Firstly, treatment options have increased and their success rate has skyr

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ocketed. Secondly there are quite a number of simple precautions you can take to help prevent getting cancer. They don’t cost money, or cost very little money - and you could start with them today:

• Stop smoking, or even better, don’t even start. To try and stop later, when you have a 40-a-day habit, is simply no joke. If you need any motivation, think of the fact that one in every two smokers die from smoking-related illnesses.
• Make sure that the food you eat does not contain more calories than you can use. Exercise is important – especially after that hamburger. Overweight must be avoided at all costs. It is much easier to avoid those extra five kilograms, than trying to get rid of them when they’re already there.
• Rather eat refined carbohydrates, such as brown rice or wholewheat bread. Stay away from white bread and too much white rice and pasta.
• Hold back when it comes to the salt. We need a bit of salt, but we eat about ten times as much on a daily basis as we need. Also look out for salt hidden in certain foods, such as sauces and pickles.
• Reduce your intake of animal fats, both meat products and dairy products. Meat and dairy products, although they make up a part of most healthy diets, can contain huge amounts of fat. The secret lies in eating small quantities of these.
• Drink more tea. But don’t put too much sugar into your cuppa – the extra kilojoules could be cancelling out the beneficial effects of the tea.
• We know spinach might not top your list of favourite foods, but it contains folic acid, which is important in the prevention of cancer. So, for your own sake, find a way to make it palatable.
• Eat more omega-3 fatty acids, such as those you find in fish. Use canola oil rather than sunflower oil. And lots of olive oil – the cold-pressed kind.
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. About five portions per day should do the trick. And remember the berries, tomatoes and beans – they can only do you a world of good.
• Stay out of the sun as far as is possible. And if you can’t, remember to wear a high-factor sunblock. Speak to your pharmacist about this. A lovely tan at age 19 can mean skin cancer by age 35.
• Try to reduce your stress levels - make time for breakaways, holidays, hobbies and family time.
• And, if you can, try to find a home in a pollutant-free environment.

- (Health24, updated October 2007)
 

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