The 10 commandments of cancer prevention

The 10 commandments of cancer prevention

Cancer is not a single disease but a group of related diseases. Many things in our genes, our lifestyle, and the environment around us may increase or decrease our risk of getting cancer.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world, and as deaths from heart disease decline, it's poised to assume the dubious distinction of becoming our leading killer.

Despite these grim statistics, doctors have made great progress in understanding the biology of cancer cells, and they have already been able to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. But instead of just waiting for new breakthroughs, you can do a lot to protect yourself right now.

Get regular check-ups, including the screening tests that can help detect cancer before it causes any symptoms. For men between 15 and 35, that means a periodic doctor's testicular exam along with regular self-exams. All men older than 50 should have regular screening for colon cancer, and they should make an informed decision about testing for prostate cancer. Men with risk factors should begin both processes even earlier, and every man should routinely inspect himself for signs of melanomas and other skin cancers.

Screening tests can help detect malignancies in their earliest stages, but you should always be alert for symptoms of the disease. The American Cancer Society developed this simple reminder years ago:

·         C: Change in bowel or bladder habits

·         A: A sore that does not heal

·         U: Unusual bleeding or discharge

·         T: Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere

·         I: Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing

·         O: Obvious change in a wart or mole

·         N: Nagging cough or hoarseness

It's a rough guide at best. The vast majority of such symptoms are caused by non-malignant disorders, and cancers can produce symptoms that don't show up on the list, such as unexplained weight loss or fatigue. But it is a useful reminder to listen to your body and report sounds of distress to your doctor.

Early diagnosis is important, but can you go one better? Can you reduce your risk of getting cancer in the first place? It sounds too good to be true, but it's not.

The causes of cancer
Risk factor	Percentage of cancer deaths
Smoking and tobacco use	30
Obesity and diet (red meat vs. fruits and vegetables)	30
Lack of exercise	5
Carcinogens in the workplace	5
Viruses (hepatitis, human papillomavirus)	5
Family history of cancer	5
Body size (taller, bigger people get more cancer)	5
Women's reproductive factors (late or no childbearing, late menopause, early periods)	3
Excessive alcohol consumption	3
Poverty (aside from bad diet)	3
Environmental pollution	2
Excessive exposure to sun	2
Medical procedures, drugs	1
Salt, food additives, contaminants	1

You don't have to be an international scientist to understand how you can try to protect yourself and your family. 

The 10 commandments of cancer prevention are:

1. Avoid tobacco in all its forms, including exposure to second-hand smoke.

2. Eat properly. Reduce your consumption of saturated fat and red meat, which appears to increase the risk of colon and prostate cancers. Limit your intake of charbroiled foods (especially meat), and avoid deep-fried foods. Increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Although other reports are mixed, two large 2003 studies found that high-fiber diets may reduce the risk of colon cancer. And don't forget to eat fish two to three times a week; you'll get protection from heart disease, and you may reduce your risk of prostate cancer.

3. Exercise regularly. Physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer, and it may even help prevent prostate cancer. Exercise also appears to reduce a woman's risk of breast and possibly reproductive cancers. Exercise will help protect you even if you don't lose weight.

4. Stay lean. Obesity increases the risk of many forms of cancer. Calories count; if you need to slim down, take in fewer calories and burn more with exercise.

5. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to one to two drinks a day. Excess alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx (voice box), esophagus (food pipe), liver, and colon; it also increases a woman's risk of breast cancer. Smoking further increases the risk of many alcohol-induced malignancies.

6. Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation. Get medical imaging studies only when you need them. Check your home for residential radon, which increases the risk of lung cancer. Protect yourself from ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, which increases the risk of melanomas and other skin cancers. But don't worry about electromagnetic radiation from high-voltage power lines or radiofrequency radiation from microwaves and cell phones. They do not cause cancer.

7. Avoid exposure to industrial and environmental toxins such as asbestos fibers, benzene, aromatic amines, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

8. Avoid infections that contribute to cancer, including hepatitis viruses, HIV, and the human papillomavirus. Many are transmitted sexually or through contaminated needles.

9. Consider taking low-dose aspirin. Men who take aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs appear to have a lower risk of colon cancer and possibly prostate cancer. It's an unproven benefit, and aspirin can produce gastric bleeding and other side effects, even in low doses. On the plus side, though, low-dose aspirin does protect men from heart attacks and the most common type of stroke; men at the highest risk reap the greatest benefits.

10. Get enough vitamin D. Many experts now recommend 800 to 1,000 IU a day, a goal that's nearly impossible to attain without taking a supplement. Although protection is far from proven, evidence suggests that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies. But don't count on other supplements. Careful studies show that selenium, vitamins C and E, beta carotene, folic acid, and multivitamins are not protective, and that some may do more harm than good.

