Cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the globe, particularly for people of an advanced age. Cancer has been affecting humans for thousands of years, but as our life expectancy has increased, cancer has become a more serious and prevalent risk to general health. The good news about cancer is that our research as a species over the last many decades has revealed that we have a lot of control over our cancer risk factors. Here are three ways that you can reduce your risk of cancer as you age to remain healthy and cancer free for as long as possible.
Screen Early
The first step to take to reduce your risk of cancer as you age is to continue getting screened early. The biggest factor that impacts the survival rate of your cancer is how early it is discovered. Catching cancer in its earlier stages almost always leads to better outcomes for patients. You should be getting screened from an early age for any types of cancer that have occurred in your family history, as these are the conditions that you have a predisposition towards developing.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Another important step to take if you are serious about reducing your risk of cancer as you age is to make lifestyle changes to better your health. Your choices make a major impact on your ability to stay cancer free. Modifiable health risks are responsible for large healthcare expenditures. Modifiable health risks are risks that are in your control like weight or smoking habits. The less health risks you put on yourself, the less likely you are to develop cancer. Do your best to make lifestyle changes to benefit your overall health and you will simultaneously work to keep cancer at bay as well.
Wear Sunscreen
The final tip will help you reduce your risk of cancer as you age, regardless of your current age, by wearing sunscreen regularly. Skin cancer is a very common type of cancer, which can be very commonly caused by overexposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun. Wearing sunscreen is a proven and safe way to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation.
Cancer is a serious health risk for anyone. But as you age, your cancer risk continues to increase, making it more important than ever to stay in tune with. If you are doing these three things, you are making great strides towards preventing cancer in your life.
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