Cancer Protection is About Making Smart Decisions

Cancer protection may not be at the top of your list of priorities, but it is an important life-saving practice to start as soon as possible.

People taking action towards cancer protection by changing their diets and going to the doctor regularly have resulted in the latest statistics released by the American Cancer Society in January 2007 reporting that cancer deaths have gone down in the United States. Medical technology also offers state-of-the-art testing and screenings for various cancers, allowing patients to detect tumors in their earliest stages.

There are several ways you can protect yourself from cancer. One way is to maintain a healthy diet. Diets including plenty of fruits and vegetables allow a person to receive the necessary vitamins linked with cancer protection. It is also important to include healthy fats found in olive, canola and sunflower oils.

These are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to keep the heart healthy and prevent other deadly diseases. Limiting your intake of red meats is very important when it comes to a healthy diet. Instead, you should focus on including more lean proteins, such as chicken and fish.

Other ways to improve your diet are to eat hearty whole grains found in certain breads, pastas and rice dishes. Make sure to always avoid fried foods that are high in trans-fats.

Aside from a healthy diet, you can practice cancer prevention by taking certain supplements and vitamins. Vitamin E, selenium and lycopene have been connected with lowering a man's risk of developing prostate cancer.

Fish oils have also been linked with preventing cancer of the prostate. There has even been research suggesting calcium supplements could help a person prevent colorectal cancer.

Going to the doctor is important even if you are trying to lower your risk of cancer. Doctors can perform certain screenings to help protect you from a life-threatening disease. Women are recommended to start having yearly mammograms sometime after age forty.

Younger women should have regular clinical breast exams performed by a physician or do breast exams at home to watch for abnormalities. Men and women should have a colonoscopy, beginning in their fifties, every ten years to watch for colorectal cancers. Men can protect themselves from prostate cancer by using certain chemoprevention drugs.

These are man-made drugs or vitamins used specifically to suppress or prevent cancer. PSA tests or digital rectal exams are other methods available to men who are at high risk for prostate cancer. Discuss all the treatments and screenings available with your doctor to determine what you should do based on your personal and family medical history.

Lifestyle is a major factor in your efforts at cancer protection. Smoking has been linked with several cancers, such as lung, prostate, bladder and breast cancer. It is imperative for smokers to quit this unhealthy habit because it will greatly reduce their risks of developing cancer.

Doctors recommend women watch their alcohol consumption as part of breast and cervical cancer control. Other ways to improve your lifestyle is to work plenty of physical activity into your daily schedule. Whether you join a gym, buy a treadmill or play outside with your children, exercising is an important factor in cancer protection.

Cancer protection could mean small changes or complete overhauls to daily routines, depending on your current lifestyle. Lowering your risk of cancer may include joining a gym or buying vitamins and dietary supplements.

It could mean you have to quit smoking or using other tobacco products. Whatever change you make to your current situation will put you closer to living a healthy and cancer-free life.

About the author: Visit Mike Selvon cancer prevention portal for more information on cancer protection, and leave a comment at our cancer prevention blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE self help ebook on dealing with cancer.