- The ACS recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. They also suggest cutting back on fatty foods and maintaining a balanced diet of whole grains, lean proteins and fiber. They suggest that people use a calorie counter like the one on their website (See Resources) to determine how many calories they need each day. This information helps you to stay at a healthy weight, which also reduces the chances of getting cancer.
- After figuring out how many calories are needed, adults should balance their food intake with the amount of exercise they do. Adults need at least one half hour of exercise on most or all days every week. That exercise should be moderate to vigorous and done with the goal of eventually working up to an hour each day. Brisk walking is an example of moderate exercise, while running is considered vigorous.
- According to the ACS, smoking is the top preventable reason for dying in America. The organization advises people to never start smoking or to quit smoking to cut their chances of developing cancer. Even secondhand smoke exposure can contribute to the development of cancer, so the ACS recommends that it be avoided, too. This is one of the reasons they support legislation for smoke-free cities.
- The ACS recommends that in addition to wearing sunscreen, people should spend time in the shade when outdoors whenever possible. They also suggest wearing skin-protecting hats and sunglasses to reduce the risk of skin cancer. To prevent exposure to some kinds of cervical cancer, the ACS recommends the use of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine and safe sexual practices.
- The ACS advises that people limit or avoid exposure to environmental cancer-causing factors, including smog, radiation and household chemicals. Consumers should become informed about the products they buy and use regularly to prevent prolonged exposure to a potentially hazardous chemical that can increase the chances of cancer. Employees should follow the safety practices of the regulatory agencies in their state that supervise their work policies and procedures to reduce exposure to carcinogens.
