other such as diabetes and heart disease. Studies have shown that excess weight coupled with physically inactivity and a high-calorie diet causes nearly one-third of all cancers.

Make sure to reduce your weight by eating a diet low in unhealthy fats and high in antioxidants and proteins. Exercise regularly. Take a trip to the gym at least thrice a week. Take at least 10,000 steps each day. Keep in mind that the healthier your weight is the lower your chances of getting cancer.

3 – Protect Yourself From The Sun:

One of the most common kinds of cancer is that of the skin and it mostly occurs due to over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. So, make sure to take steps to protect yourself from the sun.

This means that you should stay in shade as much as possible. If you are outdoors, make sure to use sunglasses and an umbrella or a broad-rimmed hat. Make sure to apply a generous amount of sunscreen 30 minutes before walking out in the sun.

The summer midday sun is the hottest. So, try to avoid going out in the sun between 11 am to 3pm. Cover your skin as much as possible and wear tightly woven, loose-fitting clothes in bright or light colors.

4 – Watch Your Cigarettes and Alcohol:

If you are drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, you are increasing your risk of cancer. More than two drinks a day and you put yourself at a risk of various types of cancers, including cancer of the breast, lungs, kidneys, liver and colon. Keep in mind that this risk increases as the length of time you have been drinking increases. So, cut down your alcohol intake and drink in moderation from now.

While you can still enjoy the occasional drink, you should definitely quit smoking. Smoking increases your chances of getting cancer of the lungs, bladder, cervix and kidney. So, if you are smoking, quit now. In fact, tobacco in any form puts you at risk for cancer. This means that you should also avoid chewing tobacco and exposing yourself to secondhand cigarette smoke.

5 – Don’t Forget to Exercise :

The American Cancer Society recommends that to reduce your risk of getting cancer, you should exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Do that consistently for 5 days a week and you are all set for a healthy and long life.

Now, you don’t always have to head to the gym to get your daily exercise dose. You can take easy and simple steps towards staying active while at home or while going about your daily chores.

Walk as much as possible, for example, take the stairs instead of the lift. Practice yoga. It not only exercises the whole body but is also a wonderful stress reliever. If you love dancing, this could be a great option to help stay fit and cancer-free. There are multiple other options that you can practice to stay fit and active, such as tai chi, swimming, and hiking.

In short, make exercising fun and it will help you feel great and drastically reduce your chance of getting cancer.

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