Curtis Swanson, COO at ClearCyte, on cancer prevention

According to national statistics, about one of every three Americans is projected to develop some form of malignancy during his or her lifetime.

While these figures may be grim, the good news is that, along with regular screening and a general understanding of genetic and lifestyle risk factors, there are many ways to reduce your chances of developing cancer.

Clean up your diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is arguably the most effective means of lowering your cancer risk. The vagueness of this suggestion can make it difficult to approach, but it can be boiled down to a series of simple subpoints:

• Avoid processed, charbroiled, and deep-fried foods as much as possible. The current culinary landscape has made this increasingly tough to achieve, but an “everything in moderation” mindset is a great place to start.

• Keep yourself at a healthy weight, as obesity in itself is another identified cancer risk factor.

• Base your diet around the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. You do not need to only eat these foods, but make sure they are a predominant presence in your diet as a whole.

• Eat fish; it has been linked to not only a reduction in prostate cancer, but in heart disease as well.

Stay in shape
Regular exercise is pivotal in reducing the risk of cancer — namely that of the colon, breast, and prostate — and it is a natural companion to your dietary changes. Try to work at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity into your daily routine; you will not only reduce your risk of cancer, but you will likely improve your general quality of life.

Limit drinking
This prevention tactic is essentially an extension of the previous two, but limiting your alcohol consumption is a significant enough practice to stand on its own. Excess drinking is found to increase cancers of the mouth, esophagus, liver, larynx, colon, and breast, making it a far-reaching risk factor if you do not keep it in check. Limit yourself to at least one to two drinks per day, and if possible consider limiting consumption even further over time.

Know what you are being exposed to
There are a variety of environmental and industrial toxins that have been linked to cancer development over the years. These substances include asbestos fibers, aromatic amines, and benzene. If you work or are regularly present in an environment that may contain these toxins, consider changes that will reduce your exposure to them. If anything, speak with a manager or co-worker to determine if the area is regularly tested for toxins, and if it is not, suggest that such measures are taken for the greater good of everyone on site.

About the author

Curtis Swanson is the COO of ClearCyte Diagnostics, a cancer screening company in Bellevue, Washington dedicated to the international marketing of medical screening to a wide range of markets. Additionally, he has experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, accounting GAAP & FASB, and business operational management. Throughout his career, Curtis Swanson has proven himself as a leader, innovator, and developer.

Learn more about Curtis Swanson here.