How to Reduce the Risk of Cancer Development?

January 16, 2023 Imphal By Bhogen Goswami:

Generally, it is hard to diagnose cancer at the earlier stage unless symptoms due to extreme swelling of the tumor become noticeable. However, a regular medical examination by consulting a doctor on feeling any discomfort in health can be helpful.

If the doctor could find any risk of cancer in the body or if you have a successful history of individuals suffering from cancer, maintaining a selective diet and lifestyle would be crucial.

Here are some of the questions you should be considerate with your lifestyle and diet.

Why should You Avoid Tobacco to Prevent Cancer?

The answer will be ‘Yes’. Consumption of tobacco and its products can give rise to an outbreak of the following types of cancer:

• Lung Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Larynx, head, and neck cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Pancreas cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Cervical cancer in women

“Lung cancer risk is highly effected by smoking, with up to 90% of cases being caused by tobacco smoking.” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tobacco#Cancer 

The most common type of cancer caused by smoking is lung cancer. The risk of its development increases with the length of duration one smokes and the number of cigarettes. Even secondhand smoking can cause cervical cancer in women.

What are the Foods that can Reduce the Risk of Cancer?

Though making a nutritious selection of foods cannot guarantee the prevention of cancer, certain maintenance of a healthy diet plan can reduce the risk of its development in the body. Here are some of the recommended selections that have the potential to do so:

Fruits and vegetables rich in anti-oxidant

Excessive accumulation and concentration of free radicals can lead to the development of cancer by harming the cells. However, if the body has enough presence of antioxidants, it can neutralize the free radicals and rescue the cells from harm.

The human body relies on an external mechanism to gain the necessary quantity of antioxidants, primarily from the diet that you consume. So, regular intake of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants is highly crucial.

Here is the list of fruits rich in antioxidants:

• Cranberries
• Wild blueberries
• Black plums
• Red apples
• Red Grapes
• Peaches
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Papaya
• Orange
• Pears
• Mango
• Figs
• Red currants and many more

List of Vegetables with a high level of antioxidants

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Beetroot
• Carrot
• Sweet potato
• Avocado
• Pumpkin
• Asparagus Radish and more

Instead of relying only on 1-2 of the items, you can consume more vegetables and fruits that have rich and dark colors like beetroot, pomegranate, cranberries, and broccoli, etc. Such foods are considered having high amounts of antioxidants.

Foods Rich in Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are compounds present in plants, which can act as an antioxidant, as well as in preventing the formation of carcinogens, one of the cancer-causing agent. Here are some of the foods rich in phytochemicals.

• Carrot Spinach
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Green tea
• Bok Choy
• Cabbage
• Soybeans
• Apricots
• Pears
• Berries
• Seeds of fruits
• Olives
• Brussel sprouts

Foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acid

According to research studies, it is found that Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce or development of prostate and breast cancer. Since the human body cannot produce this component, one can get it from foods and other supplements.

Here are some of the foods that contain omega-3 fatty acid:

• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Sardines
• Herring
• Tuna
• Kidney beans
• Navy Beans
• Soybeans
• Great Northern beans

Can Fitness Reduce the Risk of Cancer?

Regular exercise or Yoga is the key to maintain fitness by losing weight. Unfit bodies like obesity can is highly vulnerable to the development of cancer.

According to research studies, overweight can take you to the risk of suffering cancer. Some of the types of cancer that are possible to develop in people with obesity are given below:

• Prostate cancer
• Cervix Cancer
• Ovary cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Colon cancer
• Gall bladder cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Breast cancer
• Rectum cancer
• Liver cancer
• Cervix cancer

Therefore, maintaining fitness with regular exercise can reduce the chances of cancer outbreaks. It will also make the diet stated above worthwhile by distributing its values to different parts of the body.

What are the Other Cancer Causing Agents?

Apart from foods and lifestyle, one should also stay cautious about certain harmful radiations and chemical compounds that can aid in the development of cancer. Here are some of the hazardous mechanisms that you should avoid getting in contact with as far as possible.

Radiation

Exposure to ionizing radiation can create damages to DNA and form cancer. Some of its examples are

• X-rays
• Radon
• Gamma Rays
• The UV radiation in sunlight
• Other forms of radiation with high energy

Naphthalene

It is used in many chemical industries and as one of the ingredients in the manufacturing of moth repellents and toilet deodorants. According to an experiment on animals, its inhalation develops nasal tumors in rats, which will also be harmful to humans as well.

Nitrobenzene

This industrial chemical is considered one of the harmful human carcinogens. According to a few experiments on animals, its inhalation is found to form tumors in the animals.

It is always advisable to stay restraining from all the industrial and environmental toxins like asbestos, Polychlorinated biphenyls, Diazo amino benzene, 4,4’-Thiodianiline, nitromethane, etc.

The Gist of It

Considering the above questions, taking the right choices of diet, lifestyle, and caution on harmful effects is highly crucial to reduce the risk of cancer. At the same time, people during and post-cancer treatment may also follow the above assets to make the treatment worthwhile.