Cancer kills more than 500,00 Americans each year, and I said only Americans! Many of us know how to decrease our risks and the most popular way is to quit smoking; however that decreases 1/3 of your risk. Another 1/3 is genetic disposition and another 1/3 is through diet and exercise. So if my math serves me correctly, by exercising properly and and eating right, you can diminish your risk by approximately 33%. Combine that with putting down the cigarettes and you cut your risk by approximately 66%. If I told you that you had a 66% chance to win the lottery would you buy a ticket? We shell out money routinely for that with far less chance of return. Do you know how much cancer treatments cost? Sometimes more than a lottery can pay out. Do you know how painful cancer can be? Can you turn back the hands of time? No, but if you are diagnosed with one of the many forms of this debilitating illness, you’ll wish you could and correct all those bad habits that contributed to it’s development.
So how can you decrease your risk? According to the Food and Nutrition Science Alliance (FANSA) the following is a good start:
1) Eat plenty of Fruits, Vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
2) Avoid highly processed foods that are high in fat or sugar.
3) Chose activities that are moderate or vigorous exercise.
4) Limit or abstain from alcohol.
If you are not familiar with how to eat properly it’s always a good choice to hire a Dietitian or Nutritionist and exercise can be intimidating as well. A good personal trainer goes a long way for healthy long lasting results.
To learn more about cancer risks for men and women Visit health information at Harvard University.
