Following 7 rules of life significantly reduces the risk of developing 13 types of cancer. This was demonstrated in a large study carried out by a team of scientists from the University of Newcastle and the University of Glasgow. Medical advice can really help everyone.
They based their study on cancer prevention guidelines prepared by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR). The article was published in the latest issue of the journal BMC Medicine.
Fight for life – fight for points
Seven rules help you eat right, exercise and maintain a normal weight. It turned out that the better a person follows them, the better protected they are from 13 common types of cancer.
Not everyone understands the connection between excess weight and cancer. And it exists and is well studied: excess fat can cause hormonal changes that can lead to the development of a number of tumors.
Each participant who came under the supervision of scientists was assigned points depending on their adherence to the rules: the maximum score was 7 (in terms of the number of rules), the minimum was 0.
The average score among 94,778 British adults was 3.8. During the 8-year follow-up, 7296 participants (8%) developed cancer.
People who scored 4.5 or more had a 16% lower risk of developing all types of cancer compared to those who scored 3.5 or less.
Moreover, each additional point reduced the risk of developing cancer by approximately 7%. But against some tumors the protection was even stronger. For example, one point reduced the risk of colorectal and breast cancer by 10%, kidney cancer by 18%, esophageal cancer by 16%, liver cancer by 22%, ovarian cancer by 24%, and gallbladder cancer by as much as 30%.
7 golden rules
What are these rules that you should try to follow? Here is their full list:
1. Maintain a normal weight throughout your life
It is best if your body weight throughout your life approaches the lower limit of normal BMI (body mass index). It can be calculated using the formula: BMI = Body weight (kg) / Height² (m).
2. Be physically active
Make activity a norm of life: walk more and sit less, at least moderately engage in any type of physical activity (fast walking, jogging, swimming, etc.). It is optimal to do this at least 5 days a week.
3. Eat a diet rich in whole grains , vegetables, fruits and legumes
Make them the main part of your regular diet; you should eat at least 400 g of them per day, excluding starchy vegetables (potatoes, etc.). These foods should provide at least 30 grams of fiber per day.
4. Limit your intake of fast food and other highly processed foods.
In addition to classic fast food, these are semi-finished and ready-made meals, snacks, bakery products, desserts and confectionery products. They are high in fat, starch, sugar and salt. This will help you maintain a healthy weight.
5. Limit your intake of red and processed meats
Limit your consumption of red meat (beef, pork and lamb) to no more than three servings per week (350-500g). Eat as little processed meat as possible (sausages, sausages, loin, ham, etc.). Red meat contains heme, while processed meat contains nitrates. When broken down in the body, these substances form compounds that can damage the cells lining the intestines. This increases the chance of developing cancer.
6. Limit your consumption of sugary drinks
Try not to drink them at all, give preference to sugar-free drinks.
7. Limit your alcohol intake
To prevent cancer, it is better not to drink alcohol at all. Alcohol produces acetaldehyde, which is a carcinogen. It causes DNA damage, which can lead to many types of cancer.
