Thyroid Cancer Support

Posts Tagged ‘antioxidant’

We know that starting at age 40, the levels of the by-product prolactin of testosterone of men increases, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT triggering prostate enlargement and Prostate cancer. Therefore in order to prevent the symptoms of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer are to naturally impend the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Unfortunately, aging is not the only causes of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. In this article, we will discuss other causes of prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.

I. Causes of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer
1. Genetics
Genetics may also play a role in enlarged prostate since study shows that prostate cancer and enlarged prostates can be inherited from generation to generation.

2. Hormone imbalance
The outward appearance of a typical middle-aged person shows increased abdominal fat and shrinkage of muscle mass, which is the main factor causing hormone imbalance. Hormone imbalance is also caused by depression, stress, and anxiety that are the most common psychological complications of hormone imbalance.

3. Cell-growth factor
For whatever reason, some people have implicated in enlarged prostate that is a growth factor.

4. Mineral deficiency
Our prostate contains high amounts of zinc to function normally. Zinc deficiency causes the prostate to enlarge. This may be due to aging or uncontrolled diet with excessive alcohol drinking.

5. Obesity
Study shows that uncontrolled diet that is high in saturated and trans fats are the main cause of hormone imbalance that results in prostate enlargement. Researchers suggest that excess calorie consumption could somehow directly stimulate prostate enlargement because the excess body fat that accumulates causes an imbalance of hormone levels.

6. Testosterone
Testosterone deficiency may be caused by high amounts of the by-product prolactin of testosterone of men in the body that stimulates even higher productions of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase resulting in a high amount of the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT thus triggering prostate enlargement. Excess estrogen seems to be the culprit in prostate enlargement that leads to the pathology and favors the development of prostate cancer.

III. Symptoms
1. Nocturia.
Nocturia is defined as being awakened at night one or more times in order to pass urine. It becomes more common as the person becomes older. This common pattern seen among people with this condition is an increased number of times of waking up every night to urinate for the rest of their life.

Nocturnal Polyuria is an important cause of nocturia in which there is an overproduction of urine at night. It is defined to have nighttime urine volume that is greater than 20-30% of the total 24 hour urine volume. Nocturia occurs more commonly among older people. It also occurs in women and men differently. Women generally experience nocturia as a result from childbirth, menopause, and pelvic organ prolapse. Nocturia in men can be directly attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.

2. Dysuria.
Dysuria is a complication associated with genitourinary infections usually resulting in painful urination because the infection has made its way into the urinary tract, resulting in a urinary tract infection. Dysuria in men is usually indicative of a complication of the prostate, commonly referred to as prostatic hyperplasia caused by hormonal imbalances associated with estrogen production.

3. Asymptomatic
As we know the prostate gland becomes enlarged as a man ages. Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis may be diagnosed when infection-fighting cells are present causing common symptoms of prostatitis such as difficulty with urination, fever, and lower back and pelvic pain.

4. Epididymitis
Epididymitis is an inflammation of the epididymis that connects the testicle with the vas deferens. Epididymitis is usually caused by infection of the urethra or the bladder. Epididymitis may begin with a low grade fever and chills with a heavy sensation in the testicle which becomes increasingly sensitive to pressure or traction.

III. Prevention and treatment
A. With Foods
1. Tomato
Tomatoes contain a high amount of lycopene that can help to protect the prostate and keep it healthy, but raw tomato is hard to digest. Be sure to take tomato with dark green leafy vegetables for helping the absorption of lycopene.

2. Soy bean and legume
Soybeans and legumes contains isoflavones and is a unique source of phytochemicals It directly inhibits the growth of different types of cancer cells and protects the prostate from being enlarged. Study shows that isoflavones were found to markedly inhibit prostate tumors in mice implanted with prostate cancer cells. Try adding soy or rice milk to your morning cereal or oatmeal.

2. Grapefruit
Grapefruits contain high amounts of vitamin C, minerals, bioflavonnoids and other plant chemicals that help to prevent enlarged prostate, prostate cancer and other forms of cancer and heart diseases.

3. Papaya
Papayas are rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, carotenoids and flavonoids that have cardio protective and anti-cancer effects. Eating papayas help to promote lung health and prevents the prostate from becoming enlarged and prevents prostate cancer.

4. Bean
Beans are rich in inositol pentakisphosphate. Beans are high in fiber, which helps the body rid itself of excess testosterone that reduces the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT thus triggering prostate enlargement and other problems.

