How You Can Change Your Lifestyle to Reduce Your Cancer Risk
No one gets a guarantee when it comes to cancer. Genetics. Age. Environment. All of these factors – and many more – all play a part, and some of them simply can’t be controlled.
But there are also everyday habits that affect cancer risk. The good news is, they don’t have to involve completely changing your life overnight. A few realistic changes go a long way. This is especially true when they become part of your normal, run-of-the-mill routine.
If you want to reduce your cancer risk, then act now. You could consider the lifestyle changes below. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight is a tricky subject. This isn’t about chasing a particular number on the scales. It certainly isn’t about trying the latest crash diet – that won’t work at all. Not long-term, at least.
Carrying excess body fat is linked to a higher risk of several types of cancer. For this reason, you need to maintain a healthy weight. Doing so can be a useful part of looking after long-term health in general.
That doesn’t mean every meal needs to be perfectly planned. Simple habits will make a difference – adding more fruit and veggies, choosing whole grains and fiber-rich foods more often, and cutting back on sugary drinks and heavily processed foods.
If weight loss is needed, there’s no prize for doing it as quickly as possible. Small changes that are actually maintainable tend to make much more sense than an extreme diet that lasts a couple of weeks.
2. Stop Smoking/Vaping
Smoking. This is one of the clearest lifestyle-related cancer risks. Quitting can – and will – be one of the most vital changes a smoker makes.
It’s also not easy. Nicotine is addictive. Giving up takes more than just one attempt. There’s no reason to treat a setback as a failure. Quitting is made more manageable with the following:
- Stop-smoking services,
- Nicotine replacement products,
- And support from a healthcare professional.
Vaping isn’t harmless, either. It does generally expose people to fewer toxic chemicals than smoking cigarettes. For those who don’t smoke, there’s no health reason to begin vaping, so don’t.
But smokers who are trying to quit, on the other hand. They can get advice about the options available to them.
3. Be Physically Active
Exercise doesn’t have to mean signing up for a gym. There’s no need to suddenly become someone who enjoys running at 6am.
Walking counts. So does cycling to the shops, and gardening, and swimming, and dancing around the kitchen, and taking the stairs instead of the lift. All of these – and so many more ways of moving – count. The important thing is finding ways to move more regularly.
Regular physical activity is linked with a lower risk of some cancers. It also makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
To conclude, the bigger picture here is simple. There’s no perfect routine. There’s no single habit. Instead, think about building a few evidence-based habits to reduce your cancer risk into everyday life.
A healthier lifestyle isn’t about getting everything right. That’s impossible. It’s just about making changes that are realistic enough to keep doing – one ordinary day at a time.
