Carcinogenic
Foods Should Be Limited or Eliminated
Salted,
pickled, and smoked foods such as pickles or smoked fish, and
meats treated with nitrites should be limited. Salt appears to
contribute significantly to cancer. Meats that have been
charred over a grill should be eliminated from the diet
because the charred part is carcinogenic. Taking the
antioxidant vitamin C through vitamin C rich foods or
supplementation may protect against the cancer-causing effects
of carcinogenic foods. Hot drinks have also been shown to be
associated with higher esophageal cancer risk.
Overexposure
To Ionizing Radiation
Your
risk of DNA damage from ionizing radiation depends on how
much of this type of radiation you have received over your
lifetime so it's a good idea to reduce the number of X
rays you receive by only getting them when absolutely
necessary. Other ways to reduce your exposure to ionizing
radiation are not living near a nuclear power plant or
nuclear waste disposal site and making sure your home does
not have dangerous levels of radon, a radioactive gas
emitted from the earth in some geographic regions. Since
the benefits of mammograms likely outweigh the risks,
especially for women at high risk for getting breast
cancer, obtaining mammograms should not be sacrificed just
to avoid exposure to the radiation associated with the
procedure.
Still At Risk
Alcohol is estimated
to contribute to about 3 percent of deaths from cancer.
Persons who drink alcohol heavily have a higher risk of mouth,
throat, esophagus, stomach, and liver cancer. Although alcohol
appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, other evidence
also suggests that even one alcoholic drink a day is
associated with breast and possibly colon and rectal cancer.
