Three academicians — Hao Xishan, Sun Yan, and Zeng Yixin from the Chinese Academy of Engineering — are experts in cancer prevention and treatment.
Here are their 10 tips for cancer prevention
1. Maintain a healthy weight
This is the finding of five-year research conducted by 21 scientists around the world, and it‘s the first one on the list as it is the most important. Being overweight or obese can promote the development of cancer since fat tissue can produce hormones, such as insulin or estrogen.
2. Never use nutritional supplements to prevent cancer
“I disagree with the use of nutritional supplements for cancer prevention,” said Hao Xishan. “All of these are something that may only be effective in cell or animal tests.”
3. Avoid foods with too many unhealthy fats, salt, and sugar
“In terms of cancer prevention, one must avoid eating too much high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar foods, such as French fries,” says Hao Xishan.
4. Do not eat heavily processed food
The bad habit of eating processed foods may induce gastric cancer. Sun Yan said that occasional stomach pain may not be a problem, but recurrent stomach discomfort may entail a check-up with your doctor. Chronic atrophic gastritis, coupled with Helicobacter pylori infection, maybe cause precancerous lesions. That being the case, you must get treatment right away.
5. Eat a healthy meal at home as much as possible
Eating disorders, smoking, drinking, and overeating while away from home may lead to weight gain as well as persistent damage to the stomach, which can induce cancer. So Sun Yan urged the public to avoid this by having meals at home as much as possible.
6. Don’t smoke
Smoking is linked to lung cancer and is one of the major factors leading to nasopharyngeal cancer.
7. Have a physical screening at least once a year
The primary approach to detect cancer at the early stage is the annual physical checkup. But Sun Yan advocates having physical checkups once a year. “Physical checkups must be done every year. More comprehensive physical examination with higher frequency is especially needed for the elderly,” he said.
8. Exercise, even in moderation, is better than none
Mr. Sun said that types of exercise may vary from person to person. But as long as one does exercise, regardless of whether they are walking, jogging, swimming, or any other form of exercise, it’s better than none. Exercise does not necessarily have to be done at a specific site or time. You could do some exercise during work or leisure time.
9. Get rid of bad habits
Many tumors are associated with bad habits. For instance, drinking too much alcohol, not exercising, excessive intake of high-fat food, eating too much red meat, and not eating fruit or vegetables tend to induce colon cancer, while breathing in second-hand smoke can result in lung cancer, etc. So it’s important to develop good living habits, including the time to eat and sleep, as well as regular exercise.
10. Be cheerful and learn to feel satisfied
Stress, depression, and anxiety are common risk factors for cancer. Long-term adverse emotions can cause the body to produce stress, weakening the body’s immune system, which is conducive to cancer progression.
It is suggested that you should be an optimistic and carefree person. As long as you can maintain a cheerful mind, you can have good physical health.
By following these tips, you should be on your way to a healthy and cancer-free life.