5. Green tea
Green tea contains the antioxidant phytochemicals called polyphenols that attack growth factors and proteins, interrupting processes that increase the size of tumors, thus preventing them from spreading to other parts of the body. Green tea also help to prevent the development of benign prostate hyperplasia such as enlarged prostate and prostate cancer.

6. Broccoli
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, including kale and cauliflower, are rich in sulphoraphane, a cancer-fighting phytochemical that helps rid the body of excess testosterone and reduces the risk of benign protatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

7. Cold water fish
Cold water fish contains high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. Study shows that omega-3 fatty acids inhibit carcinogenesis that helps significantly lower levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in men with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

B. With Supplements
1. Bee pollen
Bee pollen is an antioxidant containing high amounts of flavonoids, zinc and many other elements needed by our bodies. It has an astounding record at reversing prostate cancer and other prostate problems such as enlarged prostate.

2. Prostate glandulars
Animal prostates contain high amounts of zinc that nourishes the human prostate.

3. Alanine
Since alanine is present in prostate fluid, it plays an important role in prostate health. This has been confirmed in some studies that Alanine helps in preventing enlarged prostate and helps in strengthening the immune system.

4. Glutamics acid
The fluid produced by the prostate gland also contains high amounts of glutamic acid, and may play a role in the normal function of the prostate. High dosages of glutamic acid may cause headaches and neurological problems and people with kidney or liver disease should not consume high intakes of amino acids without first consulting with your doctor.

5. Glycine
Glycine is also found in fairly large amounts in the prostate fluid and may for this reason be important in prostate health. It is required to build proteins in the body and synthesis of nucleic acids, the construction of RNA as well as DNA, bile acids and other amino acids in the body. Study shows that glycine, taken withalanine and glutamic acid help to reduced the amount of swelling in the prostate tissue.

6. Lycopene
The substance found in tomatoes, fruits and vegetables can prevent and slow down prostate inflammation and prostate cancer. Study shows that lycopene helps to decrease in DNA the damage to prostate cells. Lycopene also protects against LDL cholesterol oxidation.

C. With Herbs
1. Saw palmetto
Saw palmetto is the number one choice when it comes to prostate health. Recent study of American Society for Cell Biology shows that saw palmetto inhibited prostate cancer cell growth in the test tube. It has been used for a long time as an herb to treat an enlarged prostate gland in men. It may also be used to treat prostate cancer. This herbal remedy has no significant side effects and only rarely causes mild stomach upset or diarrhea.

2. American Ginseng
The roots, has been used for centuries in Asian medicine as an aphrodisiac, a tonic for well being and a curative. American Ginseng is helpful in treating prostate problems due to low testosterone and androgen levels. It also inhibits cancer cells proliferation in a variety of cancer such as lung cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

3. Corn silk
Corn silk contains certain therapeutic properties that help to relieve the inflammation of the prostate. Corn silk are also popular as an alternative to standard Western allopathic medicine for treating bed-wetting and obesity.

4. Pumpkin seed extract
Pumpkin seeds contain high amounts of zinc and fatty acids which is necessary for the prostate’s health. Pumpkin seed extract helps to tone the bladder muscles, relax the sphincter mechanism and recongest the prostate.

5. Pygeum Africanum
Pygeum Africanum is rich in phytosterols, the substances that inhibit the biosynthesis of prostaglandins, which is the process responsible for prostate inflammation. Phytosterols also help to reduce the size of the prostate, promote normal urination and reduce cholesterol deposits in the prostate that can occur with BPH.

6.Essiac
Essiac is useful to regulate prostate gland function, stimulates gland activities, promote circulation of blood, relieves pain and inflammation and may permit increase sexual activities. Study shows that essiac possesses potent antioxidant and DNA-protective activity, properties that are common to natural anti-cancer agents.

7. Uva ursi
Uva ursi is an evergreen perennial shrub. It has been used since the year 150AD by various civilizations to treat urinary tract infections, kidney problems, Prostate, and bladder dysfunction.

8. Soy isoflavones
Study shows that an increased soy intake is related to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Vitro tests showed that soy isoflavone inhibits growth of both androgen-sensitive and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

D. With Chinese Herbs
1. Saw palmetto
Saw palmetto has been used for over a century in traditional Chinese medicine in treating pain in the lower back, inflammation and enlargement by inhibiting dihydrotestosterone, thereby reducing its stimulation for cancerous cell multiplication.

