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Cancer
Cancer has taken such a toll on the general population, that it could be asked, "Is there anything I can do to prevent cancer?" This is a great question and the answer is a resounding yes! There are numerous steps you can take to help insure a healthy future for you and your family. In your personal life, consider the following suggestions:
- If you smoke, quit. Better yet, don't ever start. Smoking increases the chances of several types of cancer such as: lung, esophagus, mouth, and bladder. Cutting back will not suffice. Also, avoid smoke- filled environments.
- Watch what you drink. Alcohol, while not carcinogenic, is linked to several forms of cancer.
- Consider adopting a low-fat, high-fiber diet. This way of eating emphasizes vegetables, beans, grains, and fruits. Think natural when you eat. It is best to eat food in its natural state or lightly cooked. Avoid processed foods such as potato chips, lunch meats, soda, and sugary breakfast cereals.
- Protect your skin. Sun block and zinc oxide are very effective for blocking out the sun's harmful rays. Never go outdoors without a hat and your sun block. Although most skin cancers can be easily cured, melanomas cannot. About 4,000 people die each year from this type of skin cancer.
- Use water filters. Most drinking water today contains carcinogens. Water filters can remove most of the toxins and pollutants in drinking water. If you live in an urban area this is a must have. There are many brands and the prices range from several dollars to several hundred dollars.
- Look inside your medicine cabinet. Most prescribed and over-the-counter drugs are synthetic and contain carcinogenic properties. Carefully check the inserts for references to cancer. Consider herbal alternatives. This is a safe and very effective way to treat illness.
- Read the label of your cosmetics. There is a small market developing in all natural cosmetics. This would warrant your further research to determine whether this type of product will meet your needs.
- Avoid unnecessary X-rays at all costs. Mammograms may actually increase your chance of getting cancer.
- Do not engage in "risky sex." Cervical cancer is found to be linked to having multiple partners and becoming sexually active at an early age. Cancer of the penis can be almost entirely prevented by circumcision.
- Look at your surroundings. If you live or work in an area that is surrounded by heavy industrialization, then you need to consider whether you are able to change demographics. Where you live affects your overall risk of getting cancer and also the type you may get. If you have any choice in where you live, do not live near a chemical plant, refinery, asbestos plant or metal mining processing or smelting plant, or hazardous waste disposal site. Also avoid living close to major highways and expressways.
- Be sure there is no asbestos in your home. Also do not use pesticides that are made from synthetic chemicals.
- Avoid spray cans. You cannot avoid inhaling high concentrations of the chemical contents, whatever they happen to be.
- Do not use chemical pesticides. Consider biologically safe alternatives.
- Do not buy synthetic fibers or clothing treated with Tris, a flame retardant.
- Avoid using cleaning agents and solvents that contain carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, or benzene. These are all carcinogenic. Your choice of work and recreation has a huge impact of your risk of developing cancer. Some points to carefully consider when evaluating your career or hobby include:
- Working in petrochemical, asbestos, steel, smelting, and some mining industries and subsequent fabrication operations are all high risk jobs. You often have no control over what chemicals you are exposed to. Go in with your eyes open, knowing ahead of time what is expected.
- Arts and crafts, while a hobby for some and a job for others, can also pose a danger to your health. It is important to know the contents of all materials you are working with. Aerosols, plastics, and other synthetic materials are carcinogens and should be avoided.
- Our schools may also contain hidden hazards. Parents should know of any chemicals used in the school, any asbestos presence, and what is being served in the cafeteria. These all present dangers to our children and the staff. Cancer prevention is the best defense against cancer but early detection is also vital. There are several early detection methods for some cancers.
- All sexually active women over the age of twenty should have a pap smear periodically to detect cervical cancer.
- Women over fifty years of age should undergo a pelvic examination for uterine cancer, especially if there is bleeding or abnormal discharge
- Men and women over forty, especially those with a family history of precancerous diseases should have a proctosigmoidoscopy for colon cancer. This is unpleasant but can also be life-saving.
- Every woman should do a self- breast exam monthly from adolescence through adulthood.
You must acknowledge that race and color are factors associated with excess risks of cancer. This is not to say that there is a genetic link to cancer but rather, there are certain environmental and lifestyle factors that should be addressed. As a consumer, you have power to effect change using your dollars. Remember these points when making purchases:
Smokers and drinkers should be checked regularly by laryngoscopy especially if there is a history of hoarseness or laryngitis. If you have a familial predisposition, genetic predisposition, history of occupational exposure to carcinogens, or a history of treatment with carcinogenic drugs or X-rays you should be screened regularly as you are already at a particular high cancer risk. If you already have cancer it is imperative that you educate yourself about your type of cancer. Find out the best center for treatment and the best method of treatment. It may mean the difference between survival and death. On the political level there are many groups at work.
Public interest groups play a key role in forcing better regulation of environmental and occupational carcinogens. Some groups are strictly educational, while others are focused on legal action. It is beneficial for us to become involved on all levels of public awareness. A major obstacle to cancer prevention is that the American "health care system" is in no way motivated to actually prevent cancer. The founding of a National Anti-cancer foundation is the best chance at developing more favorable opportunities to research effective anti-cancer solutions. Senior citizens are the single most untapped resource for this support. "Gray Power" stands the best chance of flexing its muscle and helping to form an anti-cancer lobby group. If you are a member of a union, you can encourage better OSHA regulations and enforcement. You must educate yourself and your co-workers to take full advantage of the resources at your disposal. Every worker is entitled to OSHA protection but you must know what you are at risk for and what the dangers around you are.
States are becoming more active in educating the public about cancer prevention. This provides a more centered focus for public interest groups and citizen groups. The local media should be encouraged to cover environment-related events and to run regular columns on health, legislation related to cancer treatment and prevention, and environmental threats. Find out where your local, state, and national representatives stand on cancer prevention. In conclusion, getting involved allows you to have a bigger impact on educating others and helping to prevent cancer through legislation, education, and cancer screening. Do everything you can to ensure a safe, cancer-free future for you and those you love.
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