What lifestyle changes can help lower cancer risk?
Ask the doctor
Q. What are the best natural ways to help prevent cancer?
A. Great question! All of the promotions for cancer screening - such as PSA testing and mammography - have overshadowed the importance of cancer prevention.
Here is what you can do to help lower your cancer risk:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Don't smoke or use other tobacco products.
- Avoid alcohol, or have an average of no more than one alcoholic drink per day.
- Avoid binge drinking, even if you don't drink most days of the week.
- Eat a diet rich in vegetables, especially the green leafy ones. They are rich in folic acid. For women, folic acid may offset any increased risk of breast cancer from drinking alcohol.
- Eat more fiber-rich foods. It may lower your risk of colon cancer.
- Stay physically active, and try to find time every day for dedicated exercise. Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.
These healthy lifestyle choices not only cut your cancer risk, but can also help keep your heart and brain healthy!
Image: © Ekaterina Goncharova/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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