Three Habits That Raise Your Cancer Risk

Whether you're doing it consciously or otherwise, these habits would up your cancer risk:

Smoking

With the many negative health effects of smoking, it is understandable why many health advocates advise against it. Aside from lung cancer, more than 11 other kinds of cancers have been attributed to it. Persisting with your smoking habit means subtracting years from your life, depending on how long you decide to stick with it.

Overexposure to the sun

Overexposure to the sun during those times of day when its deadly rays are most potent can deplete your chances of living longer rather than sustain it. So to cut your risk of contracting skin cancer, which results from your exposure to its harmful rays, make sure to practice sun smart prevention tips to keep your skin protected.

Uncontrolled weight

The pressure of all the extra weight you put on your body could deter it from functioning properly. The more overweight you are, the higher chances that your body would eventually incur health malfunctions. Hence, obesity is considered as a harbinger of a host of lethal illnesses including cancers. To keep your risk at a minimum, see to it that your weight is in check always.

Whether you're doing it consciously or otherwise, these habits would up your cancer risk:

Smoking

With the many negative health effects of smoking, it is understandable why many health advocates advise against it. Aside from lung cancer, more than 11 other kinds of cancers have been attributed to it. Persisting with your smoking habit means subtracting years from your life, depending on how long you decide to stick with it.

Overexposure to the sun

Overexposure to the sun during those times of day when its deadly rays are most potent can deplete your chances of living longer rather than sustain it. So to cut your risk of contracting skin cancer, which results from your exposure to its harmful rays, make sure to practice sun smart prevention tips to keep your skin protected.

Uncontrolled weight

The pressure of all the extra weight you put on your body could deter it from functioning properly. The more overweight you are, the higher chances that your body would eventually incur health malfunctions. Hence, obesity is considered as a harbinger of a host of lethal illnesses including cancers. To keep your risk at a minimum, see to it that your weight is in check always.

Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Three Important Cancer Screening Exams for Women

The distinction between the male and female bodies bring with it a set of health risks exclusive to each gender alone. One such risk is that of acquiring cancers. Below are the three important cancer screening tests exclusively for women:

Pelvic Exam

Gynecological health problems require women to have regular pelvic exams. It plays a vital role in detecting sexually transmitted diseases as well as the early indications of gynecological cancers. Usually done with the Pap Smear, the rate in which a woman undergoes pelvic exams depends on her susceptibility and/or the results of her previous examination.

Pap Smear

In detecting cervical cancers, doctors vouch for the effectivity of pap smear exams. Since it isn't considered as a diagnostic procedure, follow up tests are required after or along with it. Usually, it is done with a pelvic exam. Performing this test requires obtaining cells from the woman's cervix, which would then be examined closely under the microscope.

Mammogram

Mammograms are advisable to be taken by women 40 years of age and above on a regular basis. This process is needed to detect if there are any abnormal growth along the breast area, which may be indicative of breast cancer.

Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Stave Off Cancer By Eating Plant-Based Foods

Apart from ditching unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking, taking necessary precautions with the food you eat is vital in assuring that you stay cancer-free. Food serves as the fuel that keeps you literally alive and well. But besides playing an important role in keeping your good overall health, it's also important in determining your chances against illnesses, including fatal ones such as the big”C” (cancer).

When it comes to healthy eating, none is considered better than having a predominantly plant-based diet. Consisting of a large variety of whole grains, vegetables and fruits, plant-based foods possess many health advantages. Low-fat and high in fiber, they're proven to contain the most amounts of cancer-combating nutrients. Combining all these three health-sustaining attributes works to empower your body's immune system, making it more capable of fighting off cancer as well as other diseases.

There are many ways whereby you can prepare and enjoy plant-based foods. However, experts suggest that they are best eaten close to their natural, fresh state. The less processed plant-based foods are, the more nutrients stay intact, the better chances your body would have in absorbing their cancer-fighting benefits.

Contributed By: Maris Modesto

Different Cancer Treatments and Your Child's Fertility

Regarding the effects of cancer treatments on your child's fertility, not all of them could adversely affect it. However, some could incur minor side effects, while others can result to complete infertility due to the resulting damage on his/her ovaries or testes. To give you a lowdown on how these could occur, read on.

• Radiation

This kind of treatment process could adversely affect your child's ovaries or testes. His/her sperm/egg cells are especially at risk if the radiation is focused on the whole body or on any of the following body areas: spine, abdomen, specific areas of the brain, and the pelvic area. The manner whereby radiation affects the child differs in accordance to his/her gender:

girls—Their uterine operations and menstrual cycle could be affected. Also, they may have problems with completing the full term required in carrying a child.

boys—Their sperm count and body's ability to move spontaneously may be affected.

• Surgery

Concerning your child's reproductive organs, your child's doctor could suggest performing surgery to remove their cancer-affected parts.

• Chemotherapy

Drugs used in chemotherapy that are considered more liable to cause infertility are the following: Procarbazine, Cytoxan, Infosfamide, Procarbazine, Melphalan, and Busulfan.



Contributed By: Maris Modesto