to reduce your risk of cancer recurrence.
Your doctor may devise a follow-up care
plan for you after treatment. This plan
may include periodic scans and exams in
the months and years after your treatment,
to look for cancer recurrence.
Prevention
There's no certain way to prevent cancer.
But doctors have identified several ways
of reducing your cancer risk, such as
Stopping smoking. If you smoke, quit.
If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking
is linked to several types of cancer - not
just lung cancer. Stopping now will reduce
your risk of cancer in the future.
Avoid excessive sun exposure: Harmful
ultraviolet (UV ) rays from the sun can
increase your risk of skin cancer. Limit
your sun exposure by staying in the shade,
wearing protective clothing or applying
sunscreen.
Eat a healthy diet: Choose a diet rich in
fruits and vegetables. Select whole grains
and lean proteins.
Exercise most days of the week: Regular
exercise is linked to a lower risk of cancer.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise
most days of the week. If you haven't been
exercising regularly, start out slowly and
work your way up to 30 minutes or longer.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being
overweight or obese may increase your risk
of cancer. Work to achieve and maintain a
healthy weight through a combination of
a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if you
choose to drink: If you choose to drink
alcohol, limit yourself to one drink a day if
you're a woman of any age or a man older
than age 65, or two drinks a day if you're a
man 65 years old or younger.
Schedule cancer screening exams: Talk
to your doctor about what types of cancer
screening exams are best for you based on
your risk factors.
Ask your doctor about immunizations:
Certain viruses increase your risk of
cancer. Immunizations may help prevent
those viruses, including hepatitis B, which
increases the risk of liver cancer, and
human papillomavirus (HPV ), which
increases the risk of cervical cancer and
other cancers. Ask your doctor whether
immunization against these viruses is
appropriate for you.
I hope that we can adopt a healthy
lifestyle and try to minimize our chances
of contacting cancer. It would be great if
organizations as well as the government
can come up with interventions to
increase awareness on cancer and how
it relates to lifestyles. I do not think
declaring it a national disaster is enough,
though it might be a way of prioritizing
interventions to combat the disease.
Reference: Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research (MFMER)
George Mbithi is a Communications
and Public Relations professional
who has a keen eye on Authentic
Leadership. He has worked in
mainstream media, the private
sector, as well as in the development
sector. He is currently the
Communications Manager for
Population Services International,
Somalia. You can reach him via
mail on: [email protected].