By Bob Wright, M.A.T.

            H³I Director of Lifestyle Education

 

 

            Of all the things that affect our health, we fear cancer the most, but it’s also something we feel we have little control over.  This fear leads to concern, but often little or no action.  We have good reason to be worried -- cancer is a scary disease, and most of us have been affected by it in one way or another.  The good news is you have a much greater opportunity to lower your risk than you think.  One of the best resources is the American Cancer Society and their Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention:  Reducing the Risk of Cancer with Healthy Food and Physical Activity.

            Updated every five years, the guidelines were developed by a panel of cancer experts and represent the “most current scientific evidence related to dietary and activity patterns and cancer risk.”  They clearly establish the importance of weight control, physical activity, and diet in cancer prevention.  “Evidence suggests that one-third of the more than 500,000 cancer deaths per year that occur in the United States can be attributed to diet and physical activity habits including overweight and obesity, while another third is caused by exposure to tobacco products.”  The 2006 ACSGuidelines:

 

Balance your caloric intake with physical activity.  Avoid excessive weight gain throughout the life cycle.  Achieve and maintain a healthy weight if you are currently overweight or obese.

 

While most people don’t associate weight gain with cancer, according to the ACS, overweight and obesity contribute to 14-20% of cancer related deaths.  Overweight and obesity has been linked to many types of cancer, including breast, colon, esophageal, kidney, pancreatic, and gallbladder.  Maintaining a healthy weight, or losing weight if necessary, is a vital part of cancer prevention.

 

Adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on 5 or more days of the week.  Forty-five to 60 minutes of intentional physical activity is preferable.  Children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week.

 

Scientific evidence indicates that physical activity may reduce the risk of several types of cancers including cancer of the breast, colon, prostate, and endometrium.

 

 

Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.  Eat five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.  Choose whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains.  Limit your consumption of processed and red meats.

 

Fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer.  Greater consumption is associated with a reduced risk of lung, esophageal, stomach, and colorectal cancers.  The guidelines strongly emphasize the importance of a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.

 

Whole grains such as wheat, rice, oats, and barley are an important part of a balanced diet.  While research on the benefits of whole grains is not as strong as for fruits and vegetables, consumption is associated with the reduced risk of several chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and diverticulitis.  Regular consumption of red meat and processed meat increases the risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.

 

Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men.

 

A drink is defined as a 12 oz beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1-1/2 oz of 80 proof distilled spirits.  Excess alcohol consumption is an established cause of cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, liver, and breast.  Women who are at high risk of breast cancer would benefit from abstaining from alcohol.

 

            These guidelines should be familiar -- the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and Alzheimer’s Association have all offered similar recommendations.  The bottom line is, eating right and staying fit can help reduce the risk of obesity and heart disease, as well as cancer, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s.  It’s time to put the “power of prevention” into practice by living a healthy lifestyle.