SOME WAYS TO LOWER CANCER RISK

1) Be Smoke Free.

Lung cancer kills more women and men  than any other cancer

every year. The vast majority of those deaths are due to

smoking.

And that’s just lung cancer. Smoking has also been linked to more than a dozen other cancers and accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths overall.

That's why many doctors will tell you that the biggest anti-cancer step you can take is to stop smoking, or never start. But even if you’re having trouble quitting entirely, you can reduce your cancer risk significantly by just cutting back.

A study  found that smokers who cut back from about 20 cigarettes per day to less than 10 per day reduced their lung cancer risk by 27%. It’s a good first step, but don't stop there; quit completely for your health's sake.

Even if you’re a nonsmoker, don’t assume smoke isn’t permeating your life. About 3,000 cases of lung cancer each year occur as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke, and there are strong indicators that other cancers may be linked to secondhand smoke as well.

If you’re in a closed bar or nightclub and 100 people in there are smoking, you might as well be . When you leave a bar and your clothes are smelling of tobacco, you’ve inhaled a lot of cigarette smoke.

So think twice before spending regular nights out in smoke-filled clubs, or letting your child ride home regularly with someone who smokes in the car.

2 ) Being obese isn't good

Many people probably know that carrying too much weight around isn’t good for your heart, but did you know that it’s a major risk factor for cancer as well? Obesity is the culprit behind some 14% of cancer deaths, and more than 3% of new cancer cases, every year.

No. 1 recommendation for cancer risk reduction is to stay as lean as possible within a healthy weight range. This may be one of the most important ways to prevent cancer.

 Being overweight, is linked to a wide variety of cancers, including oesophageal, pancreatic, gall bladder, breast, endometrial, and kidney cancers.

3) Exercise daily

All forms of physical activity help to prevent many forms of cancer. You may not get six-pack abs with 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, but a number of studies have found evidence that just this much physical activity can cut your risk of many common cancers by 30% to 50%.

It doesn’t matter that much what kind of exercise you do, or when -- just do it

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4 ) Eat more veggies

Here are a number of different foods that may help to prevent certain types of cancer. For example, tomatoes, watermelon, and other foods containing lycopene have evidence showing that they probably reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

But if you’re aiming to slice your risk of many cancers across the board, load your plate with plants, particularly non-starchy vegetables and fruits. That’s why it is recommended  to eat mostly foods that come from plants -- at least 14 ounces every day. The Mediterranean diet, St. Tropez diet, and the green diet all are based on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Diets that tend to prevent cancer are rich in plant-based foods.

 Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains should cover two-thirds of your plate; the other one-third should contain lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy.

5 ) Be Alcohol free

When it comes to health, alcohol wields a double-edged sword. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that light alcohol consumption, especially red wine,may be beneficial for heart health.

But on the other hand, it appears that any alcohol consumption can raise your risk of cancer.

 The more you drink, the greater the risk, especially for certain cancers like those of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. And if you smoke, too, the combined effects of drinking and smoking shoot your risk for these up even higher.

6)  Be Stress Free

There’s no convincing evidence that, by itself, stress is an independent risk factor for cancer. But what it cando is lead people to engage in unhealthy behavior in an effort to cope with stress. If you’re overeating, drinking, or smoking to self-medicate your stress away, those behaviors all raise your cancer risk.

So instead, finding healthy ways of coping with stress, like exercise (which helps to reduce cancer risk), meditation,  yoga, being with family, developing a hobby, all helps.

7) Take Screening Tests Regularly

Many screening tests for various cancers, like mammograms and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, don’t actually prevent cancer -- they just catch it at a very early stage, when it may be more treatable.

But other tests, like Pap tests and colonoscopies, can help detect precancerous changes that, if left untreated, can turn into cervical cancer or colon cancer.

There are many confusing messages about what screening tests different people should use, and when. Instead of trying to figure it out on your own, talk to your doctor about your individual situation.

Take screening mammograms, for instance. The question isn’t “Should women under 50 get mammograms?” but “Should I,given my own personal situation and family health history, start mammograms before 50?”

