The Most Common Carcinogens To Know & Avoid

Asbestos

This is a type of naturally occurring mineral substance with a soft, fluffy feel. This cotton candy like silicate is resistant to heat, so it was frequently used as an insulation and a fireproof material, and throughout the 1900s, the mineral was regularly used in countless everyday products. Unfortunately, the thin fibers are easily inhaled, even when they have been mixed into other substances. The tiny fibers irritate the lungs and frequently cause lung cancer.

Asbestos can also cause mesothelioma, a type of rare cancer of the internal organ linings. Over eighty percent of all people with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos at some point. The material may be outlawed in the United States, but it is not banned everywhere, and individuals can still encounter it when using foreign goods or older items. Many aging houses still have a lot of the product in them. You can reduce your risk by testing your home to see whether or not it has asbestos.

Tobacco

For a long time, tobacco was one of the leading causes of cancer. It is most commonly associated with lung cancer, because constantly inhaling the smoke damages the lungs so much, but it can cause cancers in other parts of the body. As social attitudes towards it change, fewer individuals are getting cancer from smoking cigarettes. However, even those who do not smoke are at risk. Using chewing tobacco or snuff is also quite dangerous. The average smokeless substance contains at least twenty-eight types of carcinogens.

Individuals who use products that involve sniffing tobacco tend to get nasal cancers, while those who put the product in their mouth frequently get oral cancers. Those who vape and use e-cigarettes have similar rates of cancer. The primary method for avoiding this carcinogen is simply not using tobacco products, so it is important to quit using cigarettes or other items as soon as possible. Secondhand exposure can also cause problems, so try to avoid going into smoky buildings or standing right next to a person smoking.