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• 2011-05-09 11:51:46

• ACCI SPRING MEDICAL MISSION

  Scheduled for Jamaica, West Indies.  Date : March 24-April 3, 2012.

   CHECK-OUT ACCI’S CANCER PREVENTION TIPS  

  Cancer prevention: At ACCI, we strongly believe that prevention, early detection, and targeted therapy are the ways forward to win the fight against cancer.   Here are some tips for cancer prevention

  By Dr. Eucharia Iwuanyanwu, PA-C

  There are lots of information out there on cancer prevention.  However, below are the essential things that will definitely help.  Theses when combined with routine screening and being alert to unusual occurrences in your body with prompt medical follow-up, will certainly make remarkable difference. Consider seven real-life cancer prevention tips.

  1. Avoid tobacco and smoking

  Using any form of tobacco product puts one at increased risk for cancer.  Tobacco products and smoking (including secondhand smoking) have been linked to several cancers to include: breast, cervix, lung, kidney, bladder, oral including esophageal/head and neck) and pancreatic cancers.

  To decrease your risk of cancer, chewing tobacco or smoking should be avoided.  Staying away from those who smoke will also help.  Protect our children by not smoking around them will make them healthy adults. 

  2.  Healthy Eating

  Even though not guaranteed, making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can help in make a difference in cancer prevention.  It can reduce your risk of some cancers.

  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Ones diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.
  • Limit fat. Endeavour to eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-fat foods, particularly those from animal sources. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and may increase the risk of overweight or obesity, which in turn can increase risk of cancer.    
  • Drink alcohol in moderation.  Alcohol is known to increase the risk of various types of cancers to include: cancers of the oral cavity, head and neck, pancreas, breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver

  3. Exercise

  Exercise is a way to maintain healthy body weight in addition to healthy diet.  Lack of physical activity leads to weight gain and obesity both of which are risk factors of various cancers- breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.  Exercises for 30 minutes daily should be ones daily goal.  More is even better.  Exercise can include running, brisk walks, bicycling, use of thread mills, dancing or aerobics are all good ways to exercise.

  4. Sleep

  Some body functions are completed during sleep at night in pitch darkness.  Adequate sleep is up to 7 hours of sleep  at night.  The body rejuvenates itself and produces biochemical materials as melatonin that helps to clean out the gut system.  Good sleep pattern helps to prevent obesity, ensures balance in body metabolic activity that could reduce the risk of colon cancers and increases the benefit of exercise in the body.   that helps to

  5. Protect your skin and avoid melanoma/other skin cancers

  Skin cancer is one of the most common and most preventable type of cancer.   Skin care is even most important for albinos and red headed people. Avoid skin cancer with these practices:

  Avoid midday sun. Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.

  Stay in the shade. When you’re outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat help, too.

  Cover exposed areas. Wear tightly woven, loose fitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colors, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.

  Don’t skip on sunscreen. Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you’re outdoors, and reapply often.

  Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These are just as damaging as natural sunlight. 

  6. Get immunized

  Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections through immunization. Talk to your doctor about immunization against:

  • Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is routinely given to infants. It’s also recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, men who have sex with men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as an adolescent.

  7. Avoid risky behaviors

  Another effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviors that can lead to infections that are capable of increasing the risk of cancer such as

  Practice safe sex. Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you do have sex. The more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, cervix, lung and immune system. HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it may also increase the risk of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.  Anal sex can also increase risk of rectal cancers.

  • Don’t share needles. Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV,  hepatitis B and hepatitis C. These can in turn increase the risk of liver cancer. Sharing needles while obtaining tattoos is also a risky behavior.  You can contract any of the mentioned diseases by sharing tattooing needles with an infected person.  If you must get a tattoo, get it from a tattoo shop or saloon that is known to sterilize their equipments.  If you’re concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.

  8. Take early detection seriously

  Regular self-exams and professional screening for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful.  Early detection is key to survival.  When you have family history of various cancers, talk to your doctor.  You may need more frequent surveillance. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you.  If you have family history of pancreatic cancer, be mindful of alcohol use.  It can increase your risk.  If a diabetic, pay attention to your pancreas.  There is seem to be a link that is not yet proven. Take upper abdominal pain seriously and have it checked out by your doctor. 

  Take cancer prevention seriously.  Take prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.

  •  We are always accepting Donations and looking for Volunteers. Call our office at 713-995-8000 or email us @ info@africacancercareinc.org. Supplies accepted.

   We are a 501 3c (non-profit) organization.

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