Here’s some news about cancer that’s worth celebrating: More than million
cancer deaths have been prevented since the s, reports the American Cancer
Society.
Has cancer
affected your
family? DCH is
here for you.
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out more.
Your family guide
to cancer prevention
F
e a t u r e
be followed for children.
However, it’s best to keep babies
younger than months old out of direct
sunlight altogether. If you can’t, apply sun-
screen to small exposed areas, such as the
face or the backs of the hands.
3
EAT A HEALTHFUL DIET.
A good diet
may play a role in cancer prevention on
several fronts.
First, it’s crucial for a healthy weight.
According to the ACS, being overweight
increases the risk of several cancers—
possibly because when people are heavy,
hormone production increases. Certain
hormones may fuel cancer growth.
Another reason diet is important is
related to foods themselves. Some—such
as red meat and processed meats—have
been linked to cancer.
Others—such as fruits, vegetables,
whole grains and legumes—have cancer-
fighting properties. These foods contain
So can talking to your kids about smok-
ing’s downsides early (by age ) and often.
Mention that smoking affects how you
look, smell and feel.
2
PROTECT YOUR SKIN.
Lung cancer
is the No. cause of cancer deaths in the
U.S., but skin cancer is the most common
cancer. Fortunately, it’s highly treatable if
found early—and much less likely to oc-
cur if you take precautions.
What you can do:
Limiting exposure to
ultraviolet radiation is the best prevention
strategy. That means avoiding tanning beds
and guarding your skin from sunlight.
It also means:
●
Wearing a sunscreen
with a sun protection factor of or
higher.
●
Slipping on a shirt (tightly
woven fabrics that aren’t see-through
when held up to light offer the best pro-
tection).
●
Slapping on a hat that shades
your face, ears and neck (common skin
cancer sites).
What you can do for your kids:
Even
moderate sun exposure in childhood
increases a person’s risk for skin cancer
later in life, the American Academy of
Pediatrics reports.
Generally, the same sun protection
advice that applies to adults should also
Think about that. A million people
would fill one of the nation’s largest foot-
ball stadiums— times over!
Preventing cancer—not just cancer
deaths—is something equally worthy of
celebration. Here are four key strategies
you can implement to help protect yourself
and your family.
1
DON’T SMOKE.
Smoking is respon-
sible for almost all cases of lung can-
cer—the leading cause of cancer death in
American men and women.
But smoking has ties to many other
forms of cancer as well—mouth, throat,
bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix and
stomach among them.
Avoiding tobacco lowers cancer risk
significantly. And not just for you—for
others in your family, too.
Concentrations of cancer-causing
chemicals are higher in secondhand smoke
than in the smoke inhaled by smokers
themselves, the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention reports.
What you can do:
If you don’t smoke,
don’t start. And if you do, try really hard
to quit. It may take several attempts, so
don’t give up easily. It’s tough. But you’re
tougher!
You can learn more about quitting at
.
What you can do for your kids:
Most
people who smoke started when they were
young. So there’s a good chance that if you
keep your kids tobacco-free they
will never light up.
Setting a good example
by not smoking yourself
can help. But if you do
smoke, tell them how
hard it is to quit.
4
F A L L 2 0 1 3
H E A L T H Y
C O M M U N I T Y
