Stop smoking to eliminate most preventable cancer risk

As I have mentioned the past couple of weeks, November is Diabetes Awareness Month—but it is also Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

I find this rather ironic as I have been a card carrying Type 1 Diabetic for 30 years and on November 30th I will be celebrating the memory of my late husband.

Doesn’t seem possible that he’s been gone for eight years! In the case of my husband’s family, heredity plays an incredibly ridiculous role.

But for those of us without a familial cancer history there are things we can do to “better our odds” so to speak.

No one food or food component can singularly protect you against cancer.

But strong evidence does show that a diet filled with a variety of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans helps lower risk for many cancers.

However, foods can fight cancer both directly and indirectly. In laboratory studies, many individual minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals demonstrate anticancer effects.

Yet evidence suggests it is the synergy of compounds working together in the overall diet that offers the strongest cancer protection.

And, according to an American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)/World Cancer Research Fund’s report, carrying excess body fat increases the risk of seven cancers.

Vegetables and fruits are low in calories, which help us maintain a healthy weight. Whole grains and beans are rich in fiber and moderate in calories, which also help in weight management efforts.

That is why AICR recommends filling at least 2/3 of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans. Research on foods that fight cancer—and that may also aid cancer survival—is ongoing and active*.

Some of the foods that are touted as “super foods” are: garlic, cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage), berries, tomatoes, whole grains, leafy greens, green tea, grapes and legumes.

But it’s not just food that helps fight cancer. Staying physically active can be beneficial as well. There is scientific evidence on physical activity as a means for the primary prevention of cancer.

Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer in several ways, including lowering obesity, inflammation, and hormone levels and improving insulin resistance and immune system function.

The evidence for decreased risk with increased physical activity is classified as convincing for breast and colon cancers, probable for prostate cancer, possible for lung and endometrial cancers and insufficient for cancers at all other sites.

Weight control may play a particularly important role because links between excess weight and increased cancer risk have been established for several sites, and abdominal fat (aka pear shape) has been implicated in promoting metabolic conditions that can increase cancer risk.

Based on existing evidence, some public health organizations have issued physical activity guidelines for cancer prevention, generally recommending at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity five or more days per week.

Although most research has focused on the efficacy of physical activity in cancer prevention, evidence is increasing that exercise also influences other aspects of the cancer experience, such as cancer detection, coping, rehabilitation and survival after diagnosis.** OK, those of you who know me can guess what’s coming next.

IF YOU SMOKE… QUIT!!!

No, I have never smoked. But I know from people around me who have tried to quit (some successful, some not so much) that it’s not easy.

The use of tobacco is the most preventable cause of death in the United States.

Each year, tobacco use is responsible for more than 440,000 deaths, including those caused by secondhand smoke.

Smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths, making quitting smoking the single most important thing a person can do to lower your individual cancer risk.

In addition to cigarettes, other forms of tobacco use include cigar/pipe smoking, waterpipes, and smokeless tobacco, such as chewing tobacco and snuff.

None of these alternatives are a safe substitute for smoking because they can cause serious health problems, including cancer. I went to high school with a guy who used to chew and was diagnosed with mouth cancer.

Prior to his death his tongue had to be removed. Think about that!

I hate the excuse, “I only smoke when I drink.”

Why bother? Play darts or pool, chew on a straw…do anything but grab a cigarette.

Besides, if you quit smoking I bet your wallet will thank you!

Whether you have a strong genetic link to cancer or not, eat healthy, be physically active, quit smoking. You have nothing to lose by living a healthy lifestyle.

If you’ve ever been diagnosed with cancer, or watched helplessly as someone you love loses their battle, being healthy might not seem like that big a sacrifice.

*http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/ accessed 11/4/12 **J Nutr. 2002 Nov;132(11 Suppl):3456S- 3464S accessed 11/6/12