During the metabolic process in the body cells use oxygen which causes formation of free radicals. These free radicals cause large chain of chemical reactions which cause damage to the cells resulting in development of different kinds of diseases that include Cancer.

Antioxidants are chemicals that interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage. Antioxidants are also known as “free radical scavengers.” Fruits, vegetables, and grains are rich sources of dietary antioxidants, which also include beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E (alpha-tocopherol).

Cancer can be avoided by making better choices of beating the disease. Our daily habits like diet and exercise affect your risk for cancer more than you think. Even research has shown that poor diet and not being active are key factors that can increase a person’s cancer risk. Avoid factors which lead to cancer like:

Obesity: Overweight is one of the risk factors for many cancers like breast, colon, endometrium, pancreas etc., So maintain your fat levels by having healthy diet and regular exercise.

Low Physical Activity: Having a sedentary life style increases the chance to develop cancer. So maintain a regular activity at least for 30-45 minutes a day. It not only keeps the cells active but also relieves the mental stress which is the root cause for many diseases.

Diet: It is the food that makes your physical and mental health. Healthy eating habits always help you to have healthy life. Always include green vegetable in your daily diet. Coloured fruits and vegetables not only help to improve your appetite but also help you to drive away free radicals from your body which make changes in DNA.

Eating healthy only does not help to stay healthy but also to avoid heavy calorie food, red meat, processed food, salted foods and also fried foods, carbonated drinks. There can be a cheating day once in a while to kill the crave but always remember what you eat is what you become.

Tobacco & Alcohol: Tobacco chewing and smoking are the major factors of developing lung cancer and oral cancer. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to second hand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.

Avoiding of which improves the chance to lower the risk of developing cancer. Even alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancer. Some cancers like breast, colon, and liver are among them. So, avoiding of which increases the chance of preventing cancer.

Exposure to Sun: Skin cancers the most preventable cancers. Cover the exposed parts, use sunscreens of 30SPF or more. When you are outdoors try to be in shade as far as possible.

Besides quitting smoking, some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:

• Regular screening tests: These help some cancers to detect at early stage, when they’re small, and not spread, and are easier to treat.
• Vaccination: Get vaccinated, as some viruses like human papilloma virus causes cervical cancer.
• Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout life.
• Be physically active on a regular basis.
• Follow a healthy eating pattern at all ages.
• Avoid or limit alcohol.

Let’s challenge ourselves to lose some extra pounds, increase our physical activity, make healthy food choices, avoid or limit alcohol, and look for ways to make our communities healthier places to live, work, and play.