How to Prevent Cancer: 7 Ways To Lower Your Risk

Updated on 29 May 2023

Table of Content

Cancer is known to be a life-threatening disease. Treating cancer becomes challenging if left undiagnosed or untreated. Cancer can occur at any time during an individual’s life and it can affect any part of the body. Many cancers can be treated well if diagnosed early and a lot of research has been done to clinically minimize its severity. There are many patients across the world who have been treated successfully whereas a number of new cancer patients are added to the list on a daily basis. Many cancers are preventable and several screening tests are available

It’s a proven fact that PREVENTION is better than CURE. World wide a lot of research is being done to find cures for various cancers and new treatments are emerging daily. So, the question to emphasize is “Can cancer be prevented?”

How to Prevent Cancer?

There are several ways to prevent cancer by following a few healthy habits, mostly related to the lifestyle choices such as:

Avoid Tobacco: The use of tobacco in various forms like smoking, chewing, etc has been related to a whole lot of cancers of different organs like lungs, throat, voice box, mouth, tongue, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, kidney, pancreas, liver, bladder, cervix, etc. Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Second-hand or passive smoke is also dangerous, meaning the people around the smoker are also at risk. The men and women who smoke put the elders as well as children near them at risk.

Follow a Healthy Diet: Include nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and greens in your diet. Avoid using processed meat. Do not eat high-calorie foods frequently. Refined sugar and fat from animal sources are especially not healthy choices. Similarly, foods with processed salt are not good for health. There are no supplements that can prevent cancer, so do not take any such supplements or medicines that make such claims.
Limit the Amount of Alcohol Intake: At least six types of cancers can be prevented if drinking alcohol is avoided or at least curtailed.
Be physically active: It is necessary to be physically active to avoid cancer of the lung, kidneys, colon, prostate, breasts, etc. Moderate or vigorous physical activity can help maintain your weight. Do some kind of exercise at least for half an hour a day.
Avoid unprotected sex: Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is a common cause of cervical cancer and this infection can occur due to unprotected sex. Hepatitis can also be transmitted by unprotected sexual intercourse.
Protect Yourself by Taking Vaccines: Vaccines to protect against the HPV virus are available. Similarly, the vaccine for hepatitis B can reduce the risk of liver cancer. Both HPV and Hepatitis B are transmitted mostly in sexually active adults. Also, those who are exposed to blood or other body fluids are at a high risk to get these infections. It is advisable to take these vaccines to protect against some cancers.
Get regular screening done: Screening is available for breast, colon, and cervical cancers.
Do not neglect symptoms: It is necessary to be aware of cancer signs and symptoms and consult a doctor in such cases. Early diagnosis increases the chances of getting cured to a greater extent. The process becomes a lot easier and you do not have to undergo prolonged and painful treatments.

Conclusion

A lot of research has been done to know the reasons behind the development of cancer. A number of medicines and treatments are available now to save people from this deadly disease. Though there is not perfect way to prevent the disease yet there is a probability that following a particular kind of lifestyle can do miracles and prevent you from getting cancer. It is never late to take the health aspect of life seriously, so better be safe by adopting a preventive approach to life.