PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM CANCER

Lifestyle habits and behaviors can increase or decrease the risk of developing cancer. Here are some tips for protecting yourself from cancer:

Stop smoking. Cigarette and cigar smoking and use of chewing tobacco or snuff cause cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, esophagus, and pancreas. Passive smoking, or secondhand smoke, is the cause of thousands of lung cancer deaths each year.

Limit intake of high fat foods, especially from animal sources. Saturated fats are related to colon, pancreatic, rectal, breast, and prostate cancer. These fats are solid at room temperature.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in these foods help protect against cancers. Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily is ideal.

Be physically active. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Keep your alcohol intake down. Excess alcohol intake is related to cancer of the head and neck, digestive tract, and liver.

Avoid exposure to the sun. Melanoma is a skin cancer that is related to childhood sunburn. Use an appropriate sunscreen and use a head cover (for example, a hat) whenever you go out into the sun.

Use job protection devices. When working around chemicals that can cause cancer, use the required protective devices such as gloves, protective clothing, and respirators. Follow container instructions when using chemicals at home or in the yard.

Protect yourself from sexually transmitted viruses. Some sexually transmitted viruses increase the risk of cervical and anal cancers. Be sure your partner is free of sexually transmitted disease. Use barrier methods every time you are sexually active.

Follow all of these guidelines to decrease your chances of getting cancer and other chronic diseases.

To learn more about cancer, call the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345 or the National Cancer Institute at (800) 4-CANCER.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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