Can Cancer Be Prevented? Experts Say These Methods Can Help

Have you come across headlines like: “Slash your risk of cancer in half” or “Cancer prevention diet”? TBH, we’ve all seen such hopeful lines at some point or the other. But the real question is – is it really possible to lower the risk of cancer by just making nicer choices every day?

The truth is that cancer is unpredictable, and there’s no magic about its prevention. What’s more, your genes play a crucial role in developing the disease, and you can’t change your genes, of course. However, experts believe that one-third of all adult cancers are correlated with lifestyle. And changing your lifestyle is within your reach, right?

Dreamstime | Experts believe that one-third of all adult cancers are correlated with lifestyle, and subtle changes can help keep the disease at bay

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There are many ways to keep the condition at bay, and also beat it. A few simple lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of cancer and other serious diseases as well.

So are you ready to take the first step towards a healthier and longer life?

Be smoke-free

The first and biggest anti-cancer step that you can take is to stop smoking. If you find it hard to quit it, cutting it down can also significantly reduce your cancer risk. The most common type of cancer is lung cancer, and the majority of deaths caused by lung cancer are due to smoking.

Now, if you’re a non-smoker, don’t presume that you aren’t permeating smoke into your life. Roughly 3000 cases of lung cancer each year are due to passive smoking. So think twice before spending nights out in smoke-filled clubs or allowing your child to ride home regularly with someone who smokes.

Read – 3 ways to avoid second-hand smoke

Shutterstock | Quitting smoking is the first step away from lung cancer risk

Bust a move

Experts believe that all forms of physical activity help reduce the risk of cancer. A 30-minute moderate-intensity workout every day may not give you six-pack abs, but it surely will give you significant protection against many common cancers. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do or at what time you do it, what’s important is that you are doing it.

Switch to a healthier diet

It’s been said time and again that a healthy diet holds the key to a healthy body and mind. If you make it a habit to consume balanced portions of fiber, proteins, healthy fats, and other nutrients on a regular basis, you can significantly reduce the risk of cancers related to the digestive system, for example, bowel cancer. Sticking to too much processed or red meat can heighten bowel cancer risk, so it’s best to have it in small amounts now and then.

Shutterstock | Sticking to a healthy balanced diet can significantly lower the risk of cancer

To sum it up

It’s rightly said that it’s the choices we make in our life that define us. And the same is true about cancer as well. As you begin to make healthier choices each day and start dropping the unhealthy habits, you’re chipping away at your cancer risk. Making healthy changes to your diet, exercising, maintaining a healthier weight, and cutting on smoking are some of the evidence-based choices you can make to cut your cancer risk.