Yang Qiu’an Sui Shao-mei Jinan City, Culture West Road 107, Box 329 250012 The latest research results show that cancer is the world’s number one killer of human health, is still incurable class of diseases. However, through reasonable and scientific regulation of life and diet, can reduce the incidence of cancer by 30%, now the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AICR) Top Ten Recommendations for Cancer Prevention are introduced to you for the benefit of the readers. Yang Qiu’an, Department of Radiotherapy, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University 1. Reduce weight and try to stay slim. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to prevent cancer. Scientists have found that the parts of the body that store extra weight increase the risk of cancer. Excess fat around the waist is very bad for your health – it acts as a “hormone pump”, releasing estrogen into the bloodstream and raising the levels of other hormones in the body. This condition is strongly associated with colon cancer and may be linked to pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Maintaining a healthy weight provides a range of health benefits, in addition to making us feel comfortable and preventing cancer, it also reduces the incidence of other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Maintain a healthy weight, but not underweight. Categorized by Body Mass Index (BMI) range as underweight, healthy, overweight and obese, it is important to maintain a healthy weight throughout your life.2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Any form of physical activity can help reduce the risk of cancer. Please incorporate a program of various forms of exercise, such as brisk walking, into your daily routine. Exercise helps us avoid weight gain, and it can itself help prevent cancer. Studies have shown that regular exercise can help maintain healthy hormone levels, which is important because high levels of certain hormones can increase the risk of cancer. Physical activity also strengthens our immune system and keeps our digestive system healthy, allowing us to digest more food and more cancer-preventable nutrients without gaining weight. If you’re not used to doing much exercise, start out with 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day; some exercise is better than none. You can start slowly until you reach your goal. Exercising for multiple short periods of time is just as beneficial because the total amount of time is important. Studies have shown that it is beneficial to exercise more often in order to avoid weight gain. For maximum health benefits, scientists recommend 60 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise or 30 minutes or more of vigorous exercise each day. Moderate-intensity exercise is exercise that makes your heart beat a little faster and makes you breathe a little deeper, such as brisk walking. Vigorous exercise means your heart beats faster, you feel hot, and you start to sweat until you are out of breath.3. Try to avoid sugary drinks and limit your intake of high-energy foods. High-energy foods tend to be processed foods with added sugar and fat to improve their taste, resulting in more calories per ounce. For example, 3.5 ounces (98 grams) of milk chocolate contains 520 calories of energy, 3.5 ounces (98 grams) of an apple contains 52 calories of energy, and 3.5 ounces (98 grams) of chocolate contains 10 times the energy of the same amount of apple. Regular consumption of sugary drinks can lead to weight gain because they are quite high in energy. Sugary drinks include sodas such as cola and juice-flavored drinks, which we should avoid as much as possible. It is okay to eat high energy foods occasionally or in small amounts, but try not to let high energy foods become the basis of your diet. By choosing a diet based on low-energy foods, you can eat more, but not take in as much energy. Foods that are low in energy, like apples, are high in fiber and contain a lot of water. Most vegetables, fruits and legumes fall into this category of low energy foods. This is a reason to promote a predominantly vegetarian diet. Choosing healthy foods and beverages can help avoid overweight and obesity, thus reducing the risk of cancer. Water is the best choice, and unsweetened tea and coffee are also healthy choices. Natural fruit juice is recommended, but it does contain a lot of sugar and it is best not to drink more than one glass a day.4. Eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Vegetarian-based diets (such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes such as soybeans) are packed with fiber and other nutrients that can reduce the risk of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) suggests that for good health, our diets should be primarily vegetarian. When preparing a meal, make sure that at least two-thirds of your plate is made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and soybeans. Studies have shown that vegetables and fruits may prevent many cancers, including cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, pancreas and prostate. The reason vegetables and fruits may prevent cancer is that in addition to containing a wide range of vitamins and minerals that benefit the body and boost the immune system, they are also a rich source of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are biologically active compounds that protect cells in the body from carcinogenic damage. Fiber-containing foods have also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, including whole grain breads and whole wheat pastas, oats, vegetables and fruits. Fiber has many benefits for the body, including helping to speed up bowel movements and reducing “bowel transit time” – the time it takes for food to pass through the digestive system. Sticking to a vegetarian diet can help us maintain a healthy weight because many of them are low in energy (calories). 5. Limit your intake of red meats (such as beef, pork, and lamb), and try not to eat processed meats. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends that in order to reduce the risk of cancer, don’t eat more than 18 ounces (504 grams cooked weight) of red meats, such as beef, pork, and lamb, per week, and try not to eat processed meats, such as ham, bacon, Italian salami, hot dogs, and sausages. Red meat refers to beef, pork and lamb – and foods like hamburgers, steaks, pork chops and roast lamb. Processed meats are meats that have been preserved by smoking, smoked or cured, or by adding preservatives. Processed meats include ham, pastrami, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and sausages. Red meat is mentioned in expert reports as a cause of colorectal cancer. The evidence is more compelling now than it was in the mid-1990s because red meat contains a number of substances that have been linked to colon cancer, such as heme iron, the main substance responsible for the color of red meat, which has been shown to damage the endothelium of the colon. In addition, people who eat a lot of red meat tend to eat fewer vegetarian meals, so they benefit less from cancer prevention measures. There is also solid evidence that eating processed meats increases the chances of colon cancer. Experts recommend limiting your intake of red meat and trying not to eat processed meats. You can eat 18 ounces (504 grams) of red meat per week without increasing your risk of cancer, but any portion of processed meat can increase the risk of cancer. Carcinogens are formed when meat is preserved by smoking, smoking or curing, or by adding preservatives. These substances can damage cells in the body, which can lead to cancer.6. If you drink alcohol, don’t have more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink for women. To prevent cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) does not recommend drinking alcohol. However, reports from experts suggest that small amounts of alcohol may have a protective effect against coronary heart disease, and that if alcohol is consumed, men should have no more than 2 drinks per day and women should have no more than 1 drink per day. Alcoholic beverages of all types can increase the risk of many cancers, and there is compelling evidence that alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, and, in men, the colon. Alcoholic beverages may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer in women as well as liver cancer. Scientists are still researching how alcohol causes cancer, and one theory is that alcohol can directly damage the body’s DNA, increasing our risk of cancer. Studies have shown that both drinking and smoking are extremely harmful.7. Limit your intake of salty foods and foods processed with sodium. Too much salt is bad for our health and can increase the risk of stomach cancer and high blood pressure. We should consume less than 2.4 grams of salt per day, but we really need much less than that. Research by experts has found that salt and preserved foods may increase the risk of stomach cancer, as consuming too much salt may damage the mucous membrane of the stomach and increase the risk of stomach carcinogenesis. Most of the salt in our diets comes from processed foods that we never realize are high in salt because they may not taste “salty,” so be sure to read the Nutrition Facts label for sodium content. Pay particular attention to breakfast cereals, breads, frozen foods, pizza and French fries. Also watch the sodium content of canned products such as soups and sauces, and try not to eat processed meats, even though sweet foods (such as cookies) can be high in salt. 8. Don’t take supplements to prevent cancer. To reduce your risk of cancer, choose a balanced, varied diet rather than taking supplements. Expert reports have found that eating large amounts of highly nutritious supplements can increase the risk of different cancers. In general, the best sources of nutrition are foods and beverages, not dietary supplements. Nutrient-dense foods contain substances essential for good health, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Vegetarian diets are a source of many cancer-fighting compounds, so make sure that two-thirds or more of your plate is a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, and one-third or less, animal protein. Research has shown that supplements can upset the balance of nutrients in the body, which is one reason why they may affect our risk of cancer. There are some cases where taking supplements is recommended. The most common situations in which taking supplements may be beneficial: all women of childbearing age who intend to become pregnant should take a folic acid supplement before becoming pregnant and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also take vitamin D supplements and iron supplements if they are deficient. Children who have a good appetite and can eat a wide variety of foods may not need additional vitamins A, C, and D. However, children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years can benefit from increased vitamins A, C, and D. Older, frail people with low energy needs may benefit from low-dose, balanced multivitamin supplements. Older people, those who rarely go outdoors, those who get little sunlight, and those who don’t eat meat or fish should consider supplementing with vitamin D. 9. Breastfeeding is best for 6 months, after which time other fluids and foods should be added. There is evidence that breastfeeding helps prevent breast cancer in mothers and also prevents babies from gaining too much weight, which can cause them to become overweight as adults. Overweight adults have an increased risk of developing cancer. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer by lowering the levels of certain cancer-related hormones in the mother’s body. Toward the end of breastfeeding, the body is able to remove those cells in the breast that may have DNA damage, reducing the risk of future breast cancer. Studies have shown that breastfed babies are less likely to consume too many calories and proteins than babies fed infant formula. This means they are also less likely to be overweight or obese when they reach adulthood.10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the cancer prevention recommendations below. People with cancer should receive nutritional advice from professionals and adhere to our cancer prevention recommendations for diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. Cancer survivors are people who have been diagnosed with cancer but are still alive, including those who have been cured. Physical activity and other measures that can help us maintain a healthy weight, such as a balanced diet, may help prevent cancer recurrence, especially breast cancer. However, the evidence is not yet clear enough to make specific recommendations for cancer survivors in general, or for survivors of a particular cancer. Preventing cancer before it occurs is the most important and meaningful action to take. In short, cancer prevention and treatment can only be achieved by adhering to a sensible diet, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in physical activity, and staying away from tobacco and alcohol forever. In addition these recommendations can also reduce the risk of other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Reference: http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/recommendations-for-cancer-prevention/