Monthly Health Articles Archive

Reduce cancer risk with healthy behaviors

As the weather grows warmer, new opportunities for health and wellness also begin to bloom. Eating right and exercising can make you feel better and reduce your risk of cancer.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful in the summer months, whether you grow them yourself or buy them at farmers markets, the grocery store or a roadside stand. Many people have heard the “five a day” slogan, which refers to eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Another way to approach filling your plate with a variety of foods is to eat your colors. Bright red strawberries, crisp green lettuce, juicy melons, white, yellow and purple onions – we see many vibrant colors throughout the garden season. Each color provides different nutrients that can strengthen your immune system and help prevent disease, in addition to lowering your risk for certain types of cancers, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and eye diseases.

Take a look at your plate and count how many colors are represented. Eating a wide of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are a benefit to your diet. If you’re looking for a way to add lots of color to your meal, start with a green salad and add tomatoes, shredded carrots, chickpeas or kidney beans, diced red peppers or broccoli florets. Or try slicing ripe peaches, bananas or berries into your cereal in the morning or creating a fresh fruit smoothie in your blender.

Decreasing your portion sizes of meat and poultry can also help. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends grilling only occasionally, but when you do grill, try grilling something other than meat. A vegetable kabob with zucchini, potatoes, peppers and onions tastes great with a drizzle of Italian salad dressing or olive oil and herbs. Summer is a great time to cut down on salt intake, as fresh herbs are readily available to use in their place. Experiment with different herbs like rosemary, basil, cilantro, oregano or chives. Herbs can add a lot of flavor to your food without adding the extra salt.

Exercise offers many health benefits, including preventing disease and promoting health and wellness. Research shows that physical activity can help protect against the development of colon cancer. Cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and uterus also have been linked to exercise-related prevention. A good goal to start with is 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day.

The extra daylight in the summer months provide greater opportunities for outdoor exercise such as walking, swimming, bicycling, and gardening. Keep fit with a variety of activities you enjoy to make exercise a lifelong habit. Taking on some healthy eating and exercise behaviors are a good cancer prevention method, as well as good steps towards a healthy lifestyle.

-Deb Studer is a registered dietician at Kossuth Regional Health Center