Cancer. The word itself is scary and conjures up some kind of emotion in people. Maybe you have had cancer. If not the chances are very great that you have known someone that has had it. If not it is almost guaranteed that at some point in your life you will. Cancer can be scary for multiple reasons. For one there is no cure. Once you have cancer it is not guaranteed that you will not die and in fact with some kinds it is very much possible that you will. Cancer is also scary because there is so much that we do not know about this horrible disease. So many people get cancer and for no known reason. The good news is that there are things you can do to prevent some types of cancer. Knowledge about change that you can make in your lifestyle now can be very important to your health in the future. Tobacco is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world today. It causes 80-90% of all lung cancer deaths as well as 30% of all cancer deaths in developing countries. The most common types of tobacco related cancers are cancers of the mouth, larynx, esophagus and stomach. If you are a smoker right now quitting is the single most important thing you can do towards cancer prevention. Dietary modification is another factor in cancer control and prevention. Obesity and even just being overweight have been scientifically linked to cancer of the esophagus, colorectum, breast, endometrium and kidneys. On the flip side if you diet is high in fruits,vegetables, and whole grains you are protecting yourself in possibly more ways than we currently know. Exercise is also a key factor in cancer prevention. Regular physical activity reduces cancer risk significantly. Another way to cut your risk of getting cancer is to cut out alcohol. Alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of oral, esophageal, breast, and other cancers.

Although our cancer knowledge may not be anywhere near we would like it to be, we are getting there. With more funding and more scientists looking for a cure, hopefully we will see one soon. Over the last ten years there has already been a great improvement in the cancer treatments which are available and there is now a higher survival rate for cancer victims.