JOIN USIt's a common belief that genetics plays an important role in cancer diagnosis. However, scientific research also proves that making some smart lifestyle choices can prevent or decrease the chances of developing cancer. Small changes in our everyday activities can bring down the cancer risk considerably.
Here are a few tips to reduce the risk of cancer:
* Quit smoking: If you are a non-smoker, who is exposed to passive smoking, steer clear of smoking zones. Quitting cigarettes decreases the risk of lung, laryngeal, esophageal, oral, pancreatic, bladder, and cervical cancer.
* Marinate your meat: When meats are cooked at a high temperature over open flame or coals, the heat tends to convert amino acids present in the meat into toxic compounds. Moreover, when fat in the meat is exposed to the open flame, it can even form carcinogens. The formation of these harmful compounds can be prevented by marinating the meat before cooking it.
* A daily dose of caffeine: More than four cups of coffee a day decreases oral and head cancers by 39%. Women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day have less chances of uterine cancer. At least three cups of coffee a day can prevent or delay the onset of breast cancer. The WHO recently removed coffee from the list of possible carcinogens.
* Skip the dry cleaner: A common solvent perchloroethylene, which is used in traditional dry cleaning, may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukaemia.
* Wear the right outfit: Scientists believe that the clothes you wear may protect may keep skin cancer at bay. They found that blue and red fabrics offered significantly better protection against the sun's UV rays than white and yellow ones.
(The author is sr consultant, surgical oncology, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital)