Six healthy habits to prevent cancer

Today, there is no more effective way to fight cancer than adopting healthy habits that help prevent the growth of cancer cells. A healthy lifestyle will strengthen your immune system and reduce your risk for developing the disease.

SHA Wellness Clinic suggests six healthy habits that will strengthen your body to reduce your cancer risk:

1. Quit smoking

Quitting smoking greatly reduces the chances of developing many types of cancer: lung, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, mouth, oesophagus and throat.

Quitting smoking is no easy task, but it can be done with the right information and expert support that focuses on realistic pathways and goals.

“The key to quitting smoking is individual motivation. It is important to be motivated to quit and convinced that it will bring both physical and psychological benefits and that it will have a positive impact on oneself and one’s immediate environment: family, work, etc.”, explains Dr. Laura Enciso, psychologist at SHA Wellness Clinic.

2. Chose a healthy diet

A balanced diet is not only fundamental to health, but also to prevention. Even for cancer. Healthy food choices can help reduce the risk of cancer.

Eating a balanced variety of vegetables, fruit, pulses, oily or white fish and wholegrain foods is vital. Conversely, it is important to cut out red meat and consume less meat and dairy products in general, as well as less processed products and refined sugar and flour.

A comprehensive prospective study in ten European countries yielded conclusive results. “There is a protective effect of fibre, fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer, a protective effect of fruit consumption on lung cancer and of fruit and vegetables on the upper digestive tract”.

3. Exercise or physical activity

Staying active can help prevent several types of cancer. And, as we have already seen, regular activity can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, which can also help reduce your risk of cancer.

Not used to exercising daily? Now’s the time to get active, and taking regular daily walks is a good place to start.

Research shows that people who are physically active on a regular basis tend to have a lower risk of cancers of the colon, lung, breast and uterus, among others.

4. Protect your skin

Most skin cancers are caused by excessive exposure to the sun. Which makes taking care of your skin with habits that you incorporate into your life as a routine a crucial step.

We recommend wearing protective clothing and always wearing at least SPF 30 sunscreen every day of the year, not just in hot weather. Using lip balms or creams is also important.

5. Work the mind

Exercising the mind has valuable benefits for the immune system. For example, meditation has been shown to stimulate regions of the brain directly related to the immune system.

Thus, the response to the development of a potential disease, managed through the immune system, can be improved through meditation.

A comprehensive study found evidence that mindfulness modulates immune parameters in a way that suggests a stronger immune system. “Specifically, mindfulness appears to be associated with reductions in pro-inflammatory processes, increases in cell-mediated defence parameters and increases in enzyme activity that protects against cellular ageing”, it noted.

6. Regular check-ups and medical examinations

Visiting your doctor for regular check-ups is always good for your health. Schedule regular check-ups to evaluate your risk of developing certain types of tumours, and even more so if a thorough examination is done first to analyse your history and any high-risk factors.

SHA Wellness Clinic’s Integrative Medicine Method offers several health programmes designed to establish a much healthier lifestyle in order to prevent future illnesses to the extent possible. In addition, we offer a wide range of diagnostic tests that help in the early detection of genetic markers that may increase the risk of cancer.