A few days ago, the World Health Organization announced a worrying increase in cancer cases worldwide, prompting people to reduce their risk of cancer. According to evaluations, cases will continue to increase due to a lack of prevention, examination and treatment options. In poor countries the percentage could even reach 81%. However, there are a few health-promoting things you can do in your daily life to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
Reduce the risk of cancer – get rid of bad habits
First and foremost, give up bad habits. Eat healthy, exercise a little more and get vaccinated. These are the right measures for successful cancer prevention. Let's take a closer look at the details and take a look at some tips you can keep in mind.
In this regard, the WHO states that alcohol is one of the main factors in ten types of cancer, without taking into account the many other diseases with which we associate alcohol consumption. According to the organization's statistics, alcoholic beverages were responsible for 4-5% of cancer deaths. Even the most moderate consumption is associated with a higher or lower risk. So living without alcohol could certainly contribute to better health and quality of life.
The other bad habit we should avoid is, of course, smoking. Every year, 2.4 million patients die from smoking-related cancers. In addition, the WHO estimates that cigarette smoke is responsible for at least 20 types of cancer. These are pretty worrying numbers that call for immediate action. So it's best to avoid it now and spend the rest of your life in better shape.
Focus on healthy eating and exercise
We can all agree that healthy eating is the key to better physical and mental health. However, it can also influence the likelihood of developing cancer. In this context, the World Health Organization recommends including more whole grain products, as well as legumes, fruits and vegetables in your menu. On the other hand, we reject sugar, fats, processed meat,excessive salt consumptionand foods such as fast food.
Combined with a poor diet, lack of physical activity can lead to obesity, which very often increases the risk of cancer. Therefore, by exercising regularly, you can prevent certain types of cancer such as colon, breast, kidney, lung and others. TheWHO recommends vaccinationagainst infections known to cause large numbers of cancers, particularly in poor countries. These are hepatitis B and papillomavirus.
Last but not least, optimal sun protection is also a good step towards cancer prevention. Sunscreen significantly reduces the risk of skin cancer. It is also important to avoid exposure to sunlight between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and to cover exposed areas of the body well. Sun protection with SPF 50+ is increasingly a must.
