Jun 10, 2009 11:55 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Common Sense Steps To Prevent Cancer
Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Cut Your Risk Up To 30 Percent
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Every day cancer claims the lives of 1,500 Americans.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
Preventing cancer may be easier than you think. The simple steps can make all the difference.
For those who believe little can be done to stop cancer, new evidence makes it clear that's not the case.
"There is a certain amount of cancer that is preventable and that's the part that we would like to stress," said Dr. Stewart Fleishman of Beth Israel Medical Center.
Scientists at the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund reviewed more than 7,000 studies on cancer. They concluded most people can lower their chances of developing the illness easily.
Even people who have genes that predispose them to certain types of cancer might be able to reduce their risk by following a few lifestyle changes.
* First, eat a mostly plant-based diet such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sugary processed foods and fast foods and limit red meat consumption to no more than 18 ounces a week.
* Second, maintain a healthy weight. That means having a body mass index between 21 and 23, and avoiding weight gain during adulthood.
* Third, exercise. Moderate activity such as brisk walking 30 minutes a day will do, but 60 minutes is ideal. Limit sedentary activities such as computer use and TV watching.
* Finally, don't rely on vitamins and supplements. The cancer-preventing benefits from nutrients are best from foods, not pills.
"These same sorts of lifestyle changes may also prevent a recurrence of the second cancer, so if you've had cancer already, it may help you not get another one," Dr. Fleishman said.
The authors of the study said these step can drops the cancer rate by 30 percent. And if you add in tobacco prevention, half of today's cancers wouldn't happen.
"It seems like a lot of work, but it's good common sense," Dr. Fleishman said.
The recommendations aren't an all-or-nothing proposition. Even if you can't exercise quite as much as you would like or if you're a few pounds overweight, just making the effort to live healthier can make a difference.
Researchers recommend no more than one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for men.
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