How to Dispel Cancer Myths

There are so many cancer myths out there, that people probably don't know if what they are told is truth or myth. For instance, some say that a person's risk of dying from cancer in the U.S. is increasing. This sounds like a good fact, but it's a myth. There are many more deceptive tales out there. Here is how to dispel some of them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Get some education. Though education doesn't always teach you fact from fiction, it produces a more curious mind. Education boosts self-esteem and gives a person reasoning tools to deduce whether they are being told facts or myths.
2. Think like a woman. There was a study conducted that tested a thousand men and women without cancer. The study asked whether a particular myth was true or false. Men tended to believe myths more than women.
3. Escape the community that is most at risk for a particular cancer. A person who is part of a community that is affected most heavily by a cancer tends to believe more of the myths. Quit smoking, for example, and you will more readily believe the cancer myth that quitting smoking will not reduce your risk of cancer. Escape from the high risk community and your eyes might be opened to see the truth.
4. Get a new attitude and outlook on life. The same study demonstrated that a person's attitude and outlook on life influences the person's behavior. Be a happy person excited about life and living and you will have a hard time believing that it is all going to end tomorrow because you use a cell phone that is causing cancer in your left ear and forcing you to an early grave.
5. Get more accurate information. If someone sends a myth your way, go search for the truth. Question the person telling you the facts and myths, ask your doctor and search the Internet for reliable answers.

Tips & Warnings

• Cell phone use does not cause cancer.
• Stop smoking and you reduce your risk of cancer.