2. Patrinia (Bai jiang cao)
Patrinia helps the body get rid of prostate inflammation and damp heat that exists in the body. In Chinese medicine damp heat in the prostate could be caused by bacteria infection, drugs and other conditions such as a habit of eating hot, spicy or greasy foods.

3. Lu lu tong (liquid amber)
Lu lu tong has the ability to improve qi and blood circulation . It also helps to reduce the abdominal, back and knee pain caused by damp heat as well as difficult urination because of bladder or prostate inflammation.

4. He shou wu
He shou wu contains several derivatives of tetrahydroxystilbene. These antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds may act as an estrogen, reducing levels of circulating male hormones such as DHT that fuel the growth of prostate cancer.

5. Niu xi (Achyranthes)
Niu xi contains triterpenoid saponins and sitosterol that possesses anti-inflammatory effects in both enlarged prostate and prostate cancer inflammation. It also helps to nourish the kidney liver and reduce symptoms of damp heat and difficult urination as well as stiffness and pain of lower back.

6. Gui Zhi (tokoro)
Gui Zhi is used for urinary tract disorder that pertains to ying qi levels which is the main cause of prostate inflammation. It also is used as a tonic and blood purifier.

7. Astragalus root
Astragalus root is a sprawling perennial legume. The Chinese medicine uses the dried sliced or powdered root of the plant to enhance immune function by increasing the activity of certain white blood cells, which increases the production of antibodies. It also helps to increase the body’s resistance to infections, to heal the allergies, and to raise and renew the vitality.

8. Che Qian zi (plantago seed)
It is mainly used for stone strangury caused by lower burner damp-heat, such as the symptoms of aching pain in the lumbus and abdomen, poor urination or with hematuria, and urinary tract stones.

9. Vaccaria seed
It is used to reduce pain and stiffness in the lower back, drain excessive damp heat, invigorate blood and treat difficult urination.

E. With Vitamins & Minerals
As we mentioned in previous articles, We know that starting at age 40, the levels of by-product prolactin of testosterone of men increases, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT triggering prostate enlargement and other problems. Besides aging there are many other causes of enlarged prostate and some of them might result in prostate cancer. Beside foods nutrition and herbs, vitamins and minerals also play an important role in preventing and treating prostate enlarged as well as prostate cancer.

1. Zinc
Zinc is necessary for male sexual and prostate health. Zinc inhibits the uptake of testosterone into prolactin. The prostate gland contains a higher concentration of zinc than any other organ in the body, therefore zinc deficiency is the major cause of enlarged prostate as well as an early indication of prostate cancer.

2. Selenium
Selenium contains an antioxidant enzyme that helps to enhance immune function, stop early cancer cells in their development and control cell damage that may lead to cancer. Foods that contain high levels of selenium are bran, broccoli, eggs, mushroom, and basil nut.

3. Vitamin C
As we know Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, is commonly known as an antioxidant. Some studies show that increased levels of vitamin C reduce the risk for prostate cancer as well as prostate inflammation and enlarged prostate.

4. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in foods and is also produced by the body and activated after exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. Studies show that activated vitamin D may be broken down in the prostate, where it may plays an important role in preventing enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

5. Vitamin E
Vitamin E plays an important role in preventing prostate cancer because it interferes with prostate specific antigen (PSA) and androgen receptor proteins that play a central role in the development of the disease.

F. With Homeopathic Remedies
1.Chimaphilia
Chimpaphilia acts principally on kidneys, and genito-urinary tract; affects also lymphatic and mesenteric glands. It helps in treating urge to urinate with burn pain, strain to urinate and prostate enlargement and irritation.

2.Conium maculatum
Conium maculatum is an excellent remedy for old age people. It helps to improve prostate enlargement, difficult urination, weakened urine flow and soften the prostate and enhance sexuality.

3. Hepar sulphuris calcareum
Hepar sulphuris calcareum is a mixture powder of oyster shells and pure flower of sulfur. You can purchase in mixture in a health food store and follow the instructions to make your own. Hepar sulphuris calcareum has proven record in treating dribbling urine and poor flow.

4. Sabal serrulata
Sabal serrulata is homeopathic to irritability of the genito-urinary organs. It is helpful in treating difficult urination caused by enlarged prostate, constant desire to urinate, as well as sexual inability.

5. Staphysagria
Staphysagria is helpful in treating diseases of the genito-urinary tract such as the urge to urinate, inability to urinate fully and feeling of bladder not being empty.

6. Thuja
The main action of thuja is on the genito-urinary organs. It is helpful in treating enlarged prostate, sudden desire to urinate and split urinary stream.

