13 Ways to Cancer-Proof Your Body

Source: https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/prevention/health/galleries/photo/-/12586574/13-ways-to-cancer-proof-your-body/12586575/

The latest World Health Organisation (WHO) report reveals cancer has overtaken heart disease as Australia’s biggest killer. In fact, 8.2 million people died from cancer globally in 2012, including 40,000 Australians. But here’s something to celebrate: living a healthy lifestyle can significantly slash your cancer risk. Up to 70% of cancers are lifestyle-related and therefore avoidable. “We can prevent most cancers, which means we don’t have to leave it to fate,” says Blythe O’Hara, cancer-prevention manager at Cancer Institute NSW. “Lifestyle is a major factor. All Australians have the power to reduce their cancer risk by up to two-thirds: eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, protect your skin and eyes from the sun, exercise and don’t smoke. Your health is your most valuable asset, and these simple everyday changes will give your body the best chance against cancer.” Recent research has uncovered some surprising new ways to weave disease prevention into your daily life. Making these 10 small changes is easy.

By Richard Laliberte and Cecily-Anna Bennett

1. Go Ahead: Drink Caffeine Daily

Coffee lovers who drank five or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day in one British study had a 40% lower risk of brain cancer than people who drank the least. A five-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces the risk of cancers of the pharynx and mouth almost as much. Researchers credit the caffeine; decaf had no comparable effect. Coffee was also a more potent protector against these cancers than tea, which, according to the British researchers, also offered protection against brain cancer. Who needs another excuse to splash out on that espresso machine?

2. Pump Petrol with Care

So says the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Topping up your car with one last squirt of petrol after the nozzle clicks off can spill

3. Marinate Meat Prebarbecue

Don’t let cancer be the uninvited guest at your barbecue. Processed, charred and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which form when you sear meat at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which get into food when it’s charcoal-grilled. “The recommendation to cut down on grilled meat has really solid scientific evidence behind it,” says Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a professor of carcinogenesis at The University of Texas in the US. So if your barbie’s beckoning, add rosemary and thyme to your favourite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. These antioxidant-rich herbs can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research from Kansas State University in the US.

4. Water Down Your Risks

Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping flush them through the bladder faster. “The National Health and Medical Research Council [nhmrc.gov.au] suggests that the body needs 2.5 to 3 litres of fluid a day, depending on your weight. Some of this comes from the food we eat, and the rest should come from drinking fluids—ideally water,” adds O’Hara. She cautions, “Although some international studies suggest a link between the amount of fluid we consume and the incidence of certain cancers, water intake is only one part of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.” O’Hara recommends eating two serves of fruit a day, decreasing the fatty and sugary foods you consume, having more wholegrains and drinking less alcohol

5. Choose Greener Greens

Reach for the darkest leafy greens for your salad. The chlorophyll that gives them their colour is full of magnesium, which some studies have found to lower the risk of colon cancer in women. Just 1/2 cup of cooked spinach provides 75 mg of magnesium—23% of the daily requirement.

6. Snack On Brazil Nut

They’re a stellar source of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers women’s risk of bladder cancer, according to US research. Other studies have found that people with high levels of selenium in their blood have lower rates of mortality from lung and colorectal cancers. Researchers think that selenium protects cells from free-radical damage and may enhance immunity and suppress formation of blood vessels that nourish tumours.

7. Minimise Mobile-Phone Time

There’s no definitive ruling on whether or not regular mobile-phone users are at greater risk of brain tumours—more research is necessary. “There’s no reason to be alarmed, but Australians should be aware of the potential risks,” says O’Hara. “If you’re concerned, products that minimise direct radiofrequency exposure and significantly reduce any likely risk (such as headphones and hands-free kits) are available.”

8. Skip The Dry Cleaner

The dry-cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukaemia, according to an EPA finding and the US National Academies of Science. The main dangers are to workers who handle chemicals or treated clothes using older machines. While experts haven’t concluded that consumers are also at increased risk of cancer, it’s worth minimising your exposure to these chemicals. Try this less toxic alternative: handwash clothes with mild soap and air-dry them, spot-cleaning with white vinegar if necessary

9. Colour Block the Sun

Spanish scientists have found that blue and red fabrics offer much better protection against the sun’s damaging UV rays than white and yellow materials do. And a hat is essential: although melanoma can affect any part of the body, it’s more common—and more deadly—on areas that the sun directly hits, such as the scalp and neck.

10. Eat Clean Foods

“We’re exposed to potentially cancer-causing trace environmental chemicals every day,” says O’Hara. “But Food Standards Australia New Zealand strictly regulates the use of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones to ensure our safety. There’s no evidence that the low doses of pesticides and herbicides in Australia’s foods increase cancer risk, but there’s strong evidence to support the wider health benefits of eating a diet rich in fruit and vegies.” Thoroughly wash fruit and veg before eating and peel when appropriate

11. Drink green tea

While eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can lower the risk of developing cancer, so can drinking green tea. Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, but a study from Purdue University in the US found that adding citrus juice led to a fourfold increase in disease-fighting catechins. Lemon juice in particular preserved the most catechins, while orange, lime and grapefruit juice were less potent but still effective.

12. Quit smoking or, better still, never start

The good news is that within 20 minutes of finishing your last ciggie, your heart rate and blood pressure (revved up by the nicotine in tobacco) return to normal, and the circulation in your hands and feet improves. Within eight hours, blood-oxygen levels increase to normal, and your chances of having a heart attack start to fall. Within 24 hours, the carbon monoxide leaves your body, and your lungs start to get rid of mucus and debris.

13. Exercise

Healthy eating, maintaining a healthy body weight and being physically active can help to lower the chance of cancer coming back. Aim for at least 30 minutes, preferably more, on most days of the week.