Originally published on harcourthealth.com
Healthy lifestyle choices can save your life, especially when it comes to cancer prevention. Though cancer is the second-leading killer for America’s citizens, there is still a considerable lack of unawareness to knowledge surrounding what unhealthy habits presently practiced will welcome the disease in the future. Educating yourself is key to reducing the risk of developing a fatal illness and avoiding death through early detection.
Kevin Dalby, professor of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry at The University of Texas in Austin, is currently working on cancer drug discovery. During his time examining the mechanisms of nature and cancer to develop new treatments, Dalby collects useful information along the way, such as what preventative measures to take when avoiding cancer. Below, Dalby reviews eight evince ways to avert the disease.
1. Choose Healthy Foods
Maintaining a healthy diet can be intimidating for some when temptations are high for processed foods. However, increasing intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can help strengthen your shield against cancer. Consumption of red meat and saturated fat escalates the probability of colon or prostate cancer.
2. Choose to Stay Active
At least thirty minutes or more of daily physical activity can decrease the chances of colon cancer, breast cancer, and possible reproductive cancers. Many individuals exercise for weight loss, which is beneficial to avoid obesity. However, you do not have to be losing weight through exercising to receive its protective advantages.
3. Get Essential Sleep
As you will find mentioned several times in this article, supporting a healthy weight is vital when circumventing cancer. Getting the right amount of sleep for your body, such as the suggested eight hours, helps keep off any unnecessary extra pounds.
4. Stock Up on Vitamin D
Though not directly proven, research reflects the value behind vitamin D intake when reducing the risks for prostate and colon cancer and other malignancies. The sun is the cheapest and best source for vitamin D. However, make sure your skin is not exposed too long to the sun. Overexposure might result in skin cancer.
5. Cut the Tobacco
Tobacco, smoked or chewed, causes cancer. Smoking is the cause of seventy percent of lung cancers, and twenty-two percent of annual cancer fatalities result from tobacco use. Cut out tobacco, and you diminish the threat of cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix.
6. Have One Less Drink
Like to drink alcohol? Having a drink now and then or limiting consumption to one drink a day is okay. Excess alcohol intake can lead to liver, colorectal, breast cancers, cancers of the mouth, larynx (voice box), and esophagus (food pipe).
7. Keep an Eye on Weight
Focusing on weight can lead to unhealthy eating habits, but keeping where you lie on the scale in the back of your head is crucial. Sustaining a healthy weight and steering clear of obesity plays a significant role in cancer prevention.
8. Get Regular Screenings
Routine doctor appointments are the key to catching cancer during its early stages. Ask your doctor about cancer screenings to find which ones are right for you.
About Kevin Dalby
Kevin Dalby has been interested in the “why” of chemical reactions since he was a student at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organic Chemistry. These studies led to his interest in the processes of cell signaling, and ultimately to cancer research. Dr. Dalby’s research areas include biochemistry, cancer, cell biology, chemical biology, drug discovery & diagnostics, and enzymology.