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Cancer Prevention and Early Detections |
How to prevent cancer:
- Eat healthy food on a daily basis – five fruits and vegetables, whole grains instead of processed grains or sugars, lean meat like chicken and turkey, and lots of water. Watch your portions and remember to cut back on eating when you feel full. Also, monitor fat intake and try substituting foods high in fat with their low-fat counterparts.
- Be physically active. Most doctors recommend half an hour, five days a week. Anything from walking to swimming to dancing will help
- Maintain a healthy, stable weight for life. If you’re overweight or obese, try losing weight; in general, incorporate physical activity into a lifestyle that includes healthy food and your chances of avoiding cancer will improve dramatically.
How to detect cancer early:
- Women:
For early detection of breast cancer, women age 40 and older should have mammograms and clinical breast exams on an annual basis as well as self-breast examinations every month. Women younger than 40 should have a clinical breast exam every three years and self-breast examinations once a month.
Cervix cancer is a risk to all women who either have been or currently are sexually active. Women who are 18 or older need Pap tests and pelvic examinations administered every year. Your health care professional will decide how many and how often these examinations will need to take place in the long run.
- Men:
Prostate cancer is found in higher percentages of African-American males, but any man over 50 needs to begin having prostate-specific antigen tests and digital rectal exams (African-Americans and those diagnosed early should begin having these tests done at 45).
- Men and Women:
Colon and Rectum cancers are found more often in patients over 50 years old. There are many advanced examinations now that can help detect these cancers early such as the fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and the colonoscopy. People with a family history of colon cancer, or those who have had polyps, colorectal cancer, or inflammatory bowel disease have a greater chance of getting colon cancer.
Nutrition and Cancer:
As expected, how we take care of our bodies and what we put into them affect how we feel, regardless of whether we are sick or well. Nutrition is a crucial component in fighting illness and regaining health. Here is the essential information to know when deciding what to eat:
Think…Color
According to James Haller’s What to Eat When You Don’t Feel Like Eating, various vegetables take on the symbolic meaning of their colors. For example, orange – the color of autumn and, hence, change – found in foods ranging from pumpkin to tangerines to peaches, contains a healthy dose of Vitamin A, essential for body tissue to repair and grow. Green, the color of foliage and growth, is found in vegetables containing vitamin A (rebuilds), vitamin C (heals), and potassium (helps normal cells function productively).
Purple fruits and vegetables, along with the color representing spirituality, contain potassium, known as “soul food,” according to Haller. After all, potassium nurtures cells during their lifespan.
Each fruit and vegetable has important components that will facilitate a solid recovery. It’s important to eat foods that make your body feel good; stick to vibrant colors and fresh, healthy options because when your body feels good, you’ll start to feel better, too.
Proteins
Opt for the healthier stuff here, such as tofu, brown rice, beans, and healthy meats like chicken and turkey. Mixing proteins with fruits and vegetables will provide a good amount of energy to last throughout the day. Tofu is a versatile choice because it generally ends up tasting like whatever it was cooked with, and is a great way to incorporate protein into your diet.
With meat, ensure that it is as organic as possible: no chemicals used to enhance it at any point. Roasting or boiling meat, as well as including it in soup or stew dishes, is a healthy way to benefit from their protein content.
Grains
There is variety here, too. Whole wheat cereals and granola with fruit or milk aid in digestion, a key process for anyone who has an illness.
And finally…
Of course, continue drinking as much water as possible throughout the day. This will flush out any impurities in your system and rejuvenate you as the day progresses.
Water also benefits patients who are recovering with the help of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Often, patients find they have a dry mouth, and drinking a good amount of water throughout the day will alleviate the problem.
Problems associated with nutrition intake
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of both illnesses and therapies. Certain foods, along with medication if required, should recover appetite. Toast, crackers, and pretzels are easy on the stomach, as is yogurt, rice, clear liquids, and carbonated liquids. When feeling nauseous, avoid foods that are greasy, heavy in fat or sugar, or spicy. If unable to keep food down, drink broth throughout the day, and slowly work yourself up to eating small amounts of food that are soft and easy on the stomach.
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