By Josiah Mutuma

Cancer is one of the biggest killer diseases in the world. It is the second-killer disease in the world. Millions of people die every year from this disease with more than five billion people having lost their lives due to cancer. Cancer is characterized by the uncontrollable growth of body cells, often in the form of tumors, which spread to other parts of the body. Cancerous tumors invade nearby tissues and often travel to other parts of the body to form new tumors.

Millions of people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Being diagnosed with cancer is not always a death sentence. According to statistics, there has been a 32% drop in cancer deaths over the last three decades. That's progress!

With the current medical breakthroughs such as gene therapy for cancer treatment, I'm sure that cancer can be beaten. Cancer can be prevented. Diet and lifestyle changes have been proven to be effective in fighting cancer. So, if you've been getting it wrong, here are the changes you need to make to keep cancer at bay:

1. Quit smoking.

Cigarette smoke releases over 5000 chemicals into your lungs and body. At least 70 of these cause cancer. These chemicals cause cancer and then prevent our bodies from fighting it.

They damage DNA and make it harder for cells to repair any damage caused. The resulting build-up of DNA damage in the same cell over time then leads to cancer growth. Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the world.

So, if you are a smoker, it's time to quit. Don't fall for the notion of "safe smoking." There is no such thing as safe smoking—any tobacco ingestion is always harmful. Filtered, light, and low-tar cigarettes are not safer than normal cigarettes.

Studies have shown that when people are using these products, they inhale them more deeply or smoke more of them. The only way to keep cancer at bay is to completely quit smoking.

2. Eat more healthily.

Studies have shown that a healthy intake of vegetables, fruit, and fiber helps in reducing your risk of getting cancer. Vitamins and phytochemicals are abundant in fruits and vegetables.

Phytochemicals such as carotenoids, indoles, and polyphenols inhibit cancer growth and reduce inflammation in the body.

Cut down on your consumption of refined sugar, refined flour, red meat, and processed meat. These types of foods have chemicals that greatly increase your risk of contracting cancer.

An added advantage of increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is that they have a high proportion of nutrients in comparison to their calorie content. This is very helpful in helping you achieve healthy weight loss as well as increasing your longevity.

3. Quit alcohol.

Studies have shown that alcohol use accounts for about 6% of all cancers. Alcoholism is one of the most preventable risk factors for cancer. Alcohol use has been linked with cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, oesophagus, liver, breast, colon, and rectum.

The more you drink, the more you are likely to contract these types of cancer. While the link between smoking and cancer is well known, many people, unfortunately, do not know of the link between alcohol use and cancer.

Alcoholism also increases the risk of getting stomach cancer. Alcohol acts as an irritant. This is especially true in the mouth and throat. Alcohol often causes cell damage, which leads to DNA damage as these cells try to repair themselves. DNA damage, of course, is a well-known cancer risk factor.

Alcohol also leads to oxidative stress in cells. This causes these cells to generate more chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen in them. This, of course, leads to cell damage, making these cells more prone to cancer. To beat cancer, you have to quit all kinds of alcohol. The sooner you do so, the better.

4. Exercise to maintain a healthy body weight.

Obesity has been linked to a risk of an increase in body insulin and insulin-like growth factors, which often leads to cancer. Several cancers associated with obesity include meningioma (brain cancer), thyroid cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, endometrial cancer, pancreas cancer, liver cancer, colon and rectum cancer, gallbladder cancer, oesophagus cancer, and multiple myeloma (blood cell cancer).

Obesity and severe obesity have become more common around the world over recent years. This is due to a culture of fast food consumption and a lack of exercise. Avoid unhealthy lifestyle choices and stick to an exercise routine.

5. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Overexposure to UV radiation leads to DNA damage in skin cells. This damage continues to build up with repeated exposure, leading you to have a high risk of getting skin cancer.

Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are mostly found on parts of the skin that are more exposed to the sun. Avoid excessive use of sunbeds. Sunbeds are a source of manmade UV rays and overexposure to them can lead you to contract cancer. So, what steps can you take to avoid this?

Try staying in the shade more often when you are outside.

Use sunscreen to help protect your skin when you are exposed to the sun.

Wear a hat to protect your head, neck, and face.

Conclusion.

Cancer is a scourge on humanity. The disease has caused untold suffering and countless deaths. However, the good news is that it can be kept at bay. I know that there are many risk factors that are associated with cancer development, and sometimes it may seem impossible to avoid all of them.

However, a great number of them can be prevented. Make changes to your lifestyle and diet to keep your risk of contracting cancer low.