The 5 Best Ways To Reduce Your Risk Of Getting Cancer

Quitting Smoking

Smoking is linked to many cancers, including lung, cervix, kidney, and bladder cancer. Chewing tobacco, in comparison, is associated with oral and pancreatic cancer. Even exposure to small amounts of tobacco is harmful. For example, being in the same room as a smoker and inhaling second-hand smoke increases the risk of cancer. Quitting smoking significantly increases people's life spans. However, the nicotine in cigarettes is highly addictive, so quitting smoking is not an easy task. People who want to quit smoking should talk to their doctor and consider using common strategies, including using nicotine replacement therapy, avoiding smoking triggers, chewing gum, increasing their physical activity, practicing relaxation techniques, and constantly reminding themselves about the benefits of not smoking.

Exercising Regularly

Being sedentary increases the risk of developing numerous chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. For this reason, exercise has many positive health benefits, such as regulating estrogen and insulin levels and reducing some of the growth factors linked to cancer development and progression. Regular exercise also helps prevent obesity, reduce inflammation, and improve the immune system. Some cancers that have been linked to a sedentary lifestyle include colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, myeloma, cancers of the rectum, bladder cancer, head and neck cancer, gastric cardia cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Exercising for at least twenty minutes a day can help people reduce their risk of cancer.