Things about your health situation change, and so does  knowledge about cancer and screening. Ask your doctor about it this year, and next year, and the year after that.

8) KNOW YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

Family history is where we can really create a personalized strategy for cutting cancer risk and catching it early. But it’s a piece I don’t think people bring up nearly often enough.

The Surgeon General’s family history initiative lets you create a personalized diagram that you can download to keep on your own computer, or copy and share with other family members to keep the info flowing.

9). Aspirin  with  Caution.

Should you take aspirin to prevent cancer? The jury’s still out, but at least some evidence points that way. A large study published in 2010 found that daily use of low-dose aspirin can cut the risk of death due to certain cancers (primarily lung, colorectal, and esophageal cancer) by as much as 21%.

But regular aspirin use can come with side effects, especially stomach bleeding and irritation. Most experts say it’s way too soon to recommend a cancer-fighting aspirin a day.

“We’d all like preventing cancer to be as easy as taking a little pill, but the fact is that you’ll reduce your cancer risk much more by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and eating fruits and vegetables than you will by taking aspirin,” Ruffin says.

Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin on a regular basis for any reason

Natural Ways to Prevent and Relieve Heartburn, Gas and Other Digestive Woes Read More http://www.ivillage.com/natural-remedies-prevent-and-relieve-heartburn-gas-and-other-digestive-woes/4-b-405446#ixzz1uHFvJtee Sign up for iVillage Special Offers

Sip Cider Vinegar

 If you struggle with heartburn, you might be hesitant to chug something acidic, like apple

cider vinegar. “Yet that’s what many people need to prevent heartburn from ever happening!”

says a gastroenterologist . The connection? Stalled digestion is what keeps food in the

stomach long enough for it to wash up into the esophagus and cause heartburn pain, he

says. “And cider vinegar contains malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed

up digestion so your stomach can empty quickly.” Dilute one tablespoon of apple cider

vinegar in an 8- ounce glass of water and drink before each meal -- you’ll see noticeable

improvements in as little as 24 hours. For the best results possible, pick up some

unpasteurized cider vinegar the next time you’re at a health or whole foods store. Malic and

tartaric acids can be damaged by heat, so you’ll get a heftier dose of these tummy-soothers

if you opt for cider vinegar that’s never been heated.

          

Dawdle at Dinner

If you’re tempted to drag out a meal so you can get a break from your hectic life -- do it!

People who take 30 minutes to eat their largest meal of the day are 32 percent less likely to

be hit with indigestion, gassiness and heartburn compared to people who finish in less than

10 minutes, according to studies . “Plus people who eat at a leisurely pace have less

swallowed air, bloating, cramping and intestinal pain,” adds a Dr.  “If you tend to eat quickly,

just slowing down could completely change the quality of your life.” Can’t seem to break your

speed-eating habit? Try dining in silence. Studies suggest that people who turn off the TV

and radio -- so they’re eating in a calm, quiet atmosphere -- naturally nosh at a more

leisurely, tummy-soothing pace.

Chew Gum

According to researchers, chewing gum after meals prevents heartburn by doubling the flow

of saliva down into the esophagus, where it neutralizes any stomach acid that’s leaking up

from your tummy. You don’t have to chew gum nonstop. Just pop a piece in your mouth

when you feel the first twinge, and chew until your heartburn disappears. That depends on

how the rest of your digestive tract functions! The artificial sweeteners in sugar-free gum

have an odd little quirk: They’re surprisingly good at getting the large intestines moving.

Have a Glass of Peppermint Tea

It’s packed with 40 intestine-soothing natural plant compounds, and sipping three cups daily

can reduce painful cramping and chronic bloating for up to 75 percent of women within 48

hours, say researchers. Time it right by drinking 8 ounces half an hour before each meal.

Peppermint tea can even prevent dyspepsia (that nasty upper-belly pain and bloating that

can drag on for hours after meals), say the researchers. Peppermint’s plant compounds can

make you less prone to embarrassing bouts of flatulence, because they break up large gas

bubbles in the intestines, plus stall the formation of new ones.

