Can your lifestyle influence your cancer risk?

A recent report issued from DW – a News and Current Affairs source from Germany, indicates that there is truth in the statement that your lifestyle can influence your cancer risk.  The number of cancers related to lifestyles has multiplied in the past 10 years.  The Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration states that lung cancer leads the way in this trend.  Bowel cancer brings up a close second with 1.7 million being diagnosed in 2016.  There is also an abundance of medical research to indicate that skin cancer can be reduced by our exposure to ultraviolet light.  Although this form of cancer is also influenced by genetics – skin tone, we can adjust our daily lifestyle to decrease our vulnerability to this type of cancer.  Unfortunately, there is medical and physical evidence of lung cancer’s link to tobacco use.  This link has a long and torrid history. Even exposure to “vaping”, which is vaporized nicotine, may cause an increased susceptibility to developing lung cancer.

 STRESS

People who experience an increased level of psychological demands in their high-stress jobs show a higher evidence of developing atrial fibrillation according to the DW report on lifestyle-related cancers.  Atrial fibrillation often leads to a common dysfunctional heart rhythm pattern.  If a person experiences this pattern they will notice shortness of breath, fatigue, general weakness, dizziness, and palpitations.  Attention to yourself if you notice these symptoms is a high priority as these issues generally cause 30% of all strokes.

Most of us have a towel in our kitchen.  We use this towel whenever we’re in the kitchen.  This means that the towel is sometimes wet and sometimes dry.  Since our kitchens can harbor millions of bacteria, these microorganisms can be transferred onto the kitchen towel.  These little bugs generally like nice warm places – like our kitchen towel.  So, when you dry your wet hands using this kitchen towel, you may actually be transferring millions of bacteria from one object to another.  This process multiples when there are more people living in a household.  So, even if you adhere to the age ole’ rule of great hand washing, you may actually be canceling out your efforts when you dry your clean hands using a “dirty” kitchen towel.  That innocent kitchen towel may be a culprit of disease.

 Kitchen protocol

We all know that we eat junk food; sometimes a lot, sometimes not so much. What we eat influences our health.  A study at the University of Virginia indicates that eating an egg a day improves blood sugar levels and insulin resistance in overweight and obese people.  A similar study focusing on nutrition from Tufts University, Massachusetts suggests that eating 1.5 ounces of pecans on a daily basis can aid in reducing your risk of cardiometabolic disease.  Similarly, a Rusk University, Chicago study reveals that eating green, leafy vegetables and berries may decrease your risk of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s.  Consuming complex carbohydrates found in mushrooms can fight inflammation is indicated by scientists at the University of Massachusetts.

 Food

So, what can you do to decrease your risk of cancer?  Quit smoking, eat healthily, protect yourself from the sun, exercise regularly, exchange your kitchen towel often; consider using paper towels and look after yourself if you’re in a stressful, demanding job.  Even if you have a propensity for cancer, you may decrease your risk.