In 2008, an estimated 166,400 new cases of cancer and 73,800 deaths from cancer occurred in Canada, ranking cancer second only to cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death. Men outnumber women for both new cases and deaths, by 9.6% for incidence and 11% for mortality.

Cancer is caused by changes in genes that control the growth and death of cells. The disease develops when cells continue to grow and divide instead of dying off when they get older as they would normally do. As cancer cells multiply, they can damage nearby tissues and can also spread to other parts of the body and develop into new tumours. While improvements in detection, diagnosis, and treatment have increased the survival rate for many types of cancer, we also encourage doing all you can do to prevent the disease as a core strategy of your prescription for optimal health.

With prevention in mind, here are 10 things we can all do to reduce the risk of developing cancer: 1. Avoid tobacco products and second-hand smoke Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Canada for both men and women. On average, 460 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer every week and 388 Canadians will die of lung cancer every week. Ironically, it's also the most preventable type of cancer. Smoking tobacco is the main cause of lung cancer. People who live or work with people who smoke are also at increased risk because they're exposed to second-hand smoke. In 2002, more than 13,400 adult deaths from lung cancer and 8,200 adult deaths from respiratory diseases are estimated to have resulted from smoking. If you smoke, take the necessary steps to quit for the health of you and your loved ones. 2. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight Being overweight increases your chance of developing certain types of cancer, including cancer of the esophagus, colon and rectum, and pancreas. Obesity also increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women by roughly 50%, and endometrial cancer by about three fold. And carrying too much extra body weight is believed to account for up to 30 per cent of kidney cancers in both men and women. Make smart food choices, control portion sizes, and fill up on fruit and vegetables to help manage your healthy weight and reduce your risk of cancer. 3. Get moving The Canadian Cancer Society recommends regular exercise as a way to prevent cancer. Regular exercise burns calories and can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Pick something that gets and keeps you moving, such as walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, team sports, and even dancing. Consider biking or walking to work, or take a walk during your lunch break. Be sure to gradually work up to 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day for five or more days per week. 4. Eat more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains Fruit and vegetables are naturally rich in dietary antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, and a whole family of carotenoids that may help protect your healthy genes from oxidative damage. Recent research suggests that eating tomatoes may help protect against developing prostate cancer, while eating cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts may help protect against bladder cancer. Fruit and vegetables are also rich in fibre,  which can speed the transit of food through the digestive system and may reduce the absorption of cancer-causing chemicals. So, eating a wide variety of fruit and vegetables may be the best way to ensure broad-spectrum protection. 5. Fresh is best Until about 20 years ago, stomach cancer was the most common cancer worldwide, perhaps due to cultural preferences for eating large amounts of salt-preserved foods such as cured meats and pickled vegetables. This finding underscores the point that when it comes to eating most foods, it's generally best to eat fresh rather than salted, cured, or pickled. In general, the less processed the food, the healthier it will be for you. 6. Limit alcohol intake Excess alcohol consumption is associated with increased risks of cancers of the oral cavity, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast, and possibly the colon and rectum. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women, and, aside from carrying too much body weight, alcohol intake is the only other established risk factor for this disease. It's recommended that men who drink alcohol should limit their intake to no more than two drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to no more than one drink daily. 7. Practise sun safety and check for changes in your skin Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is damaging to your skin. The genetic damage it can cause to skin cells can lead to skin cancer, a disease that's increasingly common, especially among young people. Be aware that the sun's peak time is between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and that sunlight exposure can be intensified by up to 50% when reflected from sand, water, snow, ice, and concrete. When outdoors, cover up exposed areas and wear sun screen with an SPF of 15 or more. Know your skin and be aware of the location, size, and shape of moles and skin spots, and report any changes promptly to your physician. 8. Reduce your exposure to potential carcinogens There are many substances in the environment with the potential to put you at higher risk for developing cancer. On the job, minimize your exposure to fumes, dust, solvents, and chemicals. Try to reduce your everyday exposure to potentially toxic environmental chemicals in the home, and:

• Dust and vacuum regularly to rid your home of toxins attracted to dust
• Open windows and use fresh air to freshen and minimize indoor pollution
• Filter your drinking water to remove pollutants
• Switch to green cleaning products that are safe but still powerful

9. Know your family history and get screened Some five to 10 per cent of cancers are due to a genetic predisposition to cancer. Family history is a risk factor for common types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate cancer. If you have a family history of cancer, your physician may recommend genetic testing to see if you have the type of gene that can increase your chance of developing cancer. For individuals with an average risk of cancer, the following cancer screening guidelines are recommended:

• Breast cancer: women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40 and conduct regular breast self exams starting in the 20s
• Colon and rectal cancer: men and women should have one or more screening tests,  including a colonoscopy, starting at age 50
• Cervical cancer: all women should begin cervical cancer screening no later than 21 years of age
• Prostate cancer: men should have the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination annually beginning at age 50

10. Choose your dietary supplements wisely Whether it's vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, the antioxidants (e.g., vitamin C, vitamin E, and the carotenoids), fibre, or emerging phytochemicals, nutrition surveys have made it clear that your diet is unlikely to be providing all the essential nutrients and other dietary factors you need to be at your healthiest. And dietary supplement studies have yielded compelling evidence that supplements can help reduce the chance of developing cancer in undernourished individuals. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington published a study in Nutrition and Cancer¹ that evaluated the association between dietary and supplemental zinc and prostate cancer in 35,242 men participating in the VITAL cohort, a study specifically designed to evaluate the impact of dietary supplements on cancer risk. In this study, long-term supplemental zinc intake was in fact associated with reduced risk of clinically relevant advanced disease. And, as reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine,² National Cancer Institute researchers found that among postmenopausal women, the greater their total calcium intake from dietary supplements and food up to about 1,300 mg per day, the lower their risk of developing cancer. For men and women, a diet rich in calcium from supplements and food was associated with a lower risk of developing cancers of the digestive system, such as colon cancer. These findings are consistent with randomized clinical trials that have shown that calcium supplementation reduces the recurrence of colon polyps, which are precursors to colon cancer. Clearly, dietary supplements play a key role in making up the nutrient shortfalls in your diet, and they provide a means of achieving optimal nutrient levels needed to achieve and maintain the best of health. 1 Zinc intake from supplements and diet and prostate cancer. Gonzalez A, Peters U, Lampe JW, White E. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(2):206-15. 2 Dairy food, calcium, and risk of cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Park Y, Leitzmann MF, Subar AF, Hollenbeck A, Schatzkin A. Arch Intern Med. 2009169(4):391-401. This message is from: Shaklee Canada Inc. 952 Century Drive Burlington, ON L7L 5P2 ~Cynthia Zirkwitz Shaklee Distributor #CF82040 **Click on the image above to watch a video clip about Vitalizer.