Table of Contents
Eating well, getting enough exercise, and avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol are generally considered the top tips for preventing cancer.
But other research shows there may be less conventional ways to stay healthy.
As a record number of Americans are set to be diagnosed with cancer this year, and cases among young people rise, DailyMail.com has revealed six unexpected habits that can keep you healthy for longer.
Masturbate
A major study has suggested that masturbating could reduce the risk of prostate cancer, the most common form of the disease in American men (file photo)
A little self-love could go a long way, according to new research.
A review published earlier this month looked at 11 studies on the effect of masturbation on the risk of prostate cancer, the most common form of the disease in American men.
Nearly 300,000 American men are diagnosed with the disease each year and 35,000 die.
One study included in the review was a 2017 study from Harvard Medical School. Men between the ages of 46 and 81 were asked how many times they ejaculated per month between their twenties and forties and during the most recent year.
The team found that men who climaxed 21 or more times a month had a 31 percent lower risk of prostate cancer than those who did so only four to seven times a month.
And another study on the topic found that men who ejaculated at least four times a month through sex or masturbation had the lowest risk of prostate cancer compared to those who did so less frequently.
It’s still unclear exactly how ejaculation may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but experts believe it could be due to increased blood flow to the prostate, a walnut-sized organ found only in men.
Located between the base of the penis and the rectum, the prostate produces a fluid that mixes with sperm to help it travel and survive.
The extra blood flow resulting from masturbation may supply vital oxygen and nutrients that help remove waste products linked to cancer.
Additionally, ejaculating may help flush out harmful carcinogens that can build up in semen.
Combine avocados and tomatoes
Combining avocados and tomatoes may help the body absorb lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant.
Avocado toast has long been a scapegoat for millennials’ financial woes, but topping it with tomatoes could boost immune health and reduce cancer risk.
Tomatoes contain essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K and folate, which help reduce harmful inflammation, promote blood pressure control and aid cellular function.
Avocados, meanwhile, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce cholesterol and inflammation, as well as increase concentration and focus.
On their own, each food contains compounds that may reduce the risk of several forms of cancer, including colorectal and pancreatic cancer, but the combination of the two may help the body absorb lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant.
Lycopene is a compound that gives tomatoes their bright red color and has been shown to protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that build up, damage cells and cause cancer cells to form.
It is not yet clear whether this leads to certain types of cancer more than others.
However, the rich fatty acids present in avocados improve the bioavailability of lycopene – the amount of the compound that the body can absorb and benefit from.
A review in Nutrition journal Combining both foods has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer in animals, although more specific research in humans is needed.
Drink your tea warm
Drinking very hot tea may increase the risk of esophageal cancer
Drinking a glass of green tea has numerous benefits, including the elimination of cancer cells thanks to plant compounds called polyphenols.
One 2018 Review Polyphenols present in green tea were found to help prevent UVB radiation, a primary risk factor for skin cancer.
However, drinking it too hot may increase the risk of esophageal cancer, which kills 16,000 Americans each year and has a survival rate of only one in five.
TO 2018 Study A study in China of more than 450,000 adults found that those who reported drinking “very hot” tea, smoking tobacco and drinking excessively had a five-fold increased risk of esophageal cancer, as the temperature could increase damage to the lining of the esophagus caused by smoking and drinking.
Besides, Researchers in Iran They found that people who drank beverages at 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) or hotter and consumed more than two large cups of hot drinks per day had a 90 percent higher risk of esophageal cancer compared with those who drank less tea at cooler temperatures.
However, the team said more research is needed to determine the exact reason why high temperatures are linked to an increased risk of esophageal cancer.
Switch to day shift
Working the night shift disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, weakening the immune system (file photo)
Research has long linked night shift work to a host of health problems, from sleep disorders to diabetes and heart disease.
In addition, working night shifts may increase the risk of cancer.
TO Study published earlier this month In the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, data from nearly 4 million women were analyzed to find the association between long-term night shift work and nearly a dozen forms of cancer.
The team found that women who worked night shifts had an overall cancer risk of 19 percent higher.
When looking at individual cancers, they were 41 percent more likely to have skin cancer, 32 percent more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer and 18 percent more likely to develop gastrointestinal cancers, such as stomach cancer or colorectal cancer.
And for every five years of working night shifts, the risk of breast cancer increased by 3.3 percent.
Experts believe that circadian rhythm disturbances caused by shift work could be responsible, as they can weaken the immune system.
A study in the journal CancerFor example, they found that sleeping less than six hours per night was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Reduce oral sex
Doctors have warned that HPV, the world’s most common sexually transmitted disease, is the main risk factor for throat cancer in men and women (file photo)
While having more sex and masturbating may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, oral sex specifically has been linked to an increase in esophageal cancer.
Researchers believe this could be because oral sex increases the likelihood of contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of sexually transmitted viruses and known risk factors for certain forms of head and neck cancer.
In 2021, researchers from Johns Hopkins University She interviewed more than 163 patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, a form of the disease that affects the middle part of the throat, and 345 healthy people.
They all completed detailed surveys about their sexual behavior and submitted blood samples for testing for HPV antibodies.
The team found that those with HPV-related cancer began having oral sex at an earlier age and with more partners than healthy patients.
The researchers also estimated that cancer patients were about 80 percent more likely than those without cancer to have ever performed oral sex on a partner.
The research only looked at how oral sex was a risk factor for cancer and did not show any findings related to penetrative sex.
Getting vaccinated against HPV and limiting the number of sexual partners can help mitigate this risk. The CDC recommends that people get vaccinated against HPV with two or three doses of the vaccine when they are 11 or 12 years old.
According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be about 71,000 cases of head and neck cancer in the United States this year, along with 16,100 deaths.
Sunbathe
Getting enough sunlight increases vitamin D, an essential mineral for relieving harmful inflammation.
Exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation is the main risk factor for developing skin cancer and melanoma.
However, sunbathing, the main source of vitamin D, may reduce the risk of other forms of cancer, such as breast and colorectal cancer.
Research in the Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology Getting at least 1,000 units of vitamin D each day was found to reduce the risk of colorectal, breast and prostate cancer by 30 to 50 percent.
Vitamin D helps reduce harmful inflammation and controls the growth of cells, including cancer cells.
In addition, a 2019 Study They found that people with higher levels of vitamin D had reduced risks of colorectal and bladder cancer.
However, the American Cancer Society still recommends wearing sunscreen and staying in the shade on particularly sunny days.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is approximately 600 international units (IU) per day for adults.
To consume foods rich in vitamin D, people should opt for salmon or eggs and can increase levels with supplements or over-the-counter vitamins.
