Seven simple life hacks from scientists that could help you slash cancer risk
Scientists have issued seven key tips to slashing your risk of cancer after a huge new study.
A study by Newcastle University experts published in the BMC Medicine journal investigated the relationship between adherence to to lifestyle recommendations and cancer risk.
Data was collected from 94,778 British adults who had an average age of 56, and ranked them on how well they had followed 2018 guidelines from World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research.
The researchers used self-reported dietary and physical activity along with to participants’ BMI and waist measurements to score participants’ adherence to the recommendations out of a maximum score of seven.
Compared to those with an adherence scores of 3.5 points or less, those with a score of 4.5 points or above had a 16% lower risk of all cancers combined. They also found that each one-point increase in their score was associated with a 10% lower risk of breast cancer, a 10% lower risk of colorectal cancer, an 18% lower risk of kidney cancer, a 16% lower risk of oesophageal cancer, a 22% lower risk of liver cancer, a 24% lower risk of ovarian cancer, and a 30% lower risk of gallbladder cancer.
Woman tells of losing 29 kilos and becoming a bodybuilder in her 60s
Dr Fiona Malcolmson, Lecturer in Human Nutrition at Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, said: “In the UK, there are more than 375,000 new cancer cases every year, and it is estimated that four in 10 cases may be preventable, for example, by adopting a healthier lifestyle. Our study suggests that following the WCRF/AICR lifestyle-based Cancer Prevention Recommendations is associated with lowering our risk of cancer, in particular two of the top four cancers in the UK, breast and bowel cancer.”
The seven top tips for reducing cancer risk from the study are:
Maintain a healthy weight
According to the WCRF, staying within a healthy weight range and keeping off the pounds later in life could protect you from as many as 13 types of cancer. Obesity increases the chances of cancer cells developing in your body, the scientists said, and paying attention to your portion sizes is often a good place to start.
Stay physically active
Getting plenty of exercise will help protect you against cancer, the experts found. The WCRF said you should physical activity into your daily routine to reduces the chances of developing bowel, breast and womb cancer. This can be achieved by staying moderately active for at least 150 minutes a week, such as through brisk walking, cycling, gardening, dancing or household chores. Alternatively, you can fit this in by doing 75 minutes of vigorous activity, like running, aerobics or sports.
Eat a better diet
The WCRF said: "We recommend that you make whole grains, vegetables, fruit and pulses – such as beans and lentils – a major part of your usual daily diet," Three quarters of your plate should be made of these items - while the rest can contain lean meat, poultry or fish, or plant-based proteins such as tofu.
Ditch the fast food
Fast foods and snacks that are high in fat, starches and sugar can increase your risk of cancer. Try to keep them to a minimum, as they are heavily linked to three different types of the illness. In particular,the WCRF said you should be wary of chocolate and sweets, crisps, biscuits, cake, ice cream, fast food items like burger and chips, and pastries.
Avoid highly processed meat
Highly processed meat is also a major risk - particularly for bowel cancer. You should try to avoid it entirely, top scientists claim - and you should also limit yourself to three portions of red meat like beef, pork and lamb each week.
No sugary drinks
There is "strong evidence" that drinks sweetened with sugar can fuel cancer-causing weight gain, scientists found. Instead, you should swap it out for water, tea or coffee. Fruit juice can also work as an alternative, but keep this to one serving a day.
Keep the booze to a minimum
Drinking alcohol can increase your risk breast, bowel, liver, mouth, throat and stomach cancer. Scientists now believe there is no 'healthy' amount of alcohol to drink per week, while NHS guidelines state that healthy adults should consume no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across three days or more. That's around 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or 6 pints of 4% beer.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
