Cancer is a word that nobody wants to hear, but the truth is, its a terrible disease that affects millions of Americans every year.

Prevention

There is good news for you, though. Cancer prevention includes taking the necessary steps in order to help stop cancer from developing. Prevention includes taking timely examinations and tests. These are intended to find cancer as early as possible, in its preliminary stages, when it can be treated most effectively and with the fewest possible side effects. Contact your physician or healthcare professional to make arrangements to be tested if you haven't already.

You can take some other necessary steps in order to help keep your body healthy and strong, and thus, lower your risks of getting the various forms of cancer.

Nutrition

Diet and nutrition play probably the most important part in the prevention of the various forms of cancer. Research evidence shows that, next to cigarette smoking and tobacco use, about one-third of the over 500,000 cancer-related deaths that occur in the United States every year, is due to dietary factors. This means that even if you are not a smoker, you are still at risk in getting cancer if your daily diet is lacking in the proper foods and nutrients.

The American Cancer Society recommends the following dietary guidelines to help every one prevent cancer:

1. Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources.

2. Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

3. Eat other foods from plant sources, such as breads, cereals, grain products, rice, pasta, or beans several times a day.

4. Limit your intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources.

5. Choose foods low in fat.

6. Limit consumption of meats, especially high-fat meats.

Other Nutritious Notes

Thirty grams of fiber every day has been suggested by medical research to significantly reduce the risk of getting various forms of cancer. This same research has concluded that Americans actually comsume less than fifteen grams,or actually less than half of the recommended daily consumption for cancer-fighting health.

Research has also found that many plant foods contain compounds known as "Lignans." Lignans have been shown- in laboratory tests- to actually shrink existing breast cancer tumors and colon cancer tumors, and actually stop new growths from beginning. Studies on human beings will begin soon.

In recent studies, a compound called "EGCG" helps fight the formation of cancer cells. This amazing antioxidant is found in green tea as well as in black tea, but is most concentrated in green teas. Drinking green tea every day can only help assist your body in the fight against cancer.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is also said to be a healthy aid in the fight against cancer. Research shows that every person should live a moderately-active lifestyle. And, if possible, every person should follow a life-long excercise regiment.

 Excercise helps the human body in a variety of ways to be healthy and strong. It also helps a person to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining your healthy weight range is a definite advantage to overall health as well as in the fight against cancer.

Many environmental factors can affect your risks of getting any of the various types of cancer, but there are a few things you yourself can do to help put the odds in your favor. First, quit smoking. Second, stay away from, as much as possible, second hand smoke. Tobacco smoke contains harmful carcinogens which has negative effects on your overall health.

It is never too late to change your personal lifestyle habits in order to promote good health and reduce the risk of the various types of cancer. In fact, the sooner you change, the better your health will be.