6 Habits That Help Prevent Cancer

Experts estimate that a healthy lifestyle can prevent half of all cancers. In this article, we’ll show you a list of healthy habits that science says help prevent cancer. Record these habits and put them into practice to improve your life and protect your health.

What should we know about cancer?

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that depends on both genetics and environmental factors. One of the most talked about diseases right now is cancer.

This is understandable as more than 200,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed in this country according to estimates by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). The World Health Organization (WHO) also says that by 2022, about 250,000 people will suffer from cancer in Spain alone.

It is important to understand that the appearance of a number of malignant cells in the body is inevitable. However, they don’t become cancer if the body is in balance and we don’t stimulate it with ‘triggers’ that encourage the disease to set in.

It is therefore of fundamental importance to respond to the potential tumor cells and the cells around them, which make up the tumor-like microenvironment. In the same way, we need to understand and avoid the factors that can contribute to the development of cancer.

According to researchers at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (Spanish link), genetic factors are responsible for 5-10% of cancers. At the same time, environmental causes account for about 90% of cases. We can therefore conclude that practicing healthy habits can prevent a significant proportion of cancers.

Habits That Help Prevent Cancer

Nutrition is vital to a healthy lifestyle. However, that also applies to exercise and managing stress. Let’s take a look at the best tips.

1. Maintain a healthy body weight

Poor eating habits have been linked to diseases such as obesity or hypertension, which can contribute to cancer. Maintain a healthy weight throughout your life, as being overweight and obese increases the risk of cancer and relapse (Spanish link).

Experts have linked both to low-grade systemic inflammation characterized by elevated inflammatory cytokines. Since it causes a change in the immune system, experts have linked this condition to the development of diseases.

2. Eating Healthy and Helping Prevent Cancer

Healthy food is a basic pillar of a healthy life. However, it is also key to preventing cancer. Being well nourished keeps the immune system functioning properly.

Studies on the positive effects of eating fruits and vegetables claim that they are important in the fight against cancer. Why is that?

It’s because fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help repair damaged cells. You should therefore consume at least five servings per day.

We should also avoid eating excessive amounts of red meat and processed foods. We must also limit ourselves to specific times. These suggestions come from the American Institute for Cancer Research.

3. Don’t smoke

Smoking is one of the most harmful habits to health. That’s because it causes several diseases, including cancer.

The WHO estimates that 22% of cancer deaths stem from this bad habit. It is not easy to quit smoking, but it is a wise choice that many can make difficult.

Smoking does much more than just cause cancer deaths. It also causes heart attacks, cardiovascular problems, chronic fatigue and many more harmful conditions.

4. Exercise to Help Prevent Cancer

Exercise provides great benefits to the body. Among these, cancer prevention stands out thanks to its effect on the immune system. Exercise is one of the healthiest habits we can adopt in our lives.

Cardiovascular health improves and we burn excess calories. Exercise also helps prevent many diseases, including cancer. Performing 3 to 5 sessions per week (30-60 minutes) is ideal for noticing the health and cancer prevention benefits.

5. Prevent the proliferation of tumor cells

Another interesting fact is that we can create conditions so that tumor cells do not multiply. An example is to include substances in your diet that help with cell repair. For example, there are antioxidants.

Several vegetables have been proven to have the greatest inhibitory effect on cancer growth. These include cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.), other dark leafy greens, and garlic. This is due to the polyphenols contained in these plants (Spanish link).

Carotene-rich fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, persimmons and apricots contain provitamin A. And in some cases, they also contain lycopene. Both substances inhibit the division of harmful cells.

6. Practice a relaxation technique

Striving to keep stress at bay is key. Among the environmental factors, there are psycho-emotional factors. Due to the poor management of stress, these can trigger the disease process.

It is therefore very important to adopt practices that help to improve the management of this state. Mindfulness, exercise, or increased contact with nature, for example, are all very helpful.

The importance of healthy habits

Obviously, some of the risk factors for cancer are impossible to control. For example, there are also genetics and environmental factors. However, there are still habits you can follow to help prevent cancer.

We hope this information has been useful to you and that you take it into consideration. Remember that following these habits, as well as seeing your doctor regularly and living a healthy life, can help you avoid cancer.