Lifestyle Blamed for Half of all Cancer Deaths

Last month the American Cancer Society reminded us that cancer deaths could be cut in half if we had healthier habits and eliminated certain risk factors. From www.medpagetoday.com...

Tobacco: Cancer from smoking claims more than 168,000 lives. Targeting anti-smoking campaigns for children and teens could help reduce the smoking toll in this country. The report applauded the 1,093 cities and municipalities that have passed smoke-free legislation.

Obesity: The report states that body mass index "was significantly associated with higher death rate from 11 types of cancer in men and 12 types of cancer in women." ACS estimates that the current patterns of obesity in the U.S. account for 1 in 7 cancer deaths in men and 1 in 5 cancer deaths for women. The ACS recommends that Americans eat less fatty, processed foods and more fruits and vegetables and also get more physical activity incorporated into their daily lives.

Cancer screening: In this often-controversial area, the ACS report recommends:

Women begin undergoing yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and clinical breast exams should be done at least every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s.

Men and women should undergo routine colorectal screening beginning at age 50.

Men who are 50 and older, and who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years, should begin undergoing routine prostate cancer screening with PSA. Men at high risk, including African-American men and those with a family history of the disease, should begin testing at age 45.

Cervical cancer screening should begin for all women by the time they turn 21 and earlier if they have been sexually active. Screening should be carried out every two years with a Pap smear. At age 30, if women have had three normal consecutive test results, they can undergo Pap smears every two to three years instead.

This is nice to know for me, someone who more or less takes of their health, that the risk for cancer can be greatly reduced with some simple steps. Sadly with everything else going on in the news this message was surely missed by many who need to hear it.
Sources:
www.msnbc.msn.com...
www.medpagetoday.com...'s

The factor I think is the biggest problem with people that begin to get cancer is... what they eat. I think that many artificial foods are bad for the human body becasue they were not what was originally obtainable foods back in ancient days. and people during ancient times were from what I've heard, practically invulnerable to most illnesses.
Peace,
Marius

I second that Marius.
Better living through chemisty, well, maybe but there's a price to be paid. Mercury in our vaccines. Xenoestrogens in food and water supplies. Fluoride in water.

As far as those tests doctors are always eager to perform: I am not completely convinced. Some of these doctors are the same doctors who are pushing drugs at the behest of drug companies.

We REALLY need to get back in touch with our own bodies.

i can't disagree cancer does seem to be on the rise. i have often wondered if cancer has nothing to do with things like smokeing other than to increase the risk of getting it. take smokeing. yes i am addicted to the evil weed. if smokeing causes cancer why did george burns live so long? he was an avid cigar smoker and cigars don't even have a filter on them. my thought is that mabe the chemicals from smokeing don't actualy cause the cancer but somehow reduce the resistance to cancer. otherwise i would think that every smoker would suffer from it not just a portion of smokers.i admit i am not a bioreasercher or medical person but if it were things like smokeing why is there so much other cancers arround? also as i understand it all cases of cancer are on the rise.

i have also wondered about food and the worsening health problems. kids suffering alergys seems to be increasing over the years. take the penut alergy for one. when i was in school i heard nothing about kids haveing penut alergies. i am sure that there were some out there but look at today. penut products have been outlawed in our schools. penuts are now a death sentance for kids aparently even the smell can be enough to put a kid in hospital. i can not give penut products to a child to take to school (note i have no kids but my sister does and she has coplained about it enough). aparently this is now considered such a priority that it is reason enough to warrent suspension. hmm my staple food at lunch when i was younger is now basicaly an illigal substance in school.

i have heard many reasons for the increase in food alergies and other health defects, they range from the additives and preservitives now in most foods to the fact that humans over time have been slowly degradeing. (think of photocopying a photocopy from a photocopy, every previous error is repeated and more develop). and a few others in between including things like polutants. personaly i don't know if one or even perhapse all are involved. fact is that something is and has been hapening to cause such an increase in health problems.

Our diet may be our big problem to cancer. Few of us eat what our bodies have adapted to thriving over long haul of history and we pay the consequences with cancer for the crap we eat. We can still obtain the rights food but its more expensive, organically raised crops and preservative free food is around, if not at the grocery store then look at the health food store.

I dont think smoking is as big of a problem as some doctors make it to be but it does increase the risk. I kind of believe that in our increasingly dirty world that a little smoking here and there will help prepare our bodies for breathing more carbon monoxide and particles in the dirty modern world.

to the fact that humans over time have been slowly degradeing. (think of photocopying a photocopy from a photocopy, every previous error is repeated and more develop

I don't know if its fact, but if its true it means that a small precentage of our 6.3+ billion will develop mutations that prove to be benefecial, the rest will just face shorter lifespans and possibly mental delays.