There are some cancer risk factors that you can do nothing about. They include your age, sex and family history. However, it doesn’t mean that increasing your odds of being cancer-free is not possible.
Certain risk factors can actually be avoided, thus considerably lowering your chances of ending up with cancer. Want to know what they are? Continue reading.
Cigarette Smoking
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cigarette smoking is the most preventable of all the different cancer risk factors known to man. The use of tobacco products is associated by the experts with so many types of cancers, including oral, throat, bladder, pancreas, kidney and of course lung cancer.
Passive Smoking
Just because you’re not a smoker doesn’t mean you may breathe a sigh of relief. If you are living with a smoker or you are friends with those who smoke, you are at high risk of suffering from cancer sooner or later. That’s because exposure to secondhand smoke allows you to inhale carcinogens present in cigarette smoke.
Excessive Alcohol Intake
According to the experts, a serving of alcohol a day for women and up to a couple of servings of it a day for men is good for the health. Too much alcohol, however, will only put you at risk of cancer and so many other health problems. Excessive alcohol consumption is linked with cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast and colon.
Drinking Sugary Beverages
Turning your back on sodas, artificial fruit juices, sweetened teas and others can help you dodge cancer much better. It’s for the fact that these sweet treats can cause a spike in your blood sugar as well as insulin. When having high levels of insulin isn’t put in check, it can create an environment within you that is conducive to cancer formation.
Lack of Exercise
It’s no secret that exercise is good for your heart and figure. Did you know that it can also help you dodge cancer? Studies have shown that people who lead sedentary lives are at high risk of cancer. One of the reasons for this is lack of exercise can trigger chronic inflammation, something that is associated with cancer.
Being Overweight
Obesity is another cancer risk factor that may be avoided by minding what you eat and exercising on a regular basis. Too much fatty tissues in the body, according to the experts, can considerably increase your odds of battling cancer one day. Endometrial, pancreatic, gall bladder, kidney, ovarian and colon cancers are all associated with obesity.
Having an Unhealthy Diet
Minding what you eat is important if you want to steer clear of cancer. A diet that’s high in fat as well as processed food products can trigger cancer formation. Antioxidants in fruits and fiber in vegetables are known to help considerably reduce your chances of having deadly cancer.
Being Prone to Infections
Ensuring that you have a strong immune system by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can actually lower your risk of having cancer. That’s because it will keep you more protected from infections, something that trigger cancer development. Some types of cancers are brought about by bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, WHO says.
Working Late at Night
According to the experts, working late at night can disrupt your body clock, and this can lead to physical and mental exhaustion as well as sleep deprivation. A study had shown that women who had night shifts were more prone to having breast cancer. That’s because disruption of the body clock can cause hormonal imbalance.
Which of these habits are you guilty of? Turning your back on them can help reduce your risk of the need to deal with cancer one day.
