Written by Christina Falahee
February is National Cancer Prevention Month. Most of us know someone or have been personally affected by cancer and know how terrible of disease it is. Educating yourself and your loved ones of the preventable actions you can take to lower the risk of developing cancer is very important.
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has found that more than 40 percent of all cancers diagnosed and nearly half of all deaths from cancer in the United States can be attributes to preventable causes such as lack of physical activity, excess body weight, excessive exposure to the sun and smoking.
Below are seven cancer prevention recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer Research:
Be a Healthy Weight Next to not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. Aim to be at the lower end of the healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) range. Body Fat releases insulin, estrogen and other hormones into the bloodstream, which can spur cancer growth.
Be Physically Active Physical activity in any form helps to lower cancer risk. Work toward achieving 45 to 60 minutes moderate-intensity physical activity daily.
Eating a Diet Rich in Whole Grains, Vegetables, Fruits and Beans Plant based foods which contain fiber, vitamins, minerals and other substance that can help protect cells in the body from damage that can lead to cancer.
Limit Consumption of Fast Foods and Other Processed Foods High in Fat, Starches or Sugars Limiting these foods helps control calorie intake and maintain a healthy weight.
Limit Consumption of Red and Processed Meat Eat no more than moderate amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork and lamb. Eat little, if any, processed meat.
Limit Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Drink mostly water and unsweetened drinks.
Limit Alcohol Consumption Limit your consumption to one drink for women and two for men per day.