Eating right, getting enough exercise, and avoiding smoking and alcohol are generally considered the best advice for preventing cancer.
But other research shows there are less conventional ways to stay healthy.
As a record number of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and as cases in young people rise, DailyMail.com has revealed six unexpected habits that can keep you healthier.
masturbation
A major review suggests that masturbation may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, the most common form of the disease in Americans (stock photo)
A little self love can go a long way, according to new research.
A review published earlier this month combed through 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 Americans are diagnosed with this disease each year, and 35,000 die.
One study included in the review is a 2017 study from Harvard Medical School. Men aged 46 to 81 were asked how many times they ejaculated each month in their twenties, forties and in their most recent year.
The team found men who peaked 21 or more times a month had a 31 percent lower risk of prostate cancer than men who peaked only four to seven times a month.
And another study in the mix found that men who ejaculated at least four times a month through sex or masturbation had the lowest risk of prostate cancer compared to men who ejaculated less often.
It’s still not clear exactly how ejaculation reduces the risk of prostate cancer, but experts believe it may 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 from masturbation can deliver oxygen and essential nutrients that help remove cancer-related waste products.
Additionally, ejaculation can help eliminate harmful carcinogens that can build up in semen.
Combine the avocado and tomatoes
Combining both avocado and tomato can help your body absorb the disease-fighting antioxidant lycopene
Avocado toast has long been the scapegoat for millennials’ financial woes, but adding tomatoes can boost immune health and reduce cancer risk.
Tomatoes contain important vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and folate, which help reduce harmful inflammation, improve blood pressure control, and aid cell function.
Avocados, meanwhile, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce cholesterol and inflammation, as well as improve concentration and focus.
Individually, each food contains compounds that may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, including colorectal and pancreatic cancer, but combining the two can help your body absorb the disease-fighting antioxidant lycopene.
Lycopene is the 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 accumulate, damage cells and cause cancer cells to form.
It is still not clear if this causes certain cancers more than others.
However, the fatty acids rich in avocado increase the bioavailability of lycopene – the amount of the compound that can be absorbed and benefited by the body.
A review in the Journal of Nutrition found that combining these two foods has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer in animals, although more concrete research is needed in humans.
Drink your tea lukewarm
Drinking hot tea can increase the risk of esophageal cancer
Drinking a glass of green tea has many benefits, including killing cancer cells with plant compounds called polyphenols.
One 2018 review found the polyphenols in green tea help prevent UVB radiation, a major risk factor for skin cancer.
However, hot drinks can increase the risk of esophageal cancer, which kills 16,000 Americans each year and has only a one in five survival rate.
A 2018 study by researchers in China of more than 450,000 adults found that those who said they drank ‘hot’ tea, smoked tobacco, and drank too much had a five-fold increased risk of esophageal cancer, as temperature can increase damage to the esophagus. lining caused by smoking and drinking.
In addition, researchers in Iran found that people who