Cancer Prevention Action Week is 19th – 25th February. The week focuses on supporting and empowering the public to make changes to their daily habits and their families to reduce their risk of preventable cancers.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund ‘experts believe that up to 40% of cancer cases are preventable, if people don’t smoke, avoid the sun, avoided alcohol, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy body weight and stay physically active.’ The charity’s donations fund research into the causes of cancer and how people can survive it. World Cancer Research Fund supports more than 10 new projects every year including the Global Cancer Update Programme from our customers, Imperial College London. The programme ensures that, as well as individual studies, we have a much bigger picture of what causes cancer around the world creating a database that is regularly updated with new evidence and research.
This has allowed the World Cancer Research Fund to create a strong list of ways to prevent Cancer which include the following suggestions:
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Be a Healthy Weight
Being a healthy weight is the most important way you can protect yourself against cancer, overweight and obesity is cause of at least 13 different types of cancers including; Bowl cancer, Breast cancer, Liver cancer, Mouth, pharynx and larynx cancer, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer and Prostate Cancer.
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Move more
Being more active reduces the risk of three cancers: Bowel cancer (Colon), breast cancer and Womb cancer. Aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.
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Eat a better diet
A balanced diet and being active are important factors in maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. Over 60% of colorectal cancer cases in men and women and 20% of breast cancer are found to be preventable due to lifestyle choices.
Limit consumption of ‘fast foods’ and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars, this includes such as chocolate and sweets, crisps, biscuits, cake, ice cream, burgers, fried chicken, fries and pastries.
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Limit or Reduce consumption of red meat
Eat no more than moderate amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork and lamb. This is because eating a high proportion of processed meats or red meats is a cause of bowel cancer. These meats can also be high in calories and fat, which can contribute to weight gain.
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Limit the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks
Aspartame or E number E951 is a widely-used artificial sweetener that has been reclassified as a possible carcinogenic substance that may cause cancer. Aspartame can be found in diet versions of soft or fizzy drinks, such as Coke Zero, Diet Coke and Pepsi Max. Limit your consumption of these drinks and search for alternative drinks to reduce your intake of Aspartame.
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Don’t Drink Alcohol
There are lots of good health reasons for cutting down on alcohol including reducing your risk of at least 6 types of cancer which include: Breast, Bowl, Liver, Mouth and Throat, Oesophagus and Stomach. When alcohol is broken down in the body, compounds are formed that can directly damage the DNA, which can then lead to cancer. Drinking alcohol can also lead to liver cirrhosis (scarring), which is a known cause of liver cancer.
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No Smoking
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of cancer worldwide, causing more than 7 million deaths each year. These cancers include Breast, Bowel, Blood, Bladder, Liver, Mouth, Pancreatic and Stomach. Passive smoking (being exposed to someone else’s tobacco smoke) also increases the risk of lung cancer and is particularly dangerous for children. Therefore, avoid or reduce the consumption of tobacco whether it is smoked (such as pipes, cigars, ‘light’ cigarettes, roll-ups and shishas), chewed, sucked or inhaled (such as smokeless tobacco and betel quid).
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Reduce sun exposure
The majority of skin cancer cases are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificially from sunbeds. Around 1.3 million cases of skin cancer occur globally each year, and rates are rising. Therefore, you can prevent skin cancer by doing the following:
- Not staying in the sun too long, especially between 11am and 3pm between March and October
- Applying high-factor sunscreen frequently
- Wearing a hat, sunglasses and clothes that cover your arms and legs.
As part of 2024’s campaign which focuses on encouraging people to move more, our team at Solmedia are taking part in multiple different challenges, activities, and fundraising events throughout 2024 that endorse moving more and being more active including the Step All Over Cancer Month Challenge for Cancer Research, participating in the coracle race for Macmillan Cancer Support and taking part in a company Endurathon. As part of our Sustainability and Environmental policy, we also support the mental and physical well-being of our employees, offering the facilities and time to allow staff to take walks or take part in physical activity during lunch breaks. Our charity events and activities will be documented and shared on our blog and our social media pages. Follow us to keep up to date https://www.linkedin.com/company/solmedia-ltd.
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