A
report released this month by the American Association for
Cancer Research found that nearly half of all cancer deaths could have been
prevented. The study is quick to point out that the intention is not to blame
the cancer victim, but to help persuade folks to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
But
here’s the thing: Few, if any, diseases strike more dread in our hearts than
cancer. For that reason, it’s all too easy to panic when yet another study pops
up claiming that some chemical, food, or activity (or inactivity) causes cancer. It’s enough to make you want to crawl
into a cave and stay there. Well, don’t do that — instead, use your common sense
and get your body in tip-top shape. Here’s how:
Exercise chalks up a win. More and more scientific
studies are showing that regular exercise can help prevent cancer, ease the
side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and lessen the chance that cancer
will occur. And here’s the big news:
If you have cancer of any kind, exercising on a routine basis can cut your risk
of dying from it by 53 percent. So get a move on — yesterday!
Add 10 cancer-clobbering
foods to your shopping list. One key to staying healthy is to eat a wide variety
of wholesome foods, but when it comes to preventing or slowing the growth of
cancer cells, nutritionists give top marks to these 10 all-stars:
- Apples
- Berries
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Dark green or red leafy veggies
- Flaxseed
- Garlic
- Grapes
- Legumes
- Tomatoes
- Whole grains
Snack on chocolate. Yep — you read that right.
Studies have shown that compounds called polyphenols slow the growth of cancer
cells. And one ounce of dark chocolate contains almost as many polyphenols as a
cup of green tea, and twice as many as a glass of red wine (two widely touted
sources of the compounds). Just remember that the operative word is “dark.”
Look for chocolate that consists of more than 70 percent cocoa.
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