These lifestyle changes will yield another cancer-preventing benefit: if you stay healthy, you won't need cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, drugs that suppress the immune system) that have the ironic side effect of increasing the risk of additional cancers.

As always, prevention is the best medicine.

How To Stop Drinking Alcohol

How To Stop Drinking Alcohol

The medical term for a severe drinking problem is “alcohol use disorder(AUD)” 

How to Quit Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol addiction is a complicated problem. Millions of people around the world struggle with it, many for their entire lives. Alcoholism impacts every aspect of a person’s life. An alcoholic suffers mentally, emotionally and, ultimately, physically and once it’s takes a toll, almost everyone wants to know how to stop drinking alcohol. Some of these methods were used by sober-today celebrities. And now we are exposing these methods to you. Read on:

There is no stereotypical portrait of an alcoholic. Men and women from all sorts of different racial, financial and educational backgrounds suffer from the same problem. If you’re reading this, chances are that you’re looking for help for yourself or a loved one. 

Seeking out information online is a great first step toward overcoming alcohol addiction. This brief guide will offer tips on how to stop drinking alcohol and explore the best route of treatment. You can also use this advice if you’re trying to help someone stop drinking. 

Proper grooming and healthy personal habits can help you ward off illnesses and feel good about yourself. Find out which personal hygiene habits should be part of your regular routine.

What is Alcohol Use Disorder?

The medical term for a severe drinking problem is “alcohol use disorder.” 

AUD can also be referred to as alcoholism. Many people often struggle to discern whether or not they really have a drinking problem since alcohol consumption is so common in our society. Binge drinking, for example, is almost like a rite of passage for teenagers and college students.

Alcohol abuse disorder has to be diagnosed by a professional. Psychologists and psychiatrists use a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders (DSM) to diagnose their patients.

There are three levels of alcohol abuse disorder according to the DSM: mild, moderate and severe. In order to be diagnosed, a person must meet at least two of the few symptoms within a 12-month period. 

The few Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse Disorder (DSM V)

• When you drink, you often consume more than you wanted to.
• You often try to stop drinking but can’t.
• You spend a lot of time trying to get alcohol, drinking or hungover.
• You often crave beer, wine or other types of alcohol.
• Your drinking has impacted your work and/or school performance and family life.
• Continued drinking even after negative effects on your social life.
• You still drink even though you know you might have a problem.
• You have built up a tolerance and require more alcohol to feel drunk and you feel sick without it.

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? Most people want to avoid the word “alcoholic”, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. This is a word that can actually help you. Acceptance is the first step in figuring out how to stop drinking.  

When you admit that you have a real disorder, it becomes much easier to seek out the right treatment. But why should you stop drinking? Let’s observe some of the ways alcoholism affects the body and mind.

The Effects of Alcoholism

We’ve all drank too much beer or had one too many glasses of wine before. When this happens, the worst thing that happens is a nasty headache the next morning; nothing a few hangover remedies can’t cure.

Constant drinking, on the other hand, can easily ruin a person’s life. Binge drinking doesn’t just cause financial strain; it pushes away family and friends, causes emotional distress and eventually costs you your health.

Has your alcohol problem caused you to lose people you love? Has your family and close friends stopped talking to you? The ones who are still around may constantly bring up your drinking or make you feel like an outsider because of your problem.

This type of emotional strain and isolation leads to depression. To deal with depression, people who already have a drinking problem tend to drink even more.

Let’s break down some of the most common side-effects of alcohol abuse. You have probably already experienced some of these. Knowing the others will give you a clearer view of why you should learn how to stop drinking as soon as possible. 

Emotional Effects

Heavy drinkers aren’t usually happy people; it’s the reason most start drinking excessively in the first place. Learning how to stop drinking means coming face-to-face with all your demons. Alcohol addiction carries a variety of unpleasant emotions: failure for not being able to stop, depression over the loss relationships due to drinking, low self-esteem and so on. 

There are no instant remedies for these feelings, but learning how to stop drinking alcohol involves learning how to solve problems and cope with your feelings in a healthy, productive way. Doing so will ensure that you’re able to tackle life’s challenges confidently and, most importantly, sober.

Physical Effects

Heavy drinking has many negative side-effects on the body. Liver damage is by far one of the most dangerous and common side-effects of alcoholism. The liver helps filter toxins out of the blood, break down fat and properly digest food. Too much alcohol can lead to liver disease, cirrhosis and increase the likelihood of liver cancer.

Alcoholism can also increase blood pressure and cause hypoglycaemia. You may also experience digestive problems, short-term memory loss and even full blackouts. Many addicts are afraid that the alcohol withdrawal symptoms will be too much for them to handle, but while withdrawal ends within two weeks, the physical problems of long-term drinking last a lifetime.

