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August 29-30, 2012
HEALTHY LIFE: CANCER
5
By RAY PITZ
Pamplin Media Group
While the sobering figures from the Na-
tional Cancer Institute estimate that 1.6
million men and women will be diagnosed
with cancer in 2012, the good news is
there are ways to reduce your risk
through regular screenings, lifestyle
changes and attention to diet.
With new research seemingly coming out
weekly suggesting what’s good and bad for
you, there are some basic habits everyone
should be in step with.
First, regular screenings for prostate and
breast cancer are extremely important. Dr.
Nathalie Johnson, medical director of Legacy
Cancer Institute at Good Samaritan Medical
Center, said most groups of men should have
their PSAs checked regularly beginning at
age 50 with women having mammograms at
age 40 and on an annual basis from there.
Colonoscopies should begin at age 50, and
if everything looks good, you won’t have to
repeat them for 10 years. However, if your
doctor finds polyps, you should be checked
every three to five years.
And while screenings for skin cancer are of-
ten done less frequently, everyone should al-
ways be on the lookout for skin lesions that
don’t heal or patches that itch continuously or
change in color.
Also remember to get enough vitaminD (D3,
specifically). Studies show those lacking vita-
min D having an increased risk for breast and
colon cancer, said Johnson.
While sunshine is a good source of vitamin
D, toomuch exposurewill only cause problems.
Hats, long-sleeve shirts and plenty of sun-
screen are extremely important in preventing
those harmful UV rays. With indoor tanning
always a controversial way to get brown fast,
tanners should at least know that they are at an
increased risk of cancers if used frequently.
“Usually, it’s about the length of exposure
and intensity of exposure,” Dr. Audley Wil-
liams, a primary care physician at Adventist
HealthMedical Group, said about tanning beds.
“My personal (opinion) is I’d try to avoid it.”
With lung cancer being the most common
type of cancer in terms of frequency, quitting
smoking seems to be a no-brainer since that
habit damages cells. Johnson said physicians
often refer to smoking in terms of “pack years,”
meaning that if a person has smoked two packs
of cigarettes a day for 25 years, they rate at 50
pack years. The good news is that if you stop
smoking for five to seven years, your risk fac-
tors for lung cancer drop dramatically.
When looking for good habits that can pre-
vent cancer, look no further than using that old
treadmill or taking a walk around the block.
“Exercise is good,” said Johnson. “It lowers
the risk of most cancers.”
That means at least 20 minutes of cardiovas-
cular exercise at least three times a week.
Keeping your weight down is important as
well.
“Being overweight is associat-
ed with high risk of cancer,”
Johnson pointed out.
Meanwhile, Dr. Williams
stresses that the importance of
eating correctly is often under-
stated. His advice is simple —
people should get back to the ba-
sics of eating the way our ances-
tors did.
“We ate from the ground,”
said Williams. “Our forefathers
were eating healthy.”
Our forebears also did things
we don’t do as frequently as we
should — moving around, walk-
ing, building, planting, hunting,
and eating the basic foods, said
Williams. Eating whole, organic
foods is important as well.
Marci Reed, a registered dieti-
tian with Legacy Cancer Healing Center at
Good Samaritan Health Center, said studies
have shown that a good diet can play an impor-
tant part in reducing risk factors of some types
of cancers.
The best type of diet is plant-based, she said,
noting that it’s important to be “eating from the
rainbow.”
That means fruits and vegetables that are
literally the colors of the rainbow
such as blues, oranges, yellows,
purples and reds.
“It sounds like a simple phrase,
but there’s science behind it,” she
said.
Dr. Johnson said physicians are
still recommending nine servings
of fruits and vegetables a day.
While that may seem like a lot,
Johnson said a large banana or
large apple can be counted as two
servings. Frozen fruits or vegeta-
bles are a healthy alternative if
fresh aren’t available.
“Even canned is better than
none,” Dr. Johnson pointed out.
While the debate regarding al-
cohol and diet in the occurrence of
breast cancer is ongoing, redwine
contains a substance that has
shown to reduce tumor incidence in animals.
As a result, Johnson recommends one glass of
red wine a day.
Dietitian Reed noted that another good habit
to get into is eating extensively from the cab-
bage family — cauliflower, brussels sprouts,
broccoli, mustard greens, (even tangy condi-
ments such as wasabi and horseradish are ben-
eficial).
From there, add blueberries and raspberries
for their high anti-oxidant levels.
“Variety is so important,” Reed said.
Dr. Williams, who also holds a masters de-
gree in public health, is a big fan of blueberries
and raspberries as well, saying both fruits have
powerful antioxidant properties. The same
goes for sweet potatoes. In general, fruits with
vitamin C are a good bet, he said. Antioxidants
fight free radicals, those compounds that dam-
age cells.
And don’t forget nuts and legumes (beans,
peas lentils), said Reed.
Garlic, onions, scallions, chives and leeks are
important foods as well.
Reed said turmeric, a spice often found in In-
dian cuisine, is also beneficial.
“Its main claim to fame is its anti-inflamma-
tory qualities,” she said.
Also add a little black pepper and olive oil.
Some studies show such cuisine reduces tu-
mors.
Of course getting those Omega 3 fatty acids
found in fish are extremely important as well.
Salmon is high in Omega 3s, and according to
Reed nothing delivers those better than salm-
on, the preference being Alaskan wild-caught
salmon. Something else to note is that meat
from wild game and animals with grass-feed
diets reduce inflammation and they’re heart-
healthy too.
Meanwhile, the antioxidant properties of
those acai berries, most frequently found in
juices, are becoming more and more popular.
The trick, said Reed, is to be mindful that juic-
es can affect blood sugar levels as well. She
suggests mixing 4 to 6 ounces of juice with a
protein to balance those levels.
While coffee has antioxidant and anti-in-
flammatory properties, green tea is even bet-
ter because it contains antioxidants and poly-
phenols.
So what about artificial sweeteners?
“I’m not a fan,” said Reed. “The artificial
ones are the ones I try to avoid.”
That said, natural sweeteners, such as Ste-
via and the occasional use of agave nectar, are
OK.
Also, Reed said, it’s best to limit or avoid
curedmeats, which contain sodiumnitrate and
sodium nitrite, and have been shown to in-
crease the risk of cancer in excessive amounts.
And taking your cue from those folks in
Spain (as well as portions of Italy, France and
Greece) is important as well. The highly
claimed Mediterranean diet, which gained
popularity in the 1990s, is still recommended
bymany physicians, said Dr. Johnson. The diet
encourages eating lots of beans, plants, olives,
whole grains and fish.
PMG PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE
Wilhelm Kartak works out in the exercise room of the Touchmark at Fairway Village assisted living
center in Vancouver. Kartak has slowly been recovering from a stroke.
think prevention
That means
fruits and
vegetables that
are literally the
colors of the
rainbow such as
blues, oranges,
yellows, purples
and reds.”
— Marci Reed,
registered dietitian,
on “eating over the
rainbow”
■
Good habits can go a long way in keeping cancer at bay