Numerous factors influence whether a person gets cancer. The good news is that many cancers are preventable, and there are healthy habits you can adopt that will significantly lower your risk for certain cancers.

Some risk factors for cancer can’t be helped, including your age and your family history. But there is a lot you can do right now to protect yourself. Take charge of your health by making these lifestyle choices.

Stop Smoking

If you smoke, you should quit. Smoking is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer, and it contributes to other cancers such as mouth, throat, cervical and bladder cancer. Your body begins recovering from smoking within minutes after quitting, and your risks for many cancers are cut in half five years after you quit. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit. Or call the Maryland Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Holy Cross Health also offers free one-on-one smoking cessation counseling. To learn more, contact Stacey Bisnett at stacey.bisnett@holycrosshealth.org

Avoid Secondhand Smoke

Did you know that secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in adults who have never smoked? Try to avoid secondhand smoke, and if you live with someone who smokes, encourage them to stop. Learn about more ways to prevent lung cancer.

Be More Active

Physical activity reduces your risk for several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. Children and teens should get at least 1 hour of moderate-intensity activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking, playing golf, doing yoga, and even mowing the lawn. Check out Holy Cross Health's wide range of fitness programs.

Eat More Plants

Improving your diet is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy, and certain foods can impact your cancer risk. The American Cancer Society recommends eating a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods. Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day, and minimize your intake of processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meats. If you do eat meat, choose fish, poultry or lean cuts of beef.

Limit Alcohol Intake

Drinking alcohol raises your risk for breast, throat, liver, colorectal and other cancers. The less you drink, the lower your risk. If you do drink, do so in moderation—no more than one drink a day for women, and no more than two drinks a day for men.

Watch Your Weight

Too much weight around your midsection increases your risk for several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, as well as for other diseases like diabetes and heart disease. You can check your Body Mass Index online to see if you are at a healthy weight.

Stand Up More

Recent studies have found that people who spend most of their day sitting are more likely to develop colon and endometrial cancer. Be sure to stand up and walk around every two hours. You can use a smartphone app to remind you.

Protect Your Skin

The sun, sunlamps and tanning beds all give off ultraviolet rays that cause skin damage and can lead to skin cancer. When you’re in the sun, always apply sunscreen to your skin that has at least a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. Some doctors recommend at least SPF 30. Wear sun-protective clothing, hats that protect your skin and sunglasses to protect the skin around your eyes.

Get Vaccinated

Scientists have developed some vaccines that protect your body from viruses like HPV that cause cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all boys and girls get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12.

Get Screened

Maintaining routine medical care is one of the best ways to lower your cancer risk. You should get a physical every year and talk to your primary care physician about which screening tests you need. If you don’t have a primary care physician or you’re looking for a new one, Holy Cross Health Partners offers high-quality primary care services at two locations in Montgomery County.

Your doctor may recommend these screening tests. Holy Cross Health’s comprehensive cancer screening program provides sophisticated screening and diagnostic technologies that can catch cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages.

  • Everyone should get a colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer starting at age 45.
  • Women should begin mammograms at age 50.
  • Men who turn 50 should talk to their doctor about whether to get tested for prostate cancer.
  • If you’re a smoker or ex-smoker, you should talk to your doctor about a CT scan for lung cancer.
  • You should see a dermatologist every year to check your skin from head to toe for unusual spots or moles that could lead to skin cancer.

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Holy Cross Health presents the information in this blog as a resource for our community. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice or to endorse any particular entity or service. Personal health problems should be brought to the attention of the appropriate health professionals.