G. With Common Sense Approaches
1. Reduce fat and cholesterol intake, especially saturated fats.
Study shows that if you eat more than 5 servings of red meat every week you could increase the risk of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer by 80%. By eating less of red meat and replacing them with cold water fish, you are ensured yourselves to get enough omega fatty acid that helps to improve your prostate health, reduce cholesterol levels, lower the risk of enlarged prostate as well as prostate cancer.

2. Eat foods containing more zinc (nuts- especially walnuts, pumpkin, seeds, safflower seeds and oysters).
Zinc is an essential mineral for prostate health. It helps to reduce the size of the prostate and relieve symptoms of enlarged prostate. Foods containing zinc also contain cucurbitacines, chemicals that stop testosterone from changing to stronger forms of testosterone which encourages too many prostate cells to grow. Foods that contain cucurbitacines are nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seed, and oyster.

3. Guard your prostate with green tea
Green tea contains catechins, a chemical that helps our immune system to track down tumor cells before they can do any harm to the prostate cells. Green tea may be one reason that Asian people have far fewer cases of prostate cancer than North Americans.

4. Remove all chemicals and pesticides from diet (eat organic food).
Chemicals and pesticides in the processing food is toxic to our body. Intaking high doses of these poisonous chemicals will danger our immune system as well as cause inflammation of the body including the prostate.

5. Increase consumption of plants high in the sulphurophanes
Study shows that you could reduce the risk of prostate cancer and prostate enlargement by 45% if you eat 24 or more servings of vegetables that contain high amounts of sulphurophanes such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and cabbage.

H. Activities That Help to Maintain a Healthy Prostate
1. Moderate exercise (like walking)
We know that one half to three-quarters of men older than 75 will have some cancerous changes in their prostate glands. People doing moderate exercise like walking for 2 to 3 hours per week had a 25 percent less risk of developing prostate problems than those who did not. Just 20-30 minutes walking a day would help to increase circulation of blood to the body as a side benefit for better sexual function and prostate health.

2. Sitz baths
It is one of the earliest prostate treatments and the most effective remedies for prostate pain. This special bath brings a great flow of blood to a specific area of the body while the regular hot bath is pleasant and generally increases circulation throughout your body.

3. Yoga
Yoga is really helpful to the prostate. It also helps tone the deep pelvic muscles there by promoting circulation. Yoga promotes flexibility, circulation, and stimulates the liver meridian. In general yoga helps a person to be more aware of his pelvic area in terms of his muscular control.

4. Kegal exercise
Kegal exercise when performed while in virasana, bhekasana or frog pose also promotes good prostate health and overall benefit to the urogenital tract.

5. Spinal and pelvic massage
Spinal and pelvis massage helps to
a) Increase blood supply to the prostate and the pelvic area.
b) Increase lymphatic flow to the prostate and the pelvic area.
c) Reduces inflammatory conditions.

6. Joyful sex life
Sex helps increase movement of the pelvic muscles and the blood circulation to all organs of your body. As fresh blood supply arrives your cells, organs and muscles are saturated with fresh oxygen and hormones, and as the used blood is removed, you also remove waste products and toxins from your body, thus reducing the risk of inflammation of the prostate.

You can see there are many different methods that help to maintain a healthy prostate. I hope this information will help. if you need more information. please visit my home page at:
Kyle J. Norton
http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com/
http://prostatehealth09.blogspot.com/
All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have all the links intact.

Reduce Your Risk

Consider this number: 10 million. That’s how many cases of cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year. Now consider this number: 15 million. That’s how many cases of cancer the World Health Organization estimates will be diagnosed in the year 2020 — a 50 percent increase — if we don’t get our act together.

Most cancers don’t develop overnight or out of nowhere. Cancer is largely predictable, the end result of a decades-long process, but just a few simple changes in your daily life can significantly reduce your risk. Here are 31 great tips.

1. Serve sauerkraut at your next picnic. A Finnish study found that the fermentation process involved in making sauerkraut produces several other cancer-fighting compounds, including ITCs, indoles, and sulforaphane. To reduce the sodium content, rinse canned or jarred sauerkraut before eating. 2. Eat your fill of broccoli, but steam it rather than microwaving it. Broccoli is a cancer-preventing superfood, one you should eat frequently. But take note: A Spanish study found that microwaving broccoli destroys 97 percent of the vegetable’s cancer-protective flavonoids. So steam it, eat it raw as a snack, or add it to soups and salads.

