5 Steps to Prevent Cancer
Cancer, which is becoming more and more common today, is almost unpreventable with people’s lifestyles getting worse. So what is cancer? It is the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer develops when the body’s usual control system stops working or breaks down. In this case, old and genetically damaged cells grow out of control, spread and form new abnormal cells. These cells can form a mass of tissue known as a tumor. Cancerous tissue first affects the health of the organ from which it originates and then the whole body.
How do we know if we have cancer?
When we have cancer, some symptoms appear in our body, but the signs and symptoms of cancer vary according to the type and degree of the disease. Although the general signs and symptoms are not very specific, depending on the site of involvement, patients often experience fatigue and fatigue, weight loss, undefined tension, restlessness and depression, skin-hair-nail changes, changes in bowel or bladder function, unexpected bleeding, persistent cough or voice change, fever, swelling, palpable or radiologically detected tissue masses. Despite physical examination and numerous screening tests, a definitive diagnosis of suspected cancer tissue is made by biopsy. The stage of the cancer is determined by biopsy and screening tests and treatment is then planned.
What causes cancer?
Hundreds of causes can lead to this deadly disease. Treatment is always planned for the ‘underlying cause’, but if the cause cannot be found, treatment becomes more difficult. We have answered the question of what causes cancer the most for you. There are two main causes; the first is genetic factors and the second is environmental factors. Genetic factors are independent of a person’s activities. Multiple cancers of various types can occur in a family due to genetic defects. Today, gene therapies are being studied in high-tech health centers and laboratories in many countries and will probably be available to humanity in the near future. When we look at the environmental factors that cause or trigger cancer in individuals, with or without genetic predisposition, lifestyle is at the top of the list. People who do not have regular sleep, proper diet, sports and similar activities are of course at high risk of developing cancer or other diseases.
The immune system is a complex mechanism that protects our body from infection and disease. The bone marrow produces cells that develop as part of the immune system and serve immunity. When stem cells in the bone marrow are damaged, they produce abnormal cells or cancer cells. The source of stem cell damage or deficiency can be an inherited genetic defect or exposure to a virus or toxin. People are sometimes subjected to high doses of chemotherapy and medication, as well as radiation therapy, to treat cancer or other diseases. In particular, children exposed to such drugs and treatments can, under certain circumstances, develop a second cancer later in life. These powerful anti-cancer drugs have the ability to alter cells and the immune system. A second malignancy is a cancer that develops as a result of treatment for a previous disease. The immediate environment and living conditions that people come into contact with can cause cancer. For children whose immunity is not yet fully developed, there should be no industrial or similar establishments such as factories, workshops, factories, workshops that produce toxic waste, radiation or gases in the house, street or neighborhood where they live, which can threaten their health. In addition, exposure to certain viruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has been linked to an increased risk of developing certain childhood cancers, such as Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
5 Steps to Prevent Cancer
No matter how strong these cancer-causing factors are, we can reduce the risk of cancer by taking precautions. For this, it is useful to do the 5 steps we recommend below perfectly.
1. Food
The link between cancer and diet is as mysterious as the disease itself. Many studies point to specific foods and nutrients that can help prevent certain types of cancer or contribute to the opposite. Smoking and alcohol are known to be cancer’s best friends. You need to keep your body healthy by increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, greens, reducing the consumption of waste fat and any excess sugar and fat. A regular and balanced diet is the most important factor in preventing obesity. By avoiding harmful foods, your immunity will improve, you will get rid of cell and tissue damage, and you will also get rid of the mechanical load that overweight will put on the joints and you will have the opportunity to move, walk and do many sports activities. In short, you will find life both physically and psychologically.
2. Sport
It is a scientific fact that regular exercise significantly reduces the rate of cancer and other diseases in the population. Sport and exercise keep people fit, not only preventing cancer and chronic diseases, but also helping you to hold on to life even when you have cancer. It strengthens you both physically and mentally, helping to fight stress and anxiety. If you exercise regularly, you can reduce your risk of developing cancer.
3. Cancer screening and examinations
Perhaps one of the worst aspects of our society is the habit of not going to the doctor regularly after getting sick. Some people continue their lives thinking they are healthy, others do not care about their current illness and its treatment, but unfortunately cancer and other diseases slowly consume the body. For this reason, especially if there is cancer in the family, it is useful to have physician check-ups and cancer screenings at regular intervals. Early diagnosis saves lives.
4. By having other diseases treated
As mentioned above, people often do not go for medical check-ups when they should, or they do not take care of their illnesses or wait too long in the hope that it will go away. As we know, cancer is closely linked to many genetic and immune diseases, and if these diseases are left untreated, the likelihood of developing cancer in the future is high. Obviously, nowadays, access to examination and treatment services is difficult for people as it requires considerable cost and time. This unfortunately leads to delays and disruptions in diagnosis and treatment.
5. Sleep, regular work and lifestyle
Regular sleep will keep you away from stress, fatigue and illness. While we sleep, our body takes care of itself, completes what it lacks, corrects what is wrong. It prepares the body for the next day. Of course, for regular sleep, you need to have a job that will not tire you too much. Perhaps the most important problem of the global world is that people don’t have as much time for themselves as they used to. When we don’t have a job, the computers and phones we cling to make our lives even worse. If you continue this irregular lifestyle, your body will be weakened and you are more likely to develop many diseases in the future, the most important of which is cancer, which can cause you incredible damage.
Most of us may know the 5 steps above, but our health is slipping away because we either don’t take the steps to change our habits or we keep postponing them. Just by taking the above into account, we can reduce the chances of developing serious diseases such as cancer by at least half.