50% of new cancers can be avoided! The sooner you know these 12 cancer prevention tips, the better!

Cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that threaten human life and health. Once it targets you, it is like a bolt from the blue.

Everyone is afraid of getting cancer, so what can we do to reduce the risk of cancer?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization pointed out: If the following 12 suggestions can be followed in daily life, nearly half of new cancers can be avoided!

01. Don’t smoke

Tobacco contains more than 7,000 chemical substances, hundreds of harmful substances, and 69 carcinogens.

Long-term smoking can induce malignant gene mutations. The compounds and harmful substances in tobacco smoke can accelerate gene damage, prevent gene repair, and thus induce cancer.

Smoking also reduces the body's immunity, weakens the body's resistance to other carcinogens, and further increases the risk of cancer.

However, as long as you quit smoking in time, everything is still in time! According to statistics:

● After 5 years of quitting smoking, the risk of developing oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and bladder cancer will be reduced by half;

● After 10 years of quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer will drop by 50%;

● After 20 years of quitting smoking, the risk of oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and bladder cancer will drop to almost the same as that of people who have never smoked!

Therefore, whether it is regular cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, snuff, or e-cigarettes, try not to touch them if you can!

02 Stay away from secondhand smoke

In addition to direct smoking, the harm of secondhand smoke should not be underestimated!

The World Health Organization points out that secondhand smoke not only increases the risk of lung cancer by 20%-30%, but also increases the likelihood of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, etc.

Other studies have shown that the risks of cervical cancer and breast cancer for women exposed to secondhand smoke are 1.7 times and 1.62 times higher than those for women who stay away from secondhand smoke, respectively.

Even if the secondhand smoke dissipates, the harmful substances in it will remain on the surface of furniture and in the car for a long time, causing harm.

To reduce the harm of secondhand smoke, in addition to staying away from smokers, you should open windows for ventilation frequently, change and wash clothes and bed sheets stained with smoke in a timely manner, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in carotene and vitamin C.

03 Maintain a healthy weight

Research by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found a correlation between excess body fat and 13 types of cancer.

These include esophageal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, gallbladder cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, brain tumors and multiple myeloma.

You can use the following two indicators to evaluate whether you are fat or not:

(1) Body mass index

Body mass index (BMI) = weight (kg) / height² (m²)

According to my country's standards, a result below 18.5 is considered "underweight"; a result between 18.5 and 24 is considered normal weight; a result above 24 is considered "overweight";

If the body mass index exceeds 28, it reaches the category of "obesity" and losing weight is imperative.

(2) Waist circumference

Use a soft tape measure to wrap it horizontally around the skin 1 cm above the belly button. If the waist circumference of an adult male is ≥ 85 cm and the waist circumference of an adult female is ≥ 80 cm, it is over the standard and needs to be controlled.

04 Exercise moderately

An 18-year follow-up study involving 1.44 million people by the American Cancer Center confirmed that exercise can significantly reduce the incidence of 13 types of cancer.

Image source: Internet

First of all, exercise helps burn fat and control weight;

Secondly, exercise can speed up the production of white blood cells in the bone marrow, helping to enhance the body's immunity; thirdly, exercise can also improve the self-repair ability of DNA and promote metabolism, thereby reducing the possibility of cancer in the body.

To achieve better exercise-induced cancer prevention effects, you need to do at least 5 hours of moderate to high intensity exercise per week.

Generally speaking, if your heart rate during exercise reaches (220-age) × (60%~70%), it means it is moderate-intensity exercise.

05 Healthy diet

The World Cancer Research Fund has clearly pointed out that bad eating habits can lead to more than 30 types of cancer, and one-third of cancer deaths each year are related to bad eating habits.

For example, the more red meat you eat, the higher your risk of colorectal cancer; the more high-salt food you consume, the higher the incidence of gastric cancer.

