Denton County Living Well Magazine May/June 2017 | Page 57

TAKE ACTION: Quitting tobacco, eating a healthy diet,
exercising, and controlling your blood pressure and choles-
terol will go a long way. And these steps are also effective
in controlling diabetes. “Diabetes is a big risk factor for
heart disease,” Dr. Harrison says. “We worry less about
the blood sugar and more about the damage from diabetes
to the kidneys and vascular system.”
CANCER
KNOW YOUR RISKS: Men have a greater risk of dy-
ing from cancer in general—a 22.8 percent lifetime risk
on average versus a woman’s 19.3 percent. Although risk
factors vary based on the type of disease, many fall in
line with those for heart disease and diabetes, including to-
bacco use, being overweight or obese, and aging. Heavy
or regular alcohol consumption also contributes.
TAKE ACTION: As with heart disease and diabetes, eat-
ing a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and ex-
ercising regularly can help cut your cancer risk. Getting
recommended cancer screenings is also critical, along with
being safe in the sun to reduce your skin cancer risks. But
Dr. Harrison prioritizes one preventive measure above the
rest: “Quit smoking and avoid all tobacco products,” he
says. “It’s a primary risk factor for lung cancer, head and
neck cancer, and heart disease.
HEADS UP ABOUT CANCER RISK
Although it isn’t one of the most common
cancer types, head and neck cancer is about
twice as likely to occur in men than women.
To identify head and neck cancer early, talk
to your doctor if you experience:
• Pain or a sore in the mouth, neck or
throat that doesn’t heal within two weeks
• Lump in the neck
• Trouble swallowing
• Hoarseness or a change in the voice
See an ENT expert. Visit BSWHealth.com to find an ear, nose and throat specialist
near you or call 1.800.4BAYLOR.
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