1. Maintain Healthy Weight
Staying at a healthy weight means maintaining a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 18.5 and below 25. A BMI is a screening tool that indicates your level of body fat by dividing height by weight. If your BMI is higher or lower than these numbers, consider contacting your care provider as this may lead to possible health risks beyond cancer.
2. Craft A Personal Diet
Every person’s body and diagnoses are specific to them, and this should be the same for your diet as well. If you’re not interested in giving up what food is in your diet, consider limiting how much instead. Try smaller portions of your favorite high-calorie foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks. Limit your meat consumption by baking, broiling, or poaching leaner cuts, while avoiding anything deep fried or fat heavy. Also, remember when reading food labels that low-fat and nonfat does not mean low calorie and take note of any additives, sugar, or calories.
Try our Cookbook. Over 300 recipes hand-picked for people who have low-iodine diets or have difficulty eating
3. Say Goodbye To Some Food Groups
Another healthy option is to let go of some food groups. Give your body the nutrients it needs by choosing whole-grain bread, pasta, cereal, and rice over refined grains. Minimize your carbohydrate intake with foods like processed meats, creamy sauces, and breakfast cereals, by choosing fish, poultry, or beans instead. Boost your energy by adding two and a half cups of low-calorie vegetables and fruits to your daily meals.
4. Increase Activity & Exercise
Physical activity benefits many aspects of the body including your immune system, hormone levels, and body weight. Today most adult bodies need between 75 and 150 minutes of activity per week, so focusing on these aspects can reduce your risk of diseases like diabetes, breast, and lung cancer. Limit the hours of your time sitting, laying down, and watching television, by picking up an activity you’re interested in. Find a nearby gym or yoga studio, or try taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
5. Limit Alcohol Intake
Keeping your favorite alcohol handy is normal however, quantity can be the detrimental factor. In order to reduce your cancer risk, it is wise to limit the number of drinks you consume per day. A “drink” is measured at 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of hard liquor. Our suggestion is 1 drink for women and 2 for men since average male body mass is larger with a slower breakdown process.
6. Quit Smoking Tobacco
Tobacco poisons weaken your body’s immune system and damage your DNA. With too much smoke inhalation, your immune system will grow weak and unable to effectively fight off cancer cells. Or chemicals in tobacco can penetrate DNA causing an adaptation, speeding up the cell process so much, they start to produce cancerous tumors. Though treatments are developing, lung cancer is the deadliest and most common killer of men and women today.
7. Get Screened
Being aware of your personal cancer risk is paramount. Get in contact with your healthcare provider to discuss family health history and screening options. Being open about your history with health and screening early helps to identify tumors in a treatable stage. Talk to your doctor for more information on getting checked and creating a plan.
If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with cancer take a look at the THANC Guide for more information on the cancer journey.
