If you knew that making a few small changes in your day to day life would lower your risk of getting cancer, wouldn’t you make those changes? The American Cancer Society has shared endless amounts of news and information regarding cancer prevention. First on the list is staying away from tobacco.
According to the United States Surgeon General’s report, cigarette smoking was reported as the number one cause of cancer death in the United States in 1982. In 2011, this was still the case.
Nearly one in five deaths in the United States is due to tobacco use. Not only is cancer the most common cause of death, but it is also the most preventable.
According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is linked an increased risk of the following cancers:
- Lung
- Larynx (voice box)
- Oral cavity (mouth, tongue, and lips)
- Pharynx (throat)
- Esophagus (tube connecting the throat to the stomach)
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Cervix
- Kidney
- Bladder
- Ovary (a type called mucinous ovarian cancer)
- Colorectum (the colon and/or the rectum)
- Acute myeloid leukemia
To make matters worse, lung cancer is often unnoticed until it has spread and become advanced.
Cancer is not the only health problem caused by smoking. Smoking also contributes to death by heart disease, aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke.
Women of reproductive age who use tobacco can be hurting their reproductive health and their baby if they are pregnant. Tobacco has been linked to reduced fertility, a higher risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and still birth. Tobacco use in pregnant woman has also been linked to a heightened risk for birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome.
If you or someone you love wants more information on the health effects of tobacco use, contact Hart to Heart Consultants. I believe that the best time to beat cancer is before you get it!
Hart to Heart Cancer Consultants offers practical and hands-on interventions to reduce your risk of cancer by examining your lifestyle and implementing changes required to deal with risk factors such as obesity, smoking, heavy drinking, lack of exercise, your diet, and chemicals in your environment.