Resolve… to try at least one of these 7 cancer-busting tips -

Resolve… to try at least one of these 7 cancer-busting tips - 

Cancer is in Sarah Jamieson’s DNA. She was just six when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 1 cervical cancer and made the decision to have a full hysterectomy. “My grandmother had breast cancer, and my aunt had bowel cancer,” she says. “It’s just always been in my family.”

Four years ago, the 33-year-old from Vancouver had her own cancer scare. “The last three or four years I’ve had abnormal cell formation in my cervix, and every time I have my yearly physical it comes back as being abnormal. So, it is definitely at the forefront of my mind.”

After the excess of the holidays, and the beginning of the New Year, many people consider turning over a new leaf and taking better care of their bodies. It’s a great time to start eating right and exercising – two things that help cancer prevention.

Preventing cancer is paramount, says Jamieson. “We tend to live in a modern society where there is treatment and diagnosis, and prevention is something that falls off the radar.

“Eating healthy is one of the biggest things you can do to stay healthy, as is exercise and being physically active – not only for your body but also for your brain.”

Jamieson makes sure she is active every day, doing strength training, endurance training and spin classes; and she also takes time to meditate. She eats plenty of super foods, juices and “clean” foods like organic meats and fresh fruit and vegetables.

“I stay away from a lot of processed foods, and if I do have breads and starches it’s usually from a local dealer who makes it in-house,” she says. “So that way I know it has not been heavily processed or added [to].

“If I have meat it’s going to be organic and is not going to have hormones. It’s about making better choices.”

About 35 per cent of cancers can be prevented by being active, eating well and having a good body weight, says Ed Kucharski, MD and regional primary care lead for the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network, Cancer Care Ontario.

Kucharski suggests these top tips for staying healthy:

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

“Prioritize dark-green vegetables and orange vegetables like tomatoes,” he says. “There is also talk of the cancer-fighting effects of cruciferous vegetables, things like broccoli and cauliflower. I recommend at least five servings of fruit and veg a day.”

Eat less red meat.

“If you are choosing to eat red meat, choose a leaner variety,” says Kucharski.

“This can also help with your weight and keep your cholesterol low. If you have increased dietary cholesterol, it’s thought that can increase bile and may lead to cancer-forming agents in your digestive system.”

Try to have a meatless meal once a day or once a week.

Increase the amount of fibre in your diet.

Eat less processed meat.

“If you can avoid eating processed meats like hot dogs or luncheon meats, that can help reduce your risk for developing cancer as well.”

Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

“The general recommendation now is 30 minutes a day,” he says. “You don’t have to go out and start training for a marathon or do ultimate sports or rock-climbing. Walking is great.”

Finally, avoid alcohol.

“Drinking as little alcohol as possible can likely decrease your risk of cancer. No more than two standard drinks in a day for a total of 14 a week for men and nine for women.

“And no, you can’t save them up!”

For Jamieson, her body is the number-one thing allowing her to reach her goals.

“Take the time to set the intention of what you want in the world and what you want to accomplish. Your health is fundamentally the foundation to help you achieve those goals. If you don’t have your health, it is going to be exceptionally hard to move forward in life.”

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