3. Toast some Brazil nuts and sprinkle over your salad. They’re a rich form of selenium, a trace mineral that convinces cancer cells to commit suicide and helps cells repair their DNA. A Harvard study of more than 1,000 men with prostate cancer found those with the highest blood levels of selenium were 48 percent less likely to develop advanced disease over 13 years than men with the lowest levels. And a dramatic five-year study conducted at Cornell University and the University of Arizona showed that 200 micrograms of selenium daily — the amount in two unshelled Brazil nuts — resulted in 63 percent fewer prostate tumors, 58 percent fewer colorectal cancers, 46 percent fewer lung malignancies, and a 39 percent overall decrease in cancer deaths.

4. Pop a calcium supplement with vitamin D. A study out of Dartmouth Medical School suggests that the supplements reduce colon polyps (a risk factor for colon cancer) in people susceptible to the growths. 5. Add garlic to everything you eat. Garlic contains sulfur compounds that may stimulate the immune system’s natural defenses against cancer, and may have the potential to reduce tumor growth. Studies suggest that garlic can reduce the incidence of stomach cancer by as much as a factor of 12! 6. Sauté two cloves of crushed garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. then mix in a can of low-sodium, diced tomatoes. Stir gently until heated and serve over whole wheat pasta. We already mentioned the benefits of garlic. The lycopene in the tomatoes protects against colon, prostate, and bladder cancers; the olive oil helps your body absorb the lycopene; and the fiber-filled pasta reduces your risk of colon cancer. As for the benefits of all of these ingredients together: They taste great!

7. Every week, buy a cantaloupe at the grocery store and cut it up after you put away your groceries. Store it in a container and eat several pieces every morning. Cantaloupe is a great source of carotenoids, plant chemicals shown to significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer.

The Power of Antioxidants

8. Mix half a cup of blueberries into your morning cereal. Blueberries rank number one in terms of their antioxidant power. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells and lead to diseases including cancer.

9. Learn to eat artichokes tonight. Artichokes are a great source of silymarin, an antioxidant that may help prevent skin cancer. To eat these delicious veggies, peel off the tough outer leaves on the bottom, slice the bottom, and cut off the spiky top. Then boil or steam until tender, about 30-45 minutes. Drain. Dip each leaf in a vinaigrette or garlic mayonnaise, then gently tear the fibrous covering off with your front teeth, working your way inward to the tender heart. Once there, gently scoop the bristles from the middle of the heart, dip in a little butter or lemon juice, and enjoy! 10. Coat barbecue food with a thick sauce. Grilling meat can create a variety of cancer-causing chemicals. But researchers from the American Institute for Cancer Research found that coating the meat with a thick marinade and thereby preventing direct contact with the charring flames reduced the amount of such chemicals created. Another tip: Precook your meat in the oven and then throw it on the grill to finish.

11. Every time you go to the bathroom, stop by the kitchen or water cooler for a glass of water. A major study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1996 found that men who drank six 8-ounce glasses of water every day slashed their risk of bladder cancer in half. Another study linked the amount of water women drank to their risk of colon cancer, with heavy water drinkers reducing their risk up to 45 percent.

12. Take up a tea habit. The healing powers of green tea have been valued in Asia for thousands of years. In the West, new research reveals that it protects against a variety of cancers as well as heart disease. Some scientists believe that a chemical in green tea called EGCG could be one of the most powerful anticancer compounds ever discovered. 13. Have a beer tonight. Beer protects against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, known to cause ulcers and possibly linked to stomach cancer. But don’t overdo it. Drinking more than one or two alcoholic drinks a day may increase your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, liver, and breast cancer. 14. Throw some salmon on the grill tonight. Australian researchers studying Canadians (go figure) found those who ate four or more servings of fish per week were nearly one-third less likely to develop the blood cancers leukemia, myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Other studies show a link between eating fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, and tuna, as well as shrimp and scallops) with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer in women. Ah, those amazing omega-3s at it again! 15. Take a multivitamin every morning. Many studies suggest getting the ideal levels of vitamins and minerals can improve your immune system function and help prevent a variety of cancers. 16. Get about 15 minutes of sunlight on your skin each day. You’ve heard of the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D haven’t you? Turns out we’ve been so good at heeding advice to slather on sun lotion and avoid the sun’s rays that many of us aren’t getting enough of this valuable nutrient. Researchers find that getting too little vitamin D may increase your risk of multiple cancers, including breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, and stomach, as well as osteoporosis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and high blood pressure. The best source? Exposure to UVB rays found in natural and artificial sunlight. About 15 minutes a day ought to do it. Avoid overexposure, of course. That can increase your risk for cancers of the skin. You can also get vitamin D in your calcium supplement if you choose a supplement that contains both. 17. Carry a shot glass in your beach bag. Then fill it with sunscreen and rub it all over your body. A shot glass holds about 1.5 ounces, which is how much sunscreen dermatologists estimate you need to protect yourself from the cancer-causing UV rays of the sun. Repeat every two hours. 18. Cut a kiwifruit in half, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Now eat! Kiwi is a little hand grenade of cancer-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and copper. You can also rub a couple of cut kiwifruit on a low-fat cut of meat as a tenderizer. 19. Use a condom and stick to one partner. The more sexual partners a woman has, the greater her risk of contracting human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes cervical cancer. Having an unfaithful husband also increases her risk. 20. Cut out high-fat animal protein. A Yale study found that women who ate the most animal protein had a 70 percent higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, while those who ate diets high in saturated fat increased their risk 90 percent. So switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy, have poultry or fish instead of beef or pork, and use olive oil instead of butter.

