Did you know that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women are at risk of developing cancer? While those statistics are certainly frightening, the good news is that we can make lifestyle changes that will reduce our risk of getting cancer.

What are the Most Common Types of Cancer?

It’s important to know the most common types of cancers so you can discuss how to prevent them with your doctor . It is also advantageous to know your family history in order to see if you are genetically predisposed to certain kinds of cancer. The most common forms of cancer in 2016, according to National Cancer Institute (NIH) were:

• breast cancer
• lung and bronchus cancer
• prostate cancer
• colon and rectum cancer
• bladder cancer
• melanoma of the skin
• non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• thyroid cancer
• kidney and renal pelvis cancer
• Leukemia
• endometrial cancer
• pancreatic cancer

Cancer Prevention

Although none of us can change our genetic predisposition, we can make changes in our lifestyle to help us prevent and beat cancer!

Changing Your Diet

Many of us lead busy lives that don’t leave much time to focus on our diet. We may stop by a coffee shop to grab a pastry in the morning, grab fast food during our lunch break and order pizza for dinner.

Americans are eating bigger and unhealthier portions of food than ever before.

This is bad news for our health, as our diet can either prevent or cause a multitude of health concerns. The cancer prevention diet is very similar to the recommended diet to stop other serious problems, such as heart disease, in their tracts. This diet includes:

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes: opt for fresh, local and organic fruits and vegetables when you have the chance to avoid common pesticides and herbicides which can cause health problems. Fill 50 percent of your plate with fruits and vegetables, and at least 50 percent of your grains should be whole grains.
• Cut your red meat: Although Americans love hot dogs, hamburgers and steak, doctors advise cutting our red and processed meat portions to 18 ounces per week to prevent cancer. Instead, get your fill of healthy proteins from other sources, such as beans, poultry, nuts and eggs.
• Cut the salt – Sodium, the main ingredient in salt, may be responsible for raising your cancer risk, especially when it comes to stomach cancer. While our bodies need sodium in order to properly function, many Americans are eating up to three times the recommended dose! Learn to read food labels to measure how much salt you are consuming on a daily basis!

Exercise

The World Cancer Research Fund found that up to 20 percent of cancers in the US are caused by body fatness and lack of physical activity. While changing your diet can help you lose weight, exercising can help with that goal as well as get you moving! Recent research has proved that exercise can reduce up to 13 cancers.

The MD Anderson Cancer Center recommends “at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week or 75 minutes of more vigorous exercise each week.”

Vigorous exercise include running, swimming and fast cardio. Moderate exercise includes walking, jogging and yoga. In fact, yoga can help fight cancer in the following five ways, according to a source:

* improving your immune system

* detoxification

* developing strong bones

* stress management

* weight management

Vitamins and Supplements

It’s very important to supplement our diet since our soil depletion has caused most of our fruits and vegetables to be depleted of vitamins and become less nutritious. Boost your cancer diet with the following supplements to reduce cancer risk:

Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been proven to help fight cancer in numerous studies, yet “ more than 80 percent of Americans had adequate vitamin D levels in their blood,” according to that source.

For supplement suggestions with Vitamin D, shop here.

Omega's

Certain types of cancers prevention is helped with adding Omega 3 to your diet. Specifically believed to help prevent certain types of cancers caused by chronic inflammation.

Food rich in Omega 3 include fatty fish like salmon and cod, flaxseed, and wheat germ.

To supplement Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil is the most common thought. If you choose fish oil, try Cod Liver Oil like that from Sonne. It is liquid and desalinated. Which means, it has not been cooked above a temperature to eliminate the benefits of the Omega 3. This is why it is kept as a liquid. Talk to your medical team before starting fish oil supplement, as too much fish oil may actually cause some cancers, such as prostate cancer.

Flaxseed based supplements are a good alternative for fish oil pills.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants fight free radicals caused by diet, alcohol and the environment, that cause us to age and get sick. As such, they are called “free radical scavengers.” Antioxidants can be found in a host of foods, such as cranberries, green tea and artichokes.

To maximize their benefits, you can also take supplements (linked to suggested supplements) that contain antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and Vitamin E.