Cancer is a word many of us dread. It is likely that over 9.5 million people worldwide will die from cancer this year alone. When we hear the word cancer, it conjures up images of losing hair, weakness, withering away and dying. Although this is a grim picture, I also believe that many more people will beat cancer this year. This is because we as human beings are tenacious and the body was made with the wonderful capacity to heal itself.
Whether or not cancer is part of your existence at this moment, you have the opportunity to positively impact your health with the choices you make from here on.
Only 5-10% of cancers are linked to genes. This then means that for 90-95% of cancers, you and I have it within our power to take certain steps towards change that will minimize the risk of developing cancer. Here are some practical pointers to help make this a reality.
- Clean environment.
Keep your environment free from toxins such as tobacco, lead and other chemicals and carcinogens.
- Give up the drink.
Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, so it’s best to limit or avoid alcoholic beverages.
- Healthy eating.
A whole-food plant based diet has been proven to lower cancer risk, so STOP foods such as meats, fish, cheese, eggs, sugar, coffee, white rice, white, flour, oil and fried foods. GO with foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.
- Get moving.
Talk a brisk walk or do some other form of intentional movement for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week
- Maintain a joyful spirit & Minimize stressors.
Take life one day at a time. Focus on the present instead of the past or the future and enjoy the hidden and obvious blessings of each day. A positive attitude goes a long way in maintaining the right balance of hormones in your body that makes it conducive to fighting disease and…you’ll feel better.
- Early detection.
If you do happen to have cancer, early detection is key to fighting it. Get your regular check ups. Do not ignore any signs of cancer or be afraid to get checked. In this case, what you don’t know could hurt you.
There are certain conditions that are usually present in order for cancer to thrive and by implementing these basic principles into your life, you can lower your risk of ever developing cancer or prevent it from progressing. Set yourself up for success by stopping a few things, starting a few things and, if nothing else, you will feel the quality of your life improve.
To your amazing health,
Dona Cooper-Dockery, MD
References:
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/how-many-cancer-deaths-per-year
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/questions-people-ask-about-cancer.html