Tuesday, July 20, 2010

13 STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PREVENT CANCER

Written by Dr. Ben Kim
The purpose of this article is to outline 13 ways that you can decrease your risk of developing any type of cancer. The following 13 ways to prevent cancer are presented in no particular order:

1. If you are going to be sexually active, be in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who is not infected by human papilloma virus (HPV)
Genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the human papilloma virus. There are actually more than 100 strains of the human papilloma virus, some of which can lead to cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, or penis.
If you are sexually active and are not in a mutually monogamous relationship, I recommend that you learn more about HPV through various online resources. A clear and simple outline on HPV can be found at the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention website.
I encourage women who belong in this category to have a Pap test on an annual basis. I believe that Pap tests can be extremely useful for sexually active women who have had multiple partners or a partner who has had multiple partners because surgical excision of pre-cancerous and cancerous cells of the cervix is one of the safest and most effective procedures performed by the medical profession. I have worked with dozens of women over the years who have benefited from this procedure.

2. Eat lots of plant foods, mainly organic vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits
Plant foods provide an abundance of antioxidants and fiber, both of which are known to reduce the risk of developing several different types of cancer.
Vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of developing cancers of the lung, stomach, esophagus, and larynx, while legumes and grains may help to reduce the risk of developing cancers of the stomach and pancreas.
There are five major groups of cancer-fighting compounds in fruits and vegetables: isothiocyanates, indols, cumines, phenols, and flavones.....