Your Health
Prevention is still best medicine against cancer

Cancer is a scary disease--one that many people fear more than any other illness. In spite of the dread it inspires, most of us aren't doing as much as we can to prevent it.

Sadly, more than a million people in the United States are given a diagnosis of cancer each year.

Science and medicine are making great progress in terms of cancer treatments and even cures, but there's no doubt that prevention is still the very best medicine.

While it's true that some types of cancer are hereditary, you can still safeguard yourself to some degree by making a few lifestyle choices or changes. One of the most important decisions you can make is to avoid the use of tobacco.

Lung cancer

In the U.S., cigarette smoking is responsible for about 90 percent of all cases of lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths among Americans. When you inhale cigarette smoke, you breathe in hundreds of cancer-causing substances.

This is obviously bad for you, but even worse is the fact that the sticky tar in cigarette smoke traps those carcinogens in your lungs, dramatically increasing their potential danger.

One of the best ways to lower your risk of developing cancer is to avoid smoking, but your best bet is to avoid using tobacco in any form.

Compared with nonsmokers, cigar smokers have much higher rates of lung cancer; they're also about five to 10 times more likely to die of cancers of the throat and mouth.

Chewing tobacco dramatically increases the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, cheeks and gums.

Importance of diet

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet won't make you bulletproof against cancer, but it can definitely lower your risk of developing the disease.

Obesity and poor nutrition are thought to contribute to nearly a third of all cancers in the United States. High-fat diets are thought to increase the risk of developing cancers of the prostate, colon, breast and uterus.

One of the best ways to reduce your intake of fat and calories is to increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables and grains.

The American Cancer Society recommends eating a plant-rich diet that includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, as well as plenty of whole grains, cereals and legumes.

Like poor nutrition, obesity seems to play a major role in the development of many types of cancer, especially those of the colon and the reproductive tract.

Not only does physical activity reduce the risk of cancer by helping control weight, it also seems to protect you from the disease in other ways.

If you find that you just can't force yourself to jog, lift weights or engage in aerobic dance until you drop, it doesn't mean you have to throw in the exercise towel.

Walking counts

Walking the dog, climbing stairs and speed walking through the grocery store all count as exercise.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that sedentary folks strive to accumulate at least 120 minutes of moderately intense activity each week.

While you're working hard to protect your innards from cancer, don't forget about the outside of your body. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, and it's also one of the most preventable. Excessive sun exposure is the usual culprit.

You can dramatically reduce your chances of developing skin cancer by protecting yourself from the sun. Be sure to wear sunscreen whenever you're going to be out in the weather--winter or summer.

Since tanning beds and sun lamps can damage your skin as much as the sun, it's really not a good idea to use them at all. Whether you bronze your bod indoors or out, there's no really such thing as a "safe" tan.

Nearly all skin cancers are treatable if they're detected early, and that's why it's so important to get yourself screened.

Your skin is an excellent place to start, but you'll also need to have your mouth, colon and rectum screened. If you're a man, you'll want to include your prostate and testes.

Women should be screened for cancers of the breast and cervix on a regular basis.

While your physician plays an important part in the screening process, you can take an active role yourself.

Examine your own body regularly, and keep your eyes open for any changes. If something looks or feels suspicious to you, be sure to point it out to your doctor.

When it comes to cancer, devoting a little extra effort to prevention might help eliminate the need for a cure.

Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H., is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn., and author of "Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her Web site is http://www.rallieonhealth.com.

© 2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.