If you want to avoid cancer in the future, it is best to develop healthy lifestyle habits from a young age
Most people don’t think regarding cancer in their twenties or thirties. But people born following the 1990s are more likely than any generation before them to develop cancer before the age of 50, according to a recent study.
When it comes to cancer, while some things we can’t change – like certain genes we inherit – up to half of all cancers can be avoided. This means that our early lifestyle choices have a major impact on cancer risk later in life.
Here are some of the most important lifestyle changes you can make right now to help reduce your cancer risk.
Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for cancer
Not only is smoking the leading cause of lung cancer each year, it’s also linked to 14 other cancers, including those of the mouth and throat.
Young people are less likely to smoke now, thanks in part to the popularity of e-cigarettes. But research still shows that nine out of ten regular smokers started smoking before the age of 25. If you want to significantly reduce your risk of many types of cancer, stop smoking – or quit smoking now.
While e-cigarettes are certainly less harmful than smoking, their long-term effects have not been studied. For this reason, Cancer Research UK recommends that e-cigarettes should only be used to help quit smoking. The risk of cancer from marijuana use is also unknown, although there is some evidence that there is a small link between marijuana use and an increased risk of testicular cancer. Until more research results are available, it’s best to avoid both as well.
HPV (human papillomavirus), which can cause genital warts, is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. It can cause a range of cancers, including cervical, penis, mouth and throat cancers.
HPV-related cancers are especially prevalent in young adults. In the UK alone, cervical cancer is most common in women aged 30-34. Meanwhile, it is believed that rising rates of HPV may explain the recent surge in oral cancer among young men.
Getting the HPV vaccine and practicing safe sex will help protect you from the virus. For women, cervical screening (Pap smear) is equally important because it can detect HPV infection so that action can be taken before it has a chance of causing cancer. Therefore, women aged 25-64 should be screened regularly every 5 years.
Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk of 13 different cancers, including bowel, breast, uterine and pancreatic cancers. Too much fat can lead to inflammation in the body, which promotes tumor growth and helps cancer cells divide.
Fat cells also produce estrogen, which stimulates tumor growth in the breast and uterus. Therefore, the risk of cancer in women is more prominent. Cancers associated with being overweight or obese are becoming more common, especially among young adults.
Not only that, but poor diet alone can increase the risk of cancer even more. For example, eating too much red and processed meat has been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer. But on the other hand, there is growing evidence that eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in fiber and a variety of vegetables and fruits can actually reduce the risk of several different types of cancer.
Therefore, eating the right diet and maintaining a healthy weight are both great ways to reduce your risk of developing many types of cancer later in life.
Studies have shown that drinking less or no alcohol will help reduce the risk of cancer.
Alcohol is known to increase the risk of several cancers including liver, breast and esophageal cancers. While the more you drink, the greater the risk, even moderate drinking is believed to increase the number of cancer cases globally by as much as 100,000 each year.
While there are few studies on the effects of alcohol abuse, one study showed that moderate drinkers who regularly binge drink are up to 50% more likely to develop breast cancer. Smoking while drinking can also increase the carcinogenic effects of smoking.
Drinking less or not drinking alcohol at all will help reduce your risk of cancer. The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week (regarding 6 pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine) and trying to avoid alcohol on a few days a week.
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in people under the age of 40. The cancer has also become more common over the past few decades.
The leading cause of skin cancer is UV radiation – either from the sun or from sunbeds. Because the effects of UV radiation are cumulative, the parts of the skin that are most exposed to the sun, such as the face, are most likely to develop skin cancer.
In addition to this, being severely sunburned from the sun at a young age can especially increase the risk of developing the most dangerous types of skin cancer.
Protect yourself with sunscreen when going out in the hot sun. Wear a hat, wear long sleeves, and apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, but remember that no sunscreen can provide 100 percent protection.
This is especially important for those at high risk for skin cancer, such as those with lighter skin and freckles.
Overall, the best way to reduce the risk of many types of cancer is also related to maintaining better health. Other ways to improve general health and prevent cancer include active exercise and avoiding air pollution.
Note: Sarah Allinson is a senior lecturer at Lancaster University, UK.This article was published on Creative Commons“dialogue”(The Conversation）superior.
