| A complex mix of factors related to | | | | cancer in the U.S. population. This |
| environment, lifestyle, and heredity plays a | | | | protective effect is probably due to the |
| role in the causation of cancer. For example, | | | | antioxidants and folic acid present in fruits |
| 80 percent of all cancers are related to the | | | | and vegetables, which neutralize damage to |
| use of tobacco products, to what we eat and | | | | chromosomal DNA caused by oxygen-free |
| drink, and to our exposure to radiation, | | | | radicals. |
| asbestos, and some of the other | | | | |
| cancer-causing agents. There's not much you | | | | 4. A high-fat diet |
| can do about your genes, but several other | | | | |
| key risk factors are under your control. If | | | | This type of diet is associated with cancer |
| you identify them and make the necessary | | | | of the breast, uterus, and prostate. The |
| changes in your lifestyle early enough, you | | | | guilty foods are eggs, fatty meat, high-fat |
| can substantially decrease your chances of | | | | salad dressings and cooking oils, and diary |
| developing a malignancy. Here are some of the | | | | products such as whole milk, butter, and most |
| risk factors you can do something about: | | | | cheeses. |
| | | | |
| 1. Tobacco | | | | Blueberries have a higher antioxidant |
| | | | capacity than any other fruit or vegetable. |
| Tobacco is the most preventable cause of | | | | They are said to protect against cancer by |
| mortality in this country. Regardless of | | | | virtue of their anthocyanins and other |
| whether you chew it, snuff it, smoke it, or | | | | natural phytochemicals. |
| inhale someone else's exhaust, tobacco is a | | | | |
| killer. In the United States, it is | | | | 5. A high consumption of soy-based food |
| responsible for 85 to 90 percent of all lung | | | | |
| cancers, and for one-third of all deaths | | | | Soy-based food such as tofu, may also protect |
| related to other cancers. The magnitude of | | | | against cancer because of the genistein |
| the risk depends on the number and kind of | | | | content. Genistein suppresses the production |
| cigarettes you have smoked and for how long. | | | | of proteins that cancer cells need in order |
| A pack-a-day smoker is ten times more | | | | to keep growing. In China and Japan, where |
| vulnerable than a non-smoker. It is never too | | | | people eat lots of soy, there is much less |
| late to quit. After you do, your cancer risk | | | | cancer of the breast, colon, and prostate |
| declines gradually each year. | | | | than in this country. Since men with prostate |
| | | | cancer generally have lower blood levels of |
| 2. Chronic alcohol abuse | | | | selenium than their normal counterparts, |
| | | | selenium supplements may protect against this |
| This type of abuse can cause cancer of the | | | | malignancy. |
| liver, as well as of the mouth, throat, and | | | | |
| larynx, especially in combination with | | | | 6. Some supplements |
| tobacco. It may also raise the risk of breast | | | | |
| cancer. If you are going to imbibe, limit | | | | Some supplements seem to protect against |
| yourself to the equivalent of two drinks a | | | | certain cancers. For instance, colon polyps |
| day - and stop smoking. | | | | and cancer do not recur as often in persons |
| | | | who regularly take multivitamins, calcium |
| 3. Diet | | | | supplements, and vitamin E. A diet rich in |
| | | | fruits and vegetables is protective against |
| People who shun fruits and vegetables have | | | | cancer, presumably because of the |
| roughly twice the incidence of most types of | | | | beta-carotene content. So take your mother's |
| cancer - lung, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, | | | | advice: Eat all the fruits and vegetables you |
| colon, and rectum, bladder, pancreas, cervix, | | | | can - and forget the pills. |
| and ovary - than those with the highest | | | | |
| intake. Yet only 9 percent of Americans heed | | | | 7. Don't have X-rays |
| the recommendations of the National Cancer | | | | |
| Institute and the National Research Council | | | | Don't have X-rays any more frequently than is |
| to eat two servings of fruit and three | | | | absolutely necessary. I no longer take annual |
| portions of vegetables a day. Seventh-Day | | | | routine chest films on myself. Some dentists |
| Adventists, who don't drink or eat much meat | | | | are too enthusiastic about X rays. Make sure |
| but do consume a diet rich in fruits and | | | | you really need them before acquiescing. |
| vegetables, have the lowest incidence of | | | | |