Tips to Prevent Cancer

No one wants to hear the diagnosis of cancer. For this reason, we all try to find pathways to healthier living. Some of the most common preventive measures are eating healthy foods, avoiding tobacco products, practicing safe sex, and limiting alcohol consumption and exposure to sunlight and certain chemicals. Regular screening also can detect precancerous cells and stop the growth of a tumor.

Food

• Foods high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, are known to counteract the effects of carcinogens. According to naturalnews.com, cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli, are the most beneficial in warding off the effects of carcinogenic compounds. Foods containing animal fat are usually high in saturated fats, which contribute to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. Fats are known to store carcinogens, so a regimen of healthy eating and exercise is recommended.

Tobacco

• The smoke of tobacco products contains 60 different carcinogens. Not smoking or quitting is one of the best ways to prevent several types of cancer, especially lung cancer.

STDs

• Practicing safe sex is recommended to avoid contraction of STDs. The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is known to cause cervical cancer. This virus is transferred during sex with an infected partner. Gardisil, a new vaccine, helps to protect an individual from four different strains of the HPV. AIDS also has been known to cause certain types of cancers.

Alcohol

• According to cancer.org, alcohol intake should be limited. It is unclear how alcohol causes cancer, but it may be due to our body's metabolism and how alcohol is broken down. This process may cause cells to be more vulnerable to other carcinogens. For example, people who smoke and drink are at a higher risk of developing cancer than those who only drink. Oral cancer is more likely when alcohol is consumed regularly.

Sunlight

• Avoiding excessive amounts of ultraviolet (UV) ray exposure is key to preventing skin cancer. Try to avoid the midday sun, wear sunscreens and avoid tanning beds.

Chemicals

• Many chemicals are listed as carcinogens, including vapors from gasoline and diesel fuel, mustard gas, asbestos fibers and vinyl chloride. Be aware of product hazards and which chemicals you are exposed to in the workplace.

Screening

• Regular Pap smears, mammograms, prostate screenings and colonoscopies are recommended after a certain age to help detect precancerous cells, abnormal cells that may become cancerous, polyps in the colon or suspicious cysts in breast tissue.