The key to celebrating more birthdays is to stay well.
The key to celebrating more birthdays is to stay well.
Before you make your New Year’s resolutions, the American Cancer Society is encouraging the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors throughout the new year to reduce cancer risk. Evidence suggests that by taking preventive measures that will help you stay well – regular screening (health), regular exercise (active) a healthy diet (nutrition), and stopping smoking (quit) – you can reduce your risk of cancer by nearly half. The Society also encourages California voters to approve (support) the California Cancer Research Act on June 5, 2012.
Approximately 54,690 cancer deaths in California in 2011 were suggested to be attributed to poor diet, physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity, and over 16,397 cancer deaths were estimated to be caused by tobacco use alone. These deaths could be prevented by taking the right steps towards reducing cancer risk – getting regularly scheduled screenings, eating a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity and quitting tobacco use. However, many Californians do not realize that their lifestyle choices could impact their risk of cancer – and potentially save their lives. Here are some ways to help you make healthier choices in the coming new year:
Health: Regular use of screening tests can prevent the development of some cancers, and improve survival and decrease mortality by detecting cancers at an early stage, when treatment is more effective. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for women age 40 and over and regular colon cancer screenings for men and women age 50 and over, among other recommended screening tests. For interactive tools and early detection information, visit cancer.org/healthy.
Active: Adults are encouraged to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on five or more days of the week; children and adolescents should also engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day at least five days a week. Studies show that being physically active for 45 minutes on five or more days a week can reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers.
Nutrition: Being overweight and/or obese increases risk for developing many cancers, including cancers of the breast and colon, and recent studies suggest that losing weight may reduce risk of breast cancer. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, the American Cancer Society recommends the following dietary guidelines:
– Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day
– Consuming whole grains instead of processed (refined) grains
– Limiting consumption of processed and red meats
– Choosing foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
For tips on how to incorporate healthy foods into your daily meals visit cancer.org/healthy. Tools available include a calorie calculator, downloadable recipes, BMI calculator and healthy shopping and cooking tips.
Quit: Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in California. Smoking results in an estimated 16,397 premature deaths in California. In the U.S. about 3,400 are as a result of secondhand smoke. Tobacco use increases the risk of cancer, including cancer of the lung, mouth, pancreas, kidney and other cancers; thirty percent of cancer deaths, including 85 percent of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco use.
Support: If approved on the June 5, 2012 ballot, the California Cancer Research Act (CCRA) will increase tobacco taxes by $1 a pack and invest the revenues in research, tobacco prevention and enforcement programs. The CCRA will generate nearly $600 million a year for cancer research. Once passed, California will be the second largest funder of cancer research in the world. To learn more go to californiansforacure.org.
For more information on making positive lifestyle changes visit the American Cancer Society’s stay healthy website section at cancer.org/healthy or call 800-227-2345.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.