Did you know that you may be increasing—or decreasing—your cancer risk just through your regular habits and the choices you make every day?
You can take important steps in your own daily habits to decrease cancer risk. By controlling these lifestyle risks, you control your cancer risk. Look at your own lifestyle, and see if any of these cancer risk-reducing strategies apply to you:
Do You Smoke?
Smoking is linked to many different types of cancer, and may cause 30 percent of American cancer deaths. If you’re a smoker, or use tobacco in any form, the best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to quit now. It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how long you’ve been smoking: quitting now will reduce your cancer risk. Quitting can be hard, but your doctor may be able to assist you in learning the best way to quit.
Are You Overweight?
Ask your doctor whether you should reduce your body weight. It will make you feel better and look better, and can reduce your risk of several types of cancer. And as an added benefit, maintaining a healthy weight reduces your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Do You Choose Healthy Foods?
A double cheeseburger tastes good, but it may not be very good for you. For fighting cancer risk, you need the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that fruits and vegetables supply. You need the fiber and nutrients that whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice supply. And you might need to reduce the chemicals and saturated fats that processed meats and red meats give you. Your doctor can help you plan a healthier diet. And remember that a good diet helps you control your weight, too.
Are You Active?
You know that regular exercise is great for you, and you may know that it can reduce your cancer risk. And exercise helps with weight control and can boost your immune system—and it will make you feel good besides. Still, it can be hard to find the time for exercise, and limitations may make it hard to exercise properly. But why not try a new exercise video for those with limited mobility? Or enlist an exercise buddy? Or try accessible gardening, or rent one of the new game consoles with exercise programs you can do in your home? It may take awhile to find the best exercise approach for you, but the benefits are so great that it’s worth a bit of trial and error.
Do You Get Regular Check-Ups and Cancer Screenings?
Regular preventive check-ups are critical to avoiding cancers or catching them before they have done substantial damage. And yet people with disabilities often fail to follow a regular schedule of basic medical tests (for example, prostate exams, mammography, and other common routines) because of difficulty in getting to their doctors’ offices, inaccessible offices, or lack of support from healthcare providers. Don’t let this happen to you: if necessary, contact your local Independent Living Center to see if they can recommend an accessible, supportive doctor in your area. Remember that the right test, done in time, can literally save your life.
