What do you know about cancer?
Cancer has increasingly become a pervailing disease in our region. Environmental Defense’s Scorecard ranked Harris County in the top 10 percent of all counties in the U.S. as the “dirtiest/worst” for added cancer risk from hazardous air pollutants, air releases of recognized carcinogens and total cancer risk score.
Most Americans are not aware that:
- If you are a man in the United States, your odds of geting cancer at sme time in your life are currently 1 out of 2
- If you are a woman, the odds are 1 out of 3
- 90-95% of cancer is now acknowledhed to be due to chemical in our environment, and a lot of these are chemicals that we purchase and are found in our homes, schools and workplaces.
Although there are many forms of cancer, it begins with the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Roughly 5-10% of cancers are hereditary resulting from an inherited genetic alteration that predisposes an individual to a very high risk of specific types of cancer. Other cancers are a result from damage to gene's that occur throughout the course of one's life due to both internal factors such as hormones and external factors such as tobacco, sunlight, and chemicals.
There are hundreds of chemicals that have the capability to induce cancer in humans after excessive or prolonged exposure. Leukemia for instance, can result from induced changes to bone marrow from exposure to benzene. Many cancers caused by chemical exposure generally develop many years after exposure has occurred.
The American Cancer Society has reccommened the following for Cancer Prevention:
1. Eat a varieity of healthful foods with an emphasis on plant sources.
- Eat 5 or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
- Choose whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains and sugars.
- Choose foods that maintain and healthful weight.
2. Adapt a physically active lifestyle
- Adults: Engage in at least moderate activity for 30 minutes or more on 5 or more days of the week; 45 minutes or more of moderate vigorous activity on 5 or more days per week may further enhance reductions in risk of breast and colon cancer.
- Children and adolescents: Engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity
3. Maintain a healthful weight throughout life.
- Balance calorie intake with physical activity.
- Lose wight if currently overweight or obese.
More Information
Cancer Prevention (American Cancer Society)
Chemical Profiles & Cancer
