HOW TO PREVENT CANCER?

The number of people who have cancer is increasing. In 2012. that number was - 14 million! And is getting bigger and bigger. Behind the increase are: poor diet, use of tobacco, obesity and lack of exercise. 'To think that we can cure cancer just with medical treatments is unsustainable. That is not enough', said Christopher Wild, co-author of the World Cancer Report of 2014. 'The prevention and early diagnose is very, very important', said Wild.

Lots of people believe that the chances of getting cancer are higher if someone in their family had it, but only 5% to 10% of cancers are linked to inherited genes. 

Scientist claims that there is much that we can do to prevent cancer. 

• Eat healthy (lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, tea...)

•  Avoid microwaving (one study from Spain found that, for example, microwaving broccoli destroys 97 percent of its cancer-protective flavonoids)

• Maintain a healthy weight with a BMI between 18.5 and 25

• Exercise every day for about 30 minutes 

• Importance of vitamin D (More than 90% of this vitamin we get from sunshine. So, get about 15 minutes of sunlight each day)

• Drink green tea (it`s scientific proved that some antioxidants may help stop cancer)

• Use garlic (The World Health Organization recommends to use a clove of garlic every day so... add garlic to your meals)

• Stop smoking cause is linked to various types of cancer!

• Avoid alcohol (more than two drinks a day may increase risk of mouth, liver and breast cancer)

• Eat kiwi, it`s full of cancer-fighting antioxidants

• Limit red meat

• Add blueberries to your breakfast (they have lots of antioxidants)

• Use condoms and practice safe sex

• Drink enough water (major studies found that drinking water reduce some types of cancer like bladder cancer or colon cancer)

• Know your family medical history and do your physical examination of your whole body every two years (girls, every year do ultrasound of your breasts)

So, how this lifestyle changes really make a difference?

A large study worked out how a combination of few healthy changes (not smoking, regular exercise, moderating how much alcohol you drink and eating fruit and vegetables) would affect our health. 

People who did this health changes gained an average of 14 years of life compared to people who did not do any of them. By the end of the study, they were less likely to have died from cancer or heart disease (Cancer Research UK).

So, start today with your healthy changes.  And keep in mind that most cancers are preventable... :)