Ten ways to reduce your cancer risk
By Michael Castleman
Updated: 2006-03-31 14:48 6. Drink green tea. Like fruits and vegetables, green tea is rich in
antioxidants, and recent studies link it to a reduced risk of several cancers.
For example, researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles
compared 501 Asian women who had breast cancer with 594 Asian women who didn¡¯t.
The findings show that those with cancer drank significantly lower amounts of
green tea. Other studies link green-tea drinking with a decreased risk of
esophageal, pancreatic, colon and rectal cancers.
7. Reduce exposure to pesticides. Many studies have shown that farmers
occupationally exposed to pesticides have unusually high rates of several
cancers. Research suggests that suburban children may face a cancer risk from
home and garden pesticides¡ªeverything from exterminator services to garden weed
killers to the insecticide strips that hang on many porches. Researchers at the
University of California at Berkeley compared household pesticide exposure in
324 infants and toddlers, half of whom were recently diagnosed with leukemia.
The findings show that compared with the kids not exposed to home pesticide,
those who were had up to three times the leukemia risk.
8. Avoid unnecessary X-rays. Radiation from X-rays increases the risk of
several cancers. ¡°Tell your dentist you don¡¯t want X-rays every year,¡± advises
Dr. Thun. ¡°And if your child needs a CT scan, make sure the facility has
low-dose pediatric CT equipment. But don¡¯t avoid recommended mammograms. The
benefit of mammography for early detection of breast cancer far outweighs the
risk of its radiation exposure.¡±
9. Limit salted, pickled and smoked foods. These foods may increase your risk
of stomach cancer. It¡¯s fine to eat an occasional dill pickle or a slice of
smoked salmon, says Dr. Greenwald, but he advises against making salted, pickled
or smoked foods a staple in your diet.
10. Rid your home of radon. Radon gas is the number-two (after smoking) cause
of lung cancer, according to Dr. Thun, and is responsible for some 20,000 lung
cancer deaths a year. You can¡¯t see or smell radon, a natural decay product of
uranium that occurs in soil and rock. It accumulates in about six millionU.S.
homes, especially in basements. Most radon-related lung cancers could be
prevented if Americans ventilated their homes more effectively. To learn if
radon is a problem in your home, you can purchase a home-test kit available at
many hardware and home improvement stores. If your home has high levels of
radon, work with a licensed or certified contractor to improve
ventilation.
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