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Maintaining healthy weight as a means to reduce risk for cancer
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Blog friends, I have a confession to make. I am overweight. Those who know me are not shocked. And I think you can probably tell already from my picture on this site. Thankfully I have not yet made it to obese by BMI (yet) (here: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ , I'll let you do the math). And although I feel like a complete hypocrite when I do it, I constantly tell patients about a healthy weight and the benefits for cancer prevention. But I intend to be a hypocrite no more, now that I came upon this news tidbit.
In short, investigators report that having a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and a good diet may prevent:
- 38% of breast cancers
- 45% of colorectal cancers
- 36% of lung cancers
- 39% of pancreatic cancers
- 47% of stomach cancers
- 69% of esophageal cancers
- 63% of cancers of the mouth, pharynx or larynx
- 70% of endometrial cancers
- 24% of kidney cancers
- 21% of gallbladder cancers
- 15% of liver cancers
- 11% of prostate cancers
Let that sink in a minute. One in three cancers can be prevented with a healthy weight, exercise and a good diet. WHOA. And since this is a the season of Lent, a season which I observe, that seems as good a time as any to try and make some positive lifestyle changes. As an aside, someone I work with also thought I was PREGNANT, which I am not (hello, boss, if you are reading, I promise I would have told you first!). That will give you a jolt of much needed willpower.
As longer-term readers know, I've already got the exercise piece down, I think, as I work out about six hours a week. But, diet and weight? Eh, not so much. So I will be as honest and forthcoming as I can here as I struggle to make these changes that I have known for a while I should, and which I tell my patients they should make. I don't have a concrete diet plan per se, other than less calories going in than coming out. Oh, and lots of water. I do intend to do a 5K of some kind in the coming year as a goal. Whatever happens, I encourage you to come along with me for the ride. Should be fun.