When most women think about cancer, they think PINK for breast cancer. It's true that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. However, there are other female and non gender specific cancers that women need to have on their health radar as well!
The good news is that for many cancers we have good information on how to reduce risk and therefore delay or prevent a diagnosis of cancer. Here are 3 important things that all women need to know about cancer prevention.
1. The Don't List!
I usually like to focus on the positive, but there are a few things that women definitely need to avoid to keep their immune systems strong and lower their risk of cancer. To get the negative over with, here are the things to avoid!
One of the most important factors to your cancer risk are the things that you do (or don't do) every day. Eat and Exercise! or Food & Fitness as I like to say! You might not realize that experts think 1/3 of ALL cancers are thought to be related to the food we eat and fitness level we maintain.
Some foods can decrease cancer risk while other foods increase it. The most important thing is to make sure you have plenty of plant foods every day (focus on those fruits and veggies!) without consuming too many calories.
The other part of your everyday cancer prevention plan is to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. It doesn't have to be all at once, but by the end of the day, you want those minutes to add up.
Don't have time during the week to exercise? Make the most of your weekends! Go for a long hike or bike ride to make up for less time exercising during the week.
Stay tuned for Tip #3 and a cancer fighting recipe in my next post! Click HERE to sign up for our e-newsletter and have these posts emailed to you!
Want to know what other Dietitian's are saying about women's health? Check out the RD Blogfest topics below!
Stay Healthy!
- Julie
Angela White at Blisstree's Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - Helpful Skills of Breastfeeding Counselors
Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDE - You Are Beautiful Today
Anthony J. Sepe - Women's Health and Migraines
Ashley Colpaart - Women's health through women
Charisse McElwaine - Spending too much time on the "throne?"
Danielle Omar - Yoga, Mindful Eating and Food Confidence
Diane Preves M.S.,R.D - Balance for Health
Joan Sather - A Woman's Healthy Choices Affect More Than Herself
Laura Wittke - Fibro Study Recruits Participants
Liz Marr, MS, RD - Reflecting on Family Food Ways and Women's Work
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT - Healthy Women, Healthy Business: How Your Health Impacts a Powerful Business
Marsha Hudnall - Breakfast Protein Helps Light Eaters Feel Full
Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD - A Nutritionista's Super Foods for Super Skin
Monika Woolsey, MS, RD - To effectively work with PCOS is to understand a woman's health issues throughout her life
Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog - How breastfeeding helps you, too
Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, LD - Four Keys to Wellness, Just for Women
Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD - The busy busy woman
Robin Plotkin, RD, LD - Feeding the Appetites of the Culinary, Epicurious and Nutrition Worlds-One Bite at a Time
Sharon Solomon - Calories, longevity and do I care
Terri L Mozingo, RD, CDN & D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN of One Source Nutrition, LLC - Crossing the Line: From Health to Hurt
Wendy Jo Peterson, RD - Watch Your Garden Grow
The good news is that for many cancers we have good information on how to reduce risk and therefore delay or prevent a diagnosis of cancer. Here are 3 important things that all women need to know about cancer prevention.
1. The Don't List!
I usually like to focus on the positive, but there are a few things that women definitely need to avoid to keep their immune systems strong and lower their risk of cancer. To get the negative over with, here are the things to avoid!
- Tobacco. Tobacco not only increases risk for lung cancer, but throat, mouth and esophageal cancer as well, not to mention the increase in heart disease, and emphysema. Plus, if you smoke tobacco, you are increasing the cancer risk for your friends and family who are breathing in the second hand smoke.
- Sun. Some sun is good for you (10 - 15 minutes/day), but if you have to go out in the sun for any longer, be sure to use sun screen and wear protective clothes. Don't forget to cover your kids too!
- Unsafe Sex. HPV (human papillomavirus) - a sexually transmitted disease - is known to increase a woman's risk for cervical cancer. Women need to be smart about controlling their exposure to HPV. A vaccination is now available so parents and young women should talk to their health care professionals about being vaccinated.
- Excess Alcohol. Alcohol is known to increase risk for throat and mouth cancers and may increase risk for breast cancer. It is suggested that women not exceed 1 drink per day. (1 drink = 12 oz. of beer; 5 oz. of wine and 1 oz. of liquor). If you save all your drinks for the weekend, that's not healthy either!
One of the most important factors to your cancer risk are the things that you do (or don't do) every day. Eat and Exercise! or Food & Fitness as I like to say! You might not realize that experts think 1/3 of ALL cancers are thought to be related to the food we eat and fitness level we maintain.
Some foods can decrease cancer risk while other foods increase it. The most important thing is to make sure you have plenty of plant foods every day (focus on those fruits and veggies!) without consuming too many calories.
The other part of your everyday cancer prevention plan is to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. It doesn't have to be all at once, but by the end of the day, you want those minutes to add up.
Don't have time during the week to exercise? Make the most of your weekends! Go for a long hike or bike ride to make up for less time exercising during the week.
Stay tuned for Tip #3 and a cancer fighting recipe in my next post! Click HERE to sign up for our e-newsletter and have these posts emailed to you!
Want to know what other Dietitian's are saying about women's health? Check out the RD Blogfest topics below!
Stay Healthy!
- Julie
Angela White at Blisstree's Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - Helpful Skills of Breastfeeding Counselors
Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDE - You Are Beautiful Today
Anthony J. Sepe - Women's Health and Migraines
Ashley Colpaart - Women's health through women
Charisse McElwaine - Spending too much time on the "throne?"
Danielle Omar - Yoga, Mindful Eating and Food Confidence
Diane Preves M.S.,R.D - Balance for Health
Joan Sather - A Woman's Healthy Choices Affect More Than Herself
Laura Wittke - Fibro Study Recruits Participants
Liz Marr, MS, RD - Reflecting on Family Food Ways and Women's Work
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT - Healthy Women, Healthy Business: How Your Health Impacts a Powerful Business
Marsha Hudnall - Breakfast Protein Helps Light Eaters Feel Full
Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD - A Nutritionista's Super Foods for Super Skin
Monika Woolsey, MS, RD - To effectively work with PCOS is to understand a woman's health issues throughout her life
Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog - How breastfeeding helps you, too
Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, LD - Four Keys to Wellness, Just for Women
Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD - The busy busy woman
Robin Plotkin, RD, LD - Feeding the Appetites of the Culinary, Epicurious and Nutrition Worlds-One Bite at a Time
Sharon Solomon - Calories, longevity and do I care
Terri L Mozingo, RD, CDN & D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN of One Source Nutrition, LLC - Crossing the Line: From Health to Hurt
Wendy Jo Peterson, RD - Watch Your Garden Grow
Good post mate!! Keep 'em flowing!
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