Following a scientific and reasonable diet can help reduce the risk of cancer. According to the 2022 edition of the Chinese Residents Dietary Guidelines, we should pay attention to the following in our daily diet:

● Eat a variety of foods. It is best to eat more than 12 kinds of food a day and more than 25 kinds of food a week.

● Make sure you eat 300-500 grams of vegetables, 200-350 grams of fruits, 300-500 grams of milk and dairy products, and 50~150 grams of whole grains and beans every day.

● Daily intake of animal food is 120-200 grams, and eat 1 egg a day, and eat seafood at least 2 times a week. Limit red meat and fatty meat, and try not to eat processed meat.

● Less salt and less oil. The daily salt intake should not exceed 5 grams, and the cooking oil intake should be between 25-30 grams.

● Drink enough water. Adult men should drink 1700ml of water per day, and women should drink 1500ml per day. However, special groups such as those with impaired renal function should follow the doctor's advice.

● Cook reasonably. The main cooking methods are blanching, steaming, boiling, and cold salad, and avoid frying, smoking, or roasting.

● Learn to read nutrition labels and try to choose products with lower fat and sodium content.

● Insist on using serving chopsticks to share meals.

06. Say no to alcohol

Some people always say that "a little alcohol can make you happy, but too much alcohol can harm your body", but as early as 2018, a systematic study on alcohol published in the well-known medical journal The Lancet clearly pointed out:

The safe dose of alcohol is 0.

Because alcohol will be metabolized into acetaldehyde in the body, and acetaldehyde is a Class 1 carcinogen, if the activity of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in the body is insufficient, it will accumulate in the body and increase the risk of cancer.

Therefore, there is no such thing as "moderate" drinking. If you can avoid drinking, don't drink.

If you really can't control yourself and have a few drinks, remember to drink plenty of water to speed up the excretion of alcohol from the body and reduce the burden on the liver.

07 Pay attention to sun protection

Sunburn is one of the main risk factors for skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, skin melanoma, etc. are all closely related to intense sunlight exposure.

You can find out the UV Index (UVI) by searching online or checking the weather app on your phone. Generally, when the index exceeds 3, sun protection is necessary.

Physical sun protection measures include holding a parasol, wearing a hat, wearing sunglasses, and wearing sun-protective clothing.

If you apply sunscreen, pay attention to the amount. Generally speaking, at least a coin-sized amount should be applied to one face.

It is best to apply it 15-30 minutes before going out; if you stay outdoors for a long time, you need to reapply it every 2 hours.

08 Reduce exposure to environmental carcinogens

There are thousands of natural or man-made substances in the environment we live in, some of which may cause cancer, such as benzene, arsenic, paint, pesticides, asbestos, outdoor air pollution, etc.

The World Health Organization points out that new cancers caused by environmental risk factors account for nearly 20% of new cancers worldwide.

Although it is difficult for individuals to avoid or reduce environmental risk factors, we should still take protective measures as much as possible in our daily lives. For example, we should wear a mask when going out on foggy days, and wear work clothes, gloves, protective glasses, and professional masks when painting.

09. Keep breastfeeding

Use hormone replacement therapy with caution

In 2018, a cancer prevention recommendation released by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) stated that breastfeeding can reduce the mother's risk of breast cancer.

May also help reduce the risk of weight gain, overweight/obesity in children.

As for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it is a treatment measure taken to compensate for ovarian failure and can effectively relieve menopausal symptoms.

However, some studies have found that women who use hormone replacement therapy have an increased risk of breast cancer.

Therefore, when using hormone replacement therapy, it is best to consult a doctor about the risks, pros and cons, and proceed strictly under the doctor's guidance.

10. Vaccination and infection prevention

Nearly 1/5 of cancers worldwide are caused by persistent infections from viruses, bacteria, etc., including human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Helicobacter pylori (Hp), etc.

Getting vaccinated with HPV vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine is one of the effective ways to prevent related infections.

In addition, regular screening and timely treatment of related infections can also help reduce the risk of cancer caused by infection.