You may have noticed all over social media sites that profile pictures are turning purple. It may seem like an odd phenomenon until you realize that people are doing it for World Cancer Day (February 4th). For every profile picture turned purple Chevrolet will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society. What a great way to make this month count!
It's a great opportunity to celebrate cancer survivors, recognize signs and symptoms which can lead to early detection, and learn more about what you can do to reduce the risk of cancer.
World Cancer Day is focused on debunking four common myths including:
- We don’t need to talk about cancer.
- There are no signs or symptoms of cancer.
- There is nothing I can do about cancer.
- I don’t have the right to cancer care.
What I want to expand on with this blog is busting myth # 3.
There ARE things you can do about cancer. I will be blunt, there is no silver bullet to cancer prevention, but there are things you can do to reduce the risk of cancer and provide your body a better means of fighting it if it does happen to you. World Cancer Day.org states that promoting healthy lifestyles is a major factor in reducing cancer risk. They state that
“the conditions in which people live and work, and their lifestyles influence their health and quality of life.”
I couldn’t agree more.
They identify 3 major areas that can reduce risk: Tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, and overweight and obesity.
1. Tobacco
o Tobacco use is the most common risk factor for cancer
o Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death and smoking is the cause of most cases.
o Smoking also increases the risk of other cancers including mouth, throat, stomach, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancrease, cervix, stomach, and some types of leukemia.
o World Cancer Day.org estimates that based on current trends, tobacco use is estimated to kill one billion people in the 21st century.
2. Drinking
o Men should consume no more than one to two drinks per day while women should keep their intake to only one or less per day.
o Excessive drinking can increases risk for certain cancers such as cancer of the bowel and liver.
o One drink is a 1.5 oz shot of 80 proof alcohol, 12 oz. regular beer, or 5 oz. glass of wine.
3. Overweight and Obesity
o According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) there is scientific evidence to support that being overweight increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer.
o Excess fat, especially in the central region, encourages cell proliferation and increases risk for cancer, making it very dangerous.
o If obesity rates continue to climb, so will cancer rates.
o Keeping yourself at a healthy body weight reduces your risk for cancer. Talk to your doctor or dietitian if you don’t know where your body weight should be. You can also try out this BMI calculator to see where you stand. http://www.eatright.org/bmi/
Physical Activity Can Help you Control your Body Weight and Improve the Immune System
- Get at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate intensity exercise every week. This can be as easy as gardening, ballroom dancing, or taking the dog for a brisk walk.
- You need only 75 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes) of exercise each week if you are doing vigorous intensity exercise such as running, cycling, dancing, or aerobics.
- You can even break down the aerobic activity into 10 minute increments and still reap the benefits!
- Physical activity not only controls body weight, but it also supports a healthy immune system which reduces the risk of cancer.
Eat to your Health!
- Fill at least 2/3rds of your plate with plant foods including veggies, fruits, whole grains and beans!
- Plant foods promote a healthy body weight, provide you with fiber and nutrients, and are packed with phytochemicals which are biologically active compounds that fight cancer and promote health.
- Choose a variety of colors as each color represents a different phytochemical
- Shoot for at least 2.5-3 servings of vegetables and at least 1.5-2 servings of fruits each day.
- Make at least half of your grains whole. Most adults need about 6-8 oz of grains every day, making half of them whole will promote a healthy body weight, provide fiber, and cancer fighting antioxidants.
You may want to take the MD Anderson Cancer Center Cancer Risk Check assessment to see what you can do specifically to lower your risk for cancer:
So what do you think -- can we all help debunk the cancer myths?
Share this post using the social buttons at the top to help debunk cancer myths!
References:
Recommendations for Cancer Prevention. World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research Second Expert Report. World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research. Accessed April 2013. http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/expert_report/recommendations/index.php
Debunking Myths: There is Nothing I can Do About Cancer. Union for International Cancer Control. Research Accessed February 2014. http://www.worldcancerday.org/node/13