21. Have your partner feed you grapes. They’re great sources of resveratrol, the cancer-protecting compound found in wine, but don’t have the alcohol of wine, which can increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Plus, the closeness such an activity engenders (we hope) strengthens your immune system.

22. Sprinkle scallions over your salad. A diet high in onions may reduce the risk of prostate cancer 50 percent. But the effects are strongest when they’re eaten raw or lightly cooked. So try scallions, Vidalia onions, shallots, or chives for a milder taste. 23. Make a batch of fresh lemonade or limeade. A daily dose of citrus fruits may cut the risk of mouth, throat, and stomach cancers by half, Australian researchers found. Unecessary Chemicals

24. Take a 30-minute walk every evening after dinner. That’s all it takes to reduce your breast cancer risk, according to a study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Turns out that moderate exercise reduces levels of estrogen, a hormone that contributes to breast cancer. When 170 overweight, couch potato women ages 50-75 did some form of moderate exercise for about three hours a week, levels of circulating estrogen dropped significantly after three months. After a year, those who lost at least 2 percent of their body fat had even greater decreases in estrogen. Another study linked four hours a week of walking or hiking with cutting the risk of pancreatic cancer in half. The benefits are probably related to improved insulin metabolism due to the exercise.

25. Buy organic foods. They’re grown without added pesticides or hormones, both of which can cause cellular damage that may eventually lead to cancer.

26. Learn to love dandelions. Using commercial pesticides on your lawn may increase your risk of cancer, since most contain pesticides such as 2,4-D (linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and MCPP (associated with soft-tissue cancers). Plus, pesticides used solely on lawns don’t have to go through the same rigorous testing for long-term health effects as those used on food. And, as E/The Environmental Magazine noted in a 2004 article, no federal studies have assessed the safety of lawn-care chemicals in combination, the way most are sold.

27. Buy clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned. Many dry cleaners still use a chemical called perc (perchloroethylene), found to cause kidney and liver damage and cancer in animals repeatedly exposed through inhalation. Buying clothes that don’t require dry cleaning, or hand washing them yourself, can reduce your exposure to this chemical. If you must dry-clean your clothes, take them out of the plastic bag and air them outside or in another room before wearing.

28. Choose cucumbers over pickles, fresh salmon over lox. Studies find that smoked and pickled foods contain various carcinogens.

29. Switch from french fries and potato chips to mashed potatoes and pretzels. A potential cancer-causing compound called acrylamide forms as a result of the chemical changes that occur in foods when they’re baked, fried, or roasted. Not surprisingly, many foods with the greatest amounts of acrylamide are also some of the worst-for-you foods, such as french fries, potato chips, and baked sweets. Although the results aren’t final yet, Michael Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, estimates acrylamide causes between 1,000 and 25,000 cancers per year. His agency has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to set limits on the amount of acrylamide foods can contain. The FDA is studying the issue.

30. Go for a spray-on tan. They’re available in most tanning salons these days and, unlike tanning beds, there’s no evidence that they increase your risk of skin cancer.

31. Call up your bowling pal and hit the lanes. A study from the State University of New York at Stony Brook found that men with high levels of stress and those with less satisfying contacts with friends and family members had higher levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in their blood, a marker for the development of prostate cancer.

Fight Cancer With Anti Aging