Don’t let the health benefits of alcohol fool you. A glass of wine with dinner may promote a healthy heart, but so does eating right and exercising regularly. You can live a 100 percent healthy life alcohol-free.

Tips to Stop Drinking Alcohol on Your Own

Even if you plan to stop drinking on your own, most alcoholics can’t simply cut themselves off. People with real drinking problems usually won’t be able to resist the cravings or painful withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal can also be dangerous and should not be done unsupervised.

 However, there are steps you can start taking today to cut back on your alcohol consumption. Following these self-help tips over time can help you cut your drinking down little by little and, ultimately, break your addiction. 

Note: An alcohol rehab clinic is the best route for many people. Rehab clinics have professional alcohol detox programs overseen by trained medical staff who have experience working with substance abusers.

Weigh the Pros and Cons of Drinking

On a sheet of paper, draw a simple pros and cons table. Under pros, write what alcohol gives you. In the cons, write what it has taken away. This can be something as small as a few extra dollars spent on a beer last night or as large as a relationship.

If one of your pros is that alcohol helps you relax, one of your cons might be that your relaxation takes away from the time you could be spending with others. It also takes away your energy and keeps you from facing your problems.

Set Limits To Your Drinking

Trying to quit “cold turkey” usually doesn’t work for most people. Instead of refusing to drink at all, you should begin by setting limits. This helps you regain control bit by bit. You can start by assessing how much you drink per day.

If you drink 5 drinks a day, try cutting it down to three drinks per day and only with meals. Then, you can make a plan to only drink on the weekends. As time goes on, you can get your drinking down to just one alcoholic beverage per day.

In order to be successful, you will have to avoid bad influences. This means you have to distance yourself from your drinking buddies and make an effort to start hanging out with other people. It’s a great opportunity to try and reconnect with people who your alcoholism pushed away.

You should also keep a calendar on your fridge so you can mark off each day you’re successful in your limitations. If you slip up once, don’t worry. No need to scrap the whole thing. Just wait for the next day.

Form New Positive Habits

Most alcoholics develop a drinking routine. In order to stop drinking, you need to break your old habits and replace them with healthier alternatives. If you always drink at home after work in front of the TV, it’s time to unplug. Make a commitment to do a different activity to unwind. This can be going for a walk, writing, reading a book or spending time with family.

 
In the beginning, it’s a good idea to avoid long periods of free time alone. When you’re out in public or with friends (who are not heavy drinkers), you will find it much more difficult to indulge your old habits. 

Tell Others About What You’re Doing

If you let other people know that you’re trying to stop drinking, you’ll feel more inclined to keep your word. A support system is vital to a successful alcohol recovery. You can tell your most trusted friends and family or even other drinking buddies who you know want to quit themselves. 

Get a New Stress Reliever

It’s very hard to stop drinking at first because the stress makes you want to drink more. However, the most important thing to do when you first start your new recovery plan is to find a new outlet.

Running is an amazing way to focus all of your emotions into one activity. Taking up exercise as a form of stress relief is a great excuse to finally join a gym. 

Some other healthy ways to relieve stress are:

• Photography. It’s artistic and gets you out of the house.
• Swimming. Water is soothing and you can get in shape while easing your anxiety.
• Writing. Keep a journal about your recovery or start creative writing.
• Music. Listening or playing an instrument can help calm your mind immensely.
• Cooking. Time to learn some new healthy recipes!

Note: It is normal for people who are dependent on alcohol to experience symptoms such as a headache, nausea and sweating when they start to detox. However, if you experience any of the following, you should seek emergency help either at the ER or a detox centre (our rehab, for example, has an inhouse withdrawal management where detox is done):

• Severe vomiting
• Disorientation
• Loss of consciousness
• Fever
• Hallucinations
• Seizures or convulsions
• Extreme agitation

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol for Good

You aren’t hopeless. No matter how long you’ve been drinking or how many times you’ve failed to stop, today is a new opportunity.

You can save yourself from physical and emotional problems and start a new life, no matter what anyone else says. The best way to learn how to stop drinking is to admit you need help and reach out to those who can assist you.

Our rehab assists hundreds of people like you who are chained to Alcohol. Because we’re private and fee-based, we have the capacity to custom-tailor a powerful treatment plan just for you. This helps because when we attack the addiction from the root, our success rates go way up.

Give us a call today. It’s 100 percent free of charge. We’ll talk with you for as long as you want about our treatment plans, pricing and anything else you’re curious about. Recovery is a long, bumpy road; gaining information and prepping for the trip will make your journey much easier.

If you want to stop drinking, reading this guide means you’re already on the right path. Now you just have to take the next step. Make the choice to take your life back today.