7 ways to cut your cancer risk and add years to your life.

There are no miracle potions to a guaranteed long healthy life. The good news is that you have the power to make some simple lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of cancer while in the process have more energy and feel better about yourself.

1. Don’t smoke and avoid breathing in other peoples cigarette smoke.

Approximately 1 in 4 deaths are a result of smoking. In Australia, that equates to more than 15,000 people dying from smoking-related cancers every year. Smoking causes cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, colon, pancreas, kidney, stomach, vulva, penis and bladder. The benefits to quitting smoking are immediate. After 12 hours, almost all of the nicotine is out of your system. Your life expectancy will depend on how long you have been smoking and at what age you stop smoking. If you stop smoking when you are 30, then you can increase your life-span by 10 years. Visit www.quitbecauseyoucan.org.au for more helpful information to stop smoking. (Source: Qld cancer council)

2. Eat a healthy diet.

Pre-packaged and processed foods such as white bread, white rice and most fast foods will damage your DNA by producing poor quality cells. These cells then multiply and expose your risk to illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.
Consuming a balanced diet with key nutrients (and not eating too much) from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats and fish will prevent cell damage and can add up to 13 years to your life. (Source: CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences Adelaide)
3. Trim down excess weight.

We all know that obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, but did you know that it also increases your risk of some cancers like colon, kidney, breast (after menopause), endometrial(uterus), and oesophageal (oesophagus)? You may be eating more than you need to for your height and level of activity. Losing that excess weight can mean a difference of 7+ years to your life. To find out what your healthy weight is, use a tape measure to measure your waist at the narrowest point of the waist. If the circumference is over 80cm for women and 94cm for men you are overweight. (Source: Centre for Health Advancement at NSW Health and Qld cancer council)

4. Limit alcohol intake.

There are some positive effects that a glass of red wine a day can have to your health. However, drinking more than the recommended daily intake of any alcohol increases your risk of heart disease, accidents and some cancers (mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, bowel and breast). A standard drink equals 100ml of wine (one bottle has seven standard drinks) or 30ml of spirits. Aim for 2 AFDs (Alcohol Free Days) per week. Alcohol can impede with your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food and make worse the damage to your producing healthy cells. (Source: Dr. John Tickell)

5. Be active every day.

By keeping fit and active daily you can add 4+ years to your life. Physical activity prevents arteries from clogging up that cause heart disease and stroke, controls blood sugar to prevent type 2 diabetes, strengthens muscles and bones to reduce risk of osteoporosis and increases metabolism to burn body fat. Studies have also found that being active reduces your risk of bowel cancer, breast cancer (after menopause) and possibly prostate cancer. See exercise as an opportunity and not an inconvenience. My recommendations are for 30 minutes of activity everyday for general health benefits and an hour of exercise per day for weight loss.

6. Protect your skin.

A small burst of sunshine does wonders for your body (Vitamin D) and good for your mind. But with all things you have to be careful that you don’t get too much, especially if you have fair skin. Skin can burn in as little as 10 minutes so treat your skin like a baby’s. 80% of cancers diagnosed in Australia each year are skin cancers. Cover all exposed parts of your body with a water resistant SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen, a hat that shades your face and neck, a pair of wrap-around sunglasses, and loose fitting protective clothing. (Source: Qld Cancer Council)

7. Know your body.

Keep an eye on your health with my top 5 below.
1. Have your skin checked regularly by a doctor. Make note of changes in the appearance of your moles and any lesions and tell your doctor immediately.
2. Changes in toilet habits. See you GP without delay if you experience blood in your bowel motion, for women any of loss of blood between periods, persistent bathroom visits.
3. Regular screening of bowel (men and women), breast (women), cervical (women) and prostate (men) could save your life.
4. Lumps, sores or ulcers that do not heal need the follow up of medical advice.
5. Relax and don’t sweat the small stuff. Long term stress can lead to mental illness so advise your professional if you are having difficulty coping with stress and difficulty sleeping.
Written by Chris Bakens