Sky Lakes Medical Center | Live Smart | Spring 2018

WHAT ELSE CAN HELP BEAT CANCER? Find out at skylakes.org/healthlibrary . Could preventing cancer be as easy as 1, 2, 3? According to experts, in many cases the answer is yes. Doctors can’t say with certainty who will get cancer. And they can’t offer a guaranteed way to keep the disease from striking. But after reviewing thousands of studies, they’ve determined that cancer isn’t always something that just happens. Often, the disease can be linked to behaviors and lifestyle. That means the choices we make every day may lessen our cancer risk. Certainly that’s true with smoking. If you choose to kick a cigarette habit or not smoke in the first place, you dramatically lower your risk of lung cancer—and several other types of cancer. But prevention doesn’t end there. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, taking these three steps may also go a long way toward staying cancer-free: Eat mostly plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes contain phytochemicals that may bolster the body’s ability to fight cancer in a variety of ways. For example, some phytochemicals seem to prevent cancer-causing substances from becoming active in the body. Others may help heal damage to the body’s cells or trigger the death of cells that are cancerous. Aim to eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables each day. And at mealtime, strive to fill at least two- thirds of your plate with plant foods. Animal foods, such as meat, should make up no more than one-third of your meal. But try to limit red meat to 18 ounces or less each week, and avoid processed meats. 4 LIVE smart | Spring 2018