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- Don’t breathe
smoke.
To avoid secondhand
smoke, ban smoking in your house and car.
- Exercise for
30 minutes daily.
Physical activity for at least half an
hour five days a week maybe reduce your risk of several cancers, notably
colon and breast cancer. Forty-five minutes a day of moderate to
vigorous exercise may lead to even greater protection against breast and
colorectal cancers.
- Eat your
colors.
Different colored
produce contains different phytonutrients. Foods rich in cancer-fighting
phytonutrients include red peppers and tomatoes, white onions and
garlic, blueberries and plums, yellow peppers and sweet potatoes, and
green peas and broccoli. Try to eat a variety of colors.
- Avoid
pesticide residues.
Washing or peeling produce and removing the outer leaves of leafy
vegetables will reduce your exposure to these chemicals.
- Avoid charred
meat.
You can reduce your
exposure by removing fat before cooking and by trimming away any charred
portions.
- Eat the right
fish.
While fatty fish is
a healthy source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, some
species accumulate contaminants from polluted rivers and lakes. So it’s
best to limit consumptions of wild-caught fatty freshwater fish such as
carp, catfish, bass, and trout, prime candidates for high PCB
contamination.
- Limit your
red-meat consumption.
A
diet heavy in red meat – eating it as the main dish most days of the
week – has been linked with an increased risk of some cancers, notably
cancer of the colon.
- Go easy on
fried foods.
- Consider
avoiding alcohol.
Studies
show that even a drink or two a day of wine, beer, or liquor can
slightly increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer; 2 to 5 drinks a day
ups the risk 1.5 times that or teetotalers.
- Avoid
unnecessary X-rays.
It’s
OK to inform your doctors and dentists that you don’t want X-rays unless
they are truly medically necessary. If you change dentists, bring a copy
of your most recent dental X-rays with you and ask that they be put on
file.
- Request
lowest-dose imaging.
Ask
your radiologist to use the lowest radiation dose necessary to get a
clear image. It’s especially important if computed tomography, popularly
known as a CT scan, is ordered for a child or any small-framed
individual, say Consumers Union’s medical consultants. Federal health
authorities recently raised a concern that children are being exposed to
too much radiation, and said a single CT scan can deliver as much
radiation as 100 standard X-rays.
- Protect your
skin.
In the warmer
months, avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when it’s strongest, and remember that you can still get burned
on cloudy days.
- Listen to
air-pollution reports.
The
National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Md., advises against
exercising outdoors near high traffic areas and on polluted days. If you
have breathing problems, try to stay indoors during smog alerts.
- Check for
asbestos.
If you live in a
home built before 1980, there may be insulation or other material
containing the carcinogen asbestos. If the material has deteriorated to
the point where fibers could escape into the air, it should be removed
by a qualified contractor. Otherwise, it’s usually best to leave it
alone.
- Assess your
workplace.
Talk to your
doctor and employer about concerns or contact the Occupational Safety &
Health Administration (www.osha.gov) for workplace safety
information.
- Check your
water report.
Many reports
are posted at www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.html.
- Check for
infection.
Three
infections are increasingly linked with the following cancers: 1)
Stomach cancer, ulcer-causing bacterium, H.pylori, 2) Cervical cancer,
human papillomavirus (HPV), and 3) Liver cancer, Hepatitis C.
- Check your
house for radon.
Homes
with radon concentration exceeding 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/l)
reduce concentrations by creating better ventilation in basements.
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