Soak in the Tub

Taking warm, soothing daily baths can reduce bloating in as little as 72 hours, according to

researchers at Logan’s University of Utah. The reason: Being immersed in warm water

relaxes the entire central nervous system, and when people feel more calm, cool and

collected, they swallow 67 percent less air than when they’re stressed to the max!  More

good news: A relaxing soak reduces your adrenal glands’ production of damaging stress

hormones -- as stress hormone levels drop, your stomach’s ability to properly digest and

absorb food naturally rises.

Munch Candied Ginger

Nibbling two slices of candied ginger quells the queasies for up to 88 percent of people within 30 minutes, say researchers. That makes this sweet, spicy treat as effective as Dramamine for easing nausea, but without this meds’ sleepy side effects. Bonus: Researchers at India’s Central Food Technological Research Institute say enjoying two slices of candied ginger daily can also help cut your heartburn flare-ups as much as 40 percent. Their studies suggest that ginger’s active ingredients (gingerols and curcumin) not only improve digestion and quell nausea fast; they also prod the gallbladder to produce more bile (a digestive aid that helps break down heartburn-triggering fats).

Eat Rye Bread

Munching on whole-grain rye bread relieves constipation more effectively than laxatives. Plus, it prevents future flare-ups, too, according to researchers . The credit goes to rye’s arabinoxylan -- dietary fiber that improves your belly’s ability to keep food moving at a reasonable clip. The study subjects enjoyed seven slices daily -- but just trading your usual dose of bread for whole-grain rye can do the trick.

Cook Fruits and Veggies

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) -- the most common digestive problem nationwide (at least one in five women struggle with it daily) -- can cause terrible bouts of pain, constipation, diarrhea and other symptoms. And while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps ease digestive upsets for almost 60 percent of women, there’s a pretty big catch: Raw produce releases irritating hydrogen gas when it reaches the intestines, which causes nasty flare-ups for IBS-prone women. If you suspect uncooked produce could be making your belly upsets worse, try this test: Only eat fruits and veggies that have been cooked, canned, made into soups or processed into juices. If you’re sensitive to fresh produce, you’ll see dramatic improvements in as little as one week.

Relax After Meals

If   If you’re prone to belly pain, bloating or other uncomfortable symptoms after meals, try relaxing in a comfy chair after eating. For five minutes, sit and visualize your symptoms gradually disappearing. Spending a few minutes daily picturing a positive, pain-free outcome helps up to 89 percent of women soothe bellyaches in as little as one week,. That’s because a post-meal serenity break switches on your enteric nervous system, a specialized group of nerves that nourishes your digestive tract, plus secretes the hormones your intestines need to function at their peak

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    Practice Yoga

   Spending just 20 minutes daily practicing even the most basic yoga poses can reduce your bouts of indigestion by 70 percent in one week and cut your heartburn flare-ups in half, say doctors. Turns out these calming, body-bending moves act just like meditation, dramatically lowering your output of tummy-trashing stress hormones. 

Legumes, brown rice, veggies, greatly reduce risk of colorectal cancer

Eating legumes at least three times a week and brown rice at least once a week can reduce your risk of colon polyps by 33 percent and 40 percent respectively, thereby decreasing your risk for colorectal cancer to a great extent, according to a new research.

Results also show that consuming cooked green vegetables once a day or more, as compared to less than five times a week, was associated with a 24 percent reduction in the risk of rectal/colon polyps.

Meanwhile, consuming dried fruit three times a week or more, versus less than once a week, was associated with a 26 percent reduced risk.

Eating these foods is likely to decrease your risk for colon polyps, which would in turn decrease your risk for colorectal cancer according to a  doctor.

The protective effects of these foods could be due in part to their cancer-fighting agents, the study reported.

Legumes, dried fruits, and brown rice all have a high content of fiber, known to dilute potential carcinogens.

Additionally, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, contain detoxifying compounds, which would improve their protective function.