Maintaining healthy weight, being physically active and eating nutritious foods reduce your risks of cancer and many other crippling diseases!.

Recent scientific research shows that 80% of cancers can be traced back to personal lifestyle or to environmental irritants. The causes of at least 35% of all cancers are well known. Tobacco use, obesity, poor diet, inadequate exercise, infections, sunburn, aerosols, liquid solvents and radon radiation top the list.

Although colorectal cancer can be prevented, it is both the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, as well as the third most common cause of cancer death in men and women. It can be prevented by taking screening tests regularly and adjusting lifestyles. Even modest changes in living habits can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer significantly.

As many as 23% of colorectal cancers can be prevented by:

 1. Exercising at least 30 minutes a day.
 2. Drinking no more than seven alcoholic drinks a week for women or 14 for
     men.
 3. Quitting smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke.
 4. Eating a healthful diet that is:
    - High in fiber
    - Six or more half-cup servings of fruits and vegetables daily
    - One pound or less of red meats and processed meats per week
    - Fewer than 30% of total calories derived from fats
 5. Limiting waist size to 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men.

These and other lifestyle changes, such as attaining and holding a healthy weight, also improve one’s overall health. You can start to eat smarter and to be more active in any season and at any age. Reducing cancer risk and better overall health will follow shortly thereafter. For more information on colorectal cancer, visit the American Cancer Society online at http://www.cancer.org/ . Articles published by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology and the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark (http://www.cancer.dk/epi+research/ ) also are quoted in this article.