What is cancer?
Cancer is an imbalance between cell growth and cell death, resulting in the accumulation of large numbers of cells.When cells pile up, its called a tumor, they can pile up like a fist or a tangerine, which can be taken out, and that's benign.Most of whats seen in breast and prostate tumors are benign tumors.The other kind looks like your open hand, although historically this is more dangerous, malignant cancer was compared to the spread-out crab-shaped stars in the constellation cancer.
Here are some best ways to minimize your cancer risk.The information here is specifically geared towards men-although, of course, much of it applies to women too.
1.Don't Smoke:
Simply by heeding that straightforward bit of advice, you can avoid 35% of all cancers.
2.Shun The Sun:
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, accounting for half of new cancer diagnoses in Western countries.People with fair skin, hair, and eyes are most susceptible.Don't want to get skin cancer?The you need to stay out of the sun, especially when it is strongest, between 10.00 am and 3.00 pm.If you must be in the sun at any time of the day, protect yourself with wide-brimmed hats, large sunglasses, and sunblock with an SPF of at least 15.Report any new, unusual, or changing moles or other marks on your skin to your doctor.
3.Live An Anti-Cancer Lifestyle:
No one who's been conscious the past two decades should be surprised to hear about the strong link between smoking, sun and cancer.There is a direct relationship between obesity and cancer as well as exercise and lack of cancer, there's also no question that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are very effective at preventing cancer.You really just have to adopt a cancer-prevention lifestyle, you have to exercise, eat right, and watch your weight.You have to stay out of the sun and you can't smoke.Even simple things like drinking 8 glasses of water a day, are very important.
4.Talk To Your Doctor If You Know You're At High Risk:
Your father had colon cancer, and so did an uncle and a cousin?You'll want to share a family pedigree like that with your physician, who will want to make sure you get earlier, more aggressive screenings than other men your age.A rule of thumb: Begin those screenings 10 years before the age your closest relative was diagnosed.Dad got the bad news at age 50?Start those screenings by age 40.
6.Supplements And Vitamins Might Help:
According to doctors, people who take vitamins C and E are a bit more protected than people who dont.Vitamin C especially has a very short lifespan, and unless you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables you probably aren't getting enough of it.For vitamin E, you can't really overdose on the stuff, and its a very good antioxidant.Taking selenium appears to reduce one's risk of developing prostate cancer.
7.If Prevention Fails, Catch It Early:
The next best thing to cancer prevention is early detection.If cancer is detected early when its still localised in the organ(where it originates) and when it hasnt had a chance to spread to other parts of the body, conventional therapy, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, can cure patients 90% or more of the time.
Cancer is an imbalance between cell growth and cell death, resulting in the accumulation of large numbers of cells.When cells pile up, its called a tumor, they can pile up like a fist or a tangerine, which can be taken out, and that's benign.Most of whats seen in breast and prostate tumors are benign tumors.The other kind looks like your open hand, although historically this is more dangerous, malignant cancer was compared to the spread-out crab-shaped stars in the constellation cancer.
Here are some best ways to minimize your cancer risk.The information here is specifically geared towards men-although, of course, much of it applies to women too.
1.Don't Smoke:
Simply by heeding that straightforward bit of advice, you can avoid 35% of all cancers.
2.Shun The Sun:
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, accounting for half of new cancer diagnoses in Western countries.People with fair skin, hair, and eyes are most susceptible.Don't want to get skin cancer?The you need to stay out of the sun, especially when it is strongest, between 10.00 am and 3.00 pm.If you must be in the sun at any time of the day, protect yourself with wide-brimmed hats, large sunglasses, and sunblock with an SPF of at least 15.Report any new, unusual, or changing moles or other marks on your skin to your doctor.
3.Live An Anti-Cancer Lifestyle:
No one who's been conscious the past two decades should be surprised to hear about the strong link between smoking, sun and cancer.There is a direct relationship between obesity and cancer as well as exercise and lack of cancer, there's also no question that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are very effective at preventing cancer.You really just have to adopt a cancer-prevention lifestyle, you have to exercise, eat right, and watch your weight.You have to stay out of the sun and you can't smoke.Even simple things like drinking 8 glasses of water a day, are very important.
4.Talk To Your Doctor If You Know You're At High Risk:
Your father had colon cancer, and so did an uncle and a cousin?You'll want to share a family pedigree like that with your physician, who will want to make sure you get earlier, more aggressive screenings than other men your age.A rule of thumb: Begin those screenings 10 years before the age your closest relative was diagnosed.Dad got the bad news at age 50?Start those screenings by age 40.
6.Supplements And Vitamins Might Help:
According to doctors, people who take vitamins C and E are a bit more protected than people who dont.Vitamin C especially has a very short lifespan, and unless you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables you probably aren't getting enough of it.For vitamin E, you can't really overdose on the stuff, and its a very good antioxidant.Taking selenium appears to reduce one's risk of developing prostate cancer.
7.If Prevention Fails, Catch It Early:
The next best thing to cancer prevention is early detection.If cancer is detected early when its still localised in the organ(where it originates) and when it hasnt had a chance to spread to other parts of the body, conventional therapy, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, can cure patients 90% or more of the time.