6 Habits That Help Prevent Cancer
Healthy eating is one of the fundamental pillars of healthy living, but it is also essential in preventing cancer. Being well nourished keeps the immune system functioning properly.
It is estimated that half of all cancers could be prevented through a healthy lifestyle. In this article, we show you a list of habits that help prevent cancer according to science.
Find out what these habits are and put them into practice to improve your life.
What do you need to know about cancer?
One of the most talked about diseases today is cancer. According to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), more than 200,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed in this country each year. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that in 2020, some 380,000 people will suffer from cancer in France.
It is important to understand that the appearance of certain malignant cells in the body is inevitable. But they do not become cancerous if the body is balanced and if it is not stimulated with “trigger” factors that cause the disease to set in.
The key is to act on the potentially tumor cells and those around them, which make up the tumor microenvironment, and to know and avoid certain causes that favor it.
According to researchers at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (USA), genetic factors are responsible for 5-10% of cancers, while environmental causes account for around 90% of cases.
It follows that a significant portion of cancers could be prevented by practicing healthy habits.
Habits that help prevent cancer
When it comes to a healthy lifestyle, diet is vitally important, as is physical exercise or stress management.
1. Maintain a healthy weight
Maintain a healthy weight throughout your life. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of cancer and recurrence, as they have been associated with low-grade systemic inflammation characterized by elevated inflammatory cytokines.
This condition is linked to the development of diseases because it produces an alteration in the immune system.
2. Healthy diet and cancer prevention
Healthy eating is a basic pillar for healthy living. It is also essential in the prevention of cancer. Being well nourished allows the immune system to function properly.
Studies on the positive effects of consuming vegetables and fruits claim that they are important in the fight against cancer because they provide nutrients that help repair damaged cells. Therefore, it is necessary to consume at least five servings per day.
Additionally, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, you should avoid excessive consumption of red meat and processed foods, and limit yourself to specific occasions.
3. Don’t smoke
One of the most harmful habits for your health is smoking. It causes many diseases, including cancer. The WHO estimates that 22% of cancer deaths have their origin in this bad habit. Quitting smoking is not easy, but it is a wise choice that is often difficult to make.
Smoking, in addition to causing cancer deaths, also causes heart attacks, cardiovascular problems, chronic fatigue, and many other conditions that are harmful to the body.
4. Physical exercise for cancer prevention
Exercise is one of the healthiest habits you can adopt. Heart health improves, you burn excess calories, and this also helps prevent many diseases, including cancer. Performing 3 to 5 weekly sessions (30 to 60 minutes) is ideal for seeing the health benefits and cancer prevention.
5. Prevents proliferation of tumor cells
Another interesting fact is that you can create conditions so that the tumor cells do not multiply. One example is including substances that help with cell repair, such as antioxidants, in the diet.
Crucifers (all varieties of cabbage), dark green leaves and garlic are the foods that have shown a greater inhibitory effect on cancer proliferation, thanks to the polyphenols they contain.
Vegetables rich in carotenes, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, persimmons and apricots contain provitamin A and, in some cases, lycopene, substances that inhibit the division of harmful cells.
6. Practice a relaxation technique
It is essential to fight against stress. Among the environmental factors are psycho-emotional factors. These can also trigger (due to poor stress management) pathological processes.
Hence the importance of implementing practices that help improve the management of this state. For example, mindfulness, physical exercise or greater contact with nature.
The importance of healthy habits
Although some risk factors cannot be controlled, such as genetics or environmental factors, certain habits can be followed to try to prevent cancer.
Finally, we hope that this information has been useful to you and that you will take it into account. Remember that cancer can be prevented by following these good habits. Also, don’t forget to do routine checks and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
