Lifestyle Changes Can Reduce Your Cancer Risk

You may have heard of President Obama’s recent announcement to invest heavily in finding a “cure” for cancer during the last State of the Union Address, and appointing Vice President Biden - whose son passed away recently from brain cancer - to spearhead what they call a “moonshot”. This renewed focus on “curing cancer” - President Nixon vowed to do something similar in the 70s- implies a significant injection of money, resources, and of course, media attention, while the cancer researchers in the States try to find the Holy Grail.

There have been some criticisms on the part of cancer experts that this initiative may rely on an outmoded view of the disease. As we have come to recognize, cancer is not one disease but hundreds, and significantly more complex than what was thought in the 70’s when the “war on cancer” started. And while cancer deaths have declined, it continues to be the main killer in developed countries like Canada and the United States. Newer drugs have been developed to target more specific tumour mutations and potentially prolong patients’ lives, and in some instances, using the power of the immune system to target cancer cells have proven beneficial. The truth of the matter is that conventional cancer treatments still remain somewhat of a “shot in the dark” approach, and our current knowledge of the disease is still far away from bringing effective curative therapies for everyone.

The one aspect that usually is overlooked in the cancer conversation is prevention. It is estimated that around 40% of cancers are preventable through a series of lifestyle and diet modifications. We all know if the usual “avoid smoking” recommendation, but there are other changes that we could implement to reduce our individual risk of cancer.

Some of the recommendations below are definitely supported by clinical research, while others I have extrapolated from research findings that have demonstrated cancer-protective changes on the molecular and cellular level.

Avoid smoking, and by default, second-hand smoking. Smoking is by far the biggest preventable cause of cancer. Smoking accounts for more than 1 in 4 cancer deaths in the UK, for example. Second-hand smoke has also been classified as a human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent); it causes lung cancer in non-smoking adults, and some research suggests that secondhand smoke may increase the risk of breast, nasal cavity, nasopharyngeal cancer in adults and the risk of leukemia, lymphoma and brain tumours in children.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese also increase your cancer risk, due to inflammation, increased insulin and insulin-like growth factor, which fuel cancer cell growth and development. Gaining weight during your adult years predisposes you to developing breast cancer after menopause. Being overweight is associated with breast, colorectal, uterine, kidney, head and neck, esophageal, pancreatic, endometrial, prostate, gallbladder and thyroid cancers.

Engage in regular, moderately intense physical activity. Being physically active is good for the heart, as it is for your breasts, colon and uterus. Research shows that people who exercise 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes have less risk of developing these types of cancers. It is believed that physical activity helps with hormonal balance -mainly estrogen and insulin- and encourage healthy bowel activity.

Eat a mediterranean-style diet. More than a diet, this is a lifestyle, a way of eating. It involves eating tons of vegetables, fruits, seeds, legumes, whole grains, herbs, spices, fish, seafood, extra virgin olive-oil; moderate consumption of poultry, eggs and dairy products, and minimal consumption of red meat and no added/refined sugars or oils. Researchers have found that people who more closely follow a traditional mediterranean diet had a lower incidence of cancer.

By the same token, limit the consumption of red and processed meats. The World Health Organization has recently classified the latter as “carcinogenic” and established a “strong” connection between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer. Meats that are subjected to high cooking temperatures and charred produce heterocyclic amines, which are known carcinogens. If you are to have meat, make sure it is marinated prior to putting it on the barbie, to reduce the effects of HCA to some extent, and have them with cruciferous vegetables.

Limit alcohol consumption. While we have been told that taking a glass of red wine or two regularly may protect against heart disease, it does not work so well when it comes to your cancer risk. Alcohol is an often overlooked cancer risk factor, and a report from Ontario, the province where I live, has found that in 2012, up to 3000 cancer diagnoses were linked to alcohol consumption, mainly oral, esophageal, colorectal, larynx, liver and breast. The WHO has also classified alcohol as a class 1 carcinogen. No more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women is the recommendation.

Stay away from the sun. As much as I hate to say it, being out in the sun increases your cancer risk. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the number one cause of skin cancer, but UV light from tanning beds is just as harmful. Cumulative sun exposure causes mainly basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer, while episodes of severe blistering sunburns, usually before age 18, can cause melanoma later in life. Be sun smart and go out when the sun rays are not strong - before 11 am and after 5 pm, and use protective gear/sunscreen when out and about. You can get your vitamin D from supplements.

Avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Practicing safe sex will not only prevent diseases like HIV or Hepatitis B - both associated with a higher cancer incidence- but also will prevent sexually transmitted illnesses, which put you at a higher risk of contracting HPV and cervical cancer by default.

Limit exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. I already mentioned HCA from charred meats, and nitrites/nitrates from processed meats, but there are many more out there to watch out for. Some compounds in air fresheners, art supplies, cosmetics and personal care products, plastic containers and packages have been directly or indirectly connected to cancer. It is best to do your homework and research what you are being exposed to, and limit the use of these cancer-causing chemicals to the extent possible.

Other anti-cancer measurements that have not been subjected to extensive clinical research, but have started to gain attention due to their potential to ward off this very serious disease are the following:

• Cruciferous vegetables: Kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, arugula, brussel sprouts, bok choy contain detoxifying substances like indoles and isothiocyanates, which are later converted to sulforaphane, a be potent anticancer compound.

• Green tea. Green tea has been shown to help prevent a variety of cancers in animal models, or can help slow the growth of cancer cells.

• Vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels have been implicated in a variety of cancers, and supplementation with Vitamin D has been shown to decrease colorectal cancer risk.

• Folate and Vitamin B12. While synthetic folic acid has been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers when taken at high doses, naturally-occurring folate from the diet has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer risk. Both folate and B12 put methyl groups in DNA and can help “switch off” overactive genes. Sources of folate are dark green vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, peas, oranges, lentils and beans. B12 is found in animal products.

• Flax seeds. Not only are these rich in fiber - and a high-fiber diet has been associated with a decreased cancer risk- they are also rich in lignans, compounds that have great potential in slowing down breast cancer growth.

• Calcium. A diet rich in calcium has been associated to a lesser risk of developing colon cancer, but make sure it is from plant sources, rather than dairy: dairy consumption may increase your prostate cancer risk. What a pickle!

• Meditation. Studies have found that engaging in regular meditation can help maintain telomere length - a part of the chromosome that protects against early cellular aging, which may in turn decrease their oncogenic potential.

It is reassuring to know that while the top cancer researchers are searching for a cure, there are effective ways to reduce our risk through every day measures.

Our cancer risk is heavily determined by our genes, but also by our environment. Maybe, just maybe, by tweaking our lives just a little, we could prevent cancer from taking hold, or better prepare our bodies to deal with the disease?

#cancer #cancerprevention #lifestylechanges