February is Cancer Prevention Month

Having lost both of my parents to cancer, my father in 2019 and my mother in 2021, learning to prevent cancer is a much better path than having to fight it.

According to the American Cancer Society, a little over 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the US in 2022.

During this Black History Month it is also noteworthy that more black women die from breast cancer than any other cancer.

According to the World Health Organization, between 30-50% of cancers are considered preventable by avoiding certain risk factors. Let that sink in…up to half are preventable.

“The first wealth is health.” Ralph Waldo Emerson #cancerpreventionmonth #myinspiredfibrolife

Tweet

Knowledge is Power

The first step in prevention is educating yourself on how to do this. Preventative care and eating right are two easy ways to prevent something from starting.

The Mayo clinic suggests these 7 steps to reduce your risk of cancer:

1.       Protect your skin from the sun. (Read about my skin cancer scare here.)

2. Don’t use tobacco. Or if you do use it, QUIT. NOW.

3.       Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. (Read about my diet here and my favorite smoothie recipes here.) I like to say “eat the rainbow.”

4.       Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active. (Read about my 30 day yoga journey here and the benefits here.)

5.       Avoid risky behaviors. This includes everything from practicing safe sex to avoiding drugs and other high-risk behaviors.

6.       Get immunized. Certain cancers can begin with a viral infection and there are vaccines that exist for Hepatitis B and HPV (Human papillomavirus).

7.       Know your family medical history and get regular cancer screenings. Do your self-exams and get an annual check-up.

Nutrition and Cancer

“Let food by thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food.” Hippocrates #cancerpreventionmonth #myinspiredfibrolife

Tweet

If you’ve read my blog for any time at all, you know I believe in good nutrition as a means for lessening the impact of my fibromyalgia. Healthy eating truly goes a long way towards many diseases.

While I am still coping with the loss of my parents and everything that has come along with that, the one thing I can do is care for myself. I have control over what I put in my body and how I move my body.

We can’t help our family history or our genetics. But we can control certain actions we take. Healthy food and daily movement are so important to our health. Harvard studies show that eating a healthy diet has the potential to lower cancer risk by 10-20%. It’s not too late to make a change and start new habits.

For more information about cancer or to donate to this organization, please visit https://www.cancer.org/ .

What other tips do you have for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing disease?