What Are the Best Methods To Prevent Cancer?
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Cyndy King, PhD, NP, FAAN
A few suggestions are provided below:
1. There is a clear link between smoking and lung cancer. Avoid smoking but also avoid being in smoke-filled places. You can develop lung cancer from excessive exposure to smoke.
2. Either drink alcohol in moderation or do not drink alcohol at all. Excessive drinking of alcohol can lead to an increase in risk of some cancers like in the mouth and throat. Also, excessive drinking of alcohol can lead to a disease called cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis of the liver can increase your chances for liver cancer.
3. Avoid exposure to the sun and ultraviolet light. This can cause many types of skin cancers. This does not mean never go outside. But, during peak sun times (like 9 AM-4 PM) wear sunscreen protection (SPF 30 or greater), wear a hat, sunglasses, and long sleeves. If you live in a climate that is sunny and warm all year it is best to put sunscreen on everyday after you shower or bathe and then again when you go out in the sun. There is a cumulative effect of the sunscreen which means if you apply it every day you have better protection. Also, many people now are paying money to go to "tanning salons." Avoid tanning beds as they increase your chance of skin cancers. If you absolutely are going to use a tanning bed then apply sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater).
4. Diet may play an important role in your risk for cancer. A high fat diet can make individuals at greater risk for colon or possibly breast cancer. A high calorie diet can lead to obesity and for women an increase in risk of endometrial or breast cancer. Try to avoid high fat and high calorie diets. Ask a dietician or nutritionist to evaluate your current diet and help you adjust to it.
5. There are also certain dietary components that can help prevent cancer. Making sure you get adequate vitamin A or Beta carotene can help decrease the risk of lung cancer and some cancers of the mouth. Making sure you have adequate vitamin C in your diet may help prevent stomach cancer. Fiber is a very important part of your diet and can help decrease the risk of colon cancer. Lastly, vegetables that are called "cruciferous" can help prevent cancers. Cruciferous vegetables include brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collars, kale and turnips.
1 Comments:
At Sat Jul 14, 03:53:00 AM 2007,
Dr. Nagarajan said…
I fully understan this basic article on cancer prevention. I feel that mention about the ONCOVIRUSES ie., cancer causing viruses in our environment should be detailed. Main example is Hepatitis B Virus and its implication in Liver Cancer and its prevention with Hepatitis B Vaccination. and second example is association of Papilloma virus with Cervical cancer and its prevention with Quadravalent Vaccine. This OncoVirus and its prevention list can be expanded as our knowledge increses in due course of time.
2.Public awareness about the role of various coloring agents, preservative chemicls and additive chemicals in the various food packets should be enlightned.
3.Due importance should be given for Cancer search in persons with family history of Cancer.Close relatives of Ca patients should be evaluated periodically.
4.Though in your article, emphasis is laid on inhalational effects of tobacco products, equal emphasis can also be given in the chewable aspects of tobacco in various forms in causing oral cancers especially in third world since this blog is in the internet and for worldwide audience including the third world.
5.Various drugs which are constantly developed for different ailments and their cancer causing potential should be delivered to the internet audience for eg., the imidazole group of drugs like the ageold METRONIDAZOLE commonly used to treat the amebic and related infections and its association with cancer.
6.DUE emphasis should be given in PREVENTIVE ONCOLOGY for the trainee doctors in addition to the regular ONCOTRAINING SCHEDULES.
7.RACIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TO certain cancers for eg., BURKITTS LYMPHOMA IN BLACK POPULATION, RODENT ULCERS IN WHITE POPULATION ESPECIALLY LIVING IN DOWN UNDER areas of the planet and HEPATIC CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY IN YELLOW RACES can be mentioned in your blog.
8.a website for the leading ie., experienced oncologists especially highlighting the various medically interesting experiences and the failure of preventive measures will wake up the general public a little more.
Post a Comment
<< Home