Beliefs About Lifestyle Changes and Cancer Prevention

Are you pretty clear about what the "right" lifestyle changes are with regard to preventing cancer? If so, you're in the minority according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. I found the results of the study disturbing and want to make it crystal clear what you can do today to reduce your risk of developing colon cancer.

Beliefs About Lifestyle Changes and Cancer Prevention

Researchers asked more than 6,000 Americans about their beliefs regarding their ability to prevent cancer by making lifestyle changes. Almost half of the participants (47 percent) said "it seems like almost everything causes cancer." About a quarter believed there wasn't much they could do at all to decrease their risk and 72 percent said there are so many recommendations that it's hard to know which ones to follow.

Having developed a tumor as a healthy, active 16 year old, I'm well aware that sometimes bad things just happen. But, having experienced it once has convinced me of the value in doing everything I can to prevent it from happening again. So, I don't smoke, I eat well, I'm moderately active, and I get preventive checkups. Not because I'm confident that I have the power to prevent cancer, but because I do believe I can reduce my risk and I think doing so is worth the effort.

How to Reduce Your Colon Cancer Risk

Screening is one of the best ways to prevent colon cancer. People tend to avoid the doctor until they have symptoms and while that's understandable, it's a mistake. About 75 percent of people who develop colon cancer are 50 or older with no other identifiable risk factors. Getting a colonoscopy can reduce the average person's risk of dying from colon cancer by 90 percent and when diagnosed early, the majority of colon cancers are completely curable.

Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, maintaining an active lifestyle, not smoking, and disclosing your family and personal medical history to your doctor are all helpful in preventing colon cancer in particular and cancer in general. For more specific recommendations, please read the Top 10 Colon Cancer Prevention Tips.

• Colon Cancer Screening Recommendations
  
• Colonoscopy Overview
  
• How to Avoid a Delayed Colon Cancer Diagnosis
  
• How to Get Someone You Love to Get Screened

_{Source: Niederdeppe, J. and Gurmankin-Levy, A. "Fatalistic Beliefs about Cancer Prevention and Three Prevention Behaviors." Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention 16 (1 May 2007): 998-1003. Accessed 19 May 2007.}