How fancer Lower Your Reduce cancer risk. Protecting your skin. As noted above, obesity increases the risk of many cancers. Smoking further increases the risk of many alcohol-induced malignancies.

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Dr. William Oh on Reducing Prostate Cancer Risk New research shows little risk Reduce cancer risk infection from prostate biopsies. Discrimination at work is linked disk high blood pressure. Sprinting nutrition strategies fingers and Ginseng for endurance Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? About one Redce every three Americans risj develop some form of malignancy during his or her lifetime. Despite these grim statistics, doctors have made great progress in understanding the biology of cancer cells, and they have already been able to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. But instead of just waiting for new breakthroughs, you can do a lot to protect yourself right now. Screening tests can help detect malignancies in their earliest stages, but you should always be alert for symptoms of the disease.

Reduce cancer risk -

Eating too much of anything can increase body fat, which increases your cancer risk. Obesity is linked to 12 types of cancer. Before you head to the grocery store, keep these tips in mind. They can help you simplify your list and make healthier choices when you get to the store.

Keep your menu simple. One more tip: Shop the outer edges of the store. The perimeter of the store has less processed foods. If you are going to buy something in a package, read the nutrition label first.

If the item has more than two or three ingredients, think about a different choice. The nutrition label will also give you valuable information about the salt and sugar in the food you are considering. Just as there are foods that can reduce your cancer risk, there are foods that can increase it.

Make it a point to steer clear of these foods when you go shopping. One final tip: Before you head to the store, plan to fill two-thirds of every plate with vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

But if you focus on eating a plant-based diet and maintaining a healthy weight, you will go a long way in reducing your risk. My Chart. Donate Today. Request an Appointment Request an Appointment New Patients Current Patients Referring Physicians.

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March 36 foods that can help lower your cancer risk. Next Article. March : 36 foods that can help lower your cancer risk.

Is there such a thing as a cancer-fighting food? Can certain foods prevent cancer? Avoid foods that are known to increase cancer risk. Make a healthy food list to help you manage your weight Eating too much of anything can increase body fat, which increases your cancer risk. Don't be afraid of frozen vegetables and fruit not in sauce or juice.

Choose whole grains. Fiber is important for blood sugar control and weight management Choose foods that fight inflammation. That includes fatty fish like salmon and sardines, whole grains like brown rice and probiotics like yogurt and kombucha One more tip: Shop the outer edges of the store.

Foods that can increase your cancer risk Just as there are foods that can reduce your cancer risk, there are foods that can increase it. Avoid processed meat. Processed meats like hot dogs, bacon and any meat you find at the deli counter, have compounds that cause cancer.

Limit red meat. Aim for no more than 18 ounces of cooked red meat per week. Exercise regularly. Physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. Exercise also appears to reduce a woman's risk of breast and possibly reproductive cancers.

Exercise will help protect you even if you don't lose weight. Stay lean. Obesity increases the risk of many forms of cancer. Calories count; if you need to slim down, take in fewer calories and burn more with exercise. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to an average of one drink a day.

Excess alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx voice box , esophagus food pipe , liver, and colon; it also increases a woman's risk of breast cancer. Smoking further increases the risk of many alcohol-induced malignancies. Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation. Get medical imaging studies only when you need them.

Check your home for residential radon, which increases the risk of lung cancer. Protect yourself from ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, which increases the risk of melanomas and other skin cancers.

But don't worry about electromagnetic radiation from high-voltage power lines or radiofrequency radiation from microwaves and cell phones. They do not cause cancer. Avoid exposure to industrial and environmental toxins such as asbestos fibers, benzene, aromatic amines, and polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs.

Avoid infections that contribute to cancer , including hepatitis viruses, HIV, and the human papillomavirus. Many are transmitted sexually or through contaminated needles. Make quality sleep a priority. Admittedly, the evidence linking sleep to cancer is not strong.

But poor and insufficient sleep increases is associated with weight gain, which is a cancer risk factor. Get enough vitamin D. Many experts now recommend to 1, IU a day, a goal that's nearly impossible to attain without taking a supplement.

Although protection is far from proven, evidence suggests that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies. But don't count on other supplements. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting.

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