Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer

Every year, millions of people succumb to cancer, even though millions of dollars are invested in research on the disease. While no cure has yet been found, there are many things that you can do to minimize your risk of contracting it. Check out some of these tips to get an idea of how you can reduce your risk of getting cancer.

There are still many studies underway on this question. However, early results indicate that foods that have phytochemicals, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants can help your body avoid cancer. Phytochemicals appear in plants and help keep viruses, bacteria and fungi from attacking the plants. Generally, these are the brightly colored vegetables and fruits (yellow, red, purple, blue, white, green, and orange). Also, whole cereals and grains have phytochemicals.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, and you can also take supplements. These fatty acids have a number of health benefits, including minimizing the risk of heart attack or stroke, and they may also reduce your risk for cancer as well.

Antioxidants keep free radicals from damaging your cells by absorbing their instability and protecting your tissues from the oxidation process. Some of the most popular include vitamin C, which can protect you from cancer of the stomach, mouth and esophagus; beta carotene (provitamin A), which boosts your white blood cell count, possibly hindering the growth of cancer cells and definitely hindering the work of free radicals; and vitamin E, which helps the production of healthy blood cells in addition to acting as an antioxidant. Vitamin C is found in a number of fruits; beta-carotene is found in yellow-orange vegetables and fruits, as well as vegetables that are leafy and dark green. Vitamin E is found in sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and whole wheat bread.

If you are worried about cancer, because of a family history, there are a number of ways you can get screened on a regular basis in order to minimize your own risk. Mammograms are recommended for women, as they screen for breast cancer. Pap smears and HPV testing can check out your susceptibility to cervical cancer. The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test measures your likelihood of having prostate cancer -- a major killer for men.

According to the American Cancer Society, of the 572,000 Americans who die of cancer each year, about one in three died of causes linked to a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, and simply having too much weight. The specific cancers that have an elevated risk for those who are obese or overweight include cancers of the rectum, colon, endometrium, pancreas, esophagus, kidney, and breast. The way that extra weight boosts your cancer risk is by stimulating the production of insulin and estrogen -- two hormones that can boost cancer cell growth.

There are people who live unbelievably healthy lifestyles and still end up dying from cancer. There is no foolproof way to avoid it. For now, it's important to be proactive about your health by learning all there is to know about avoiding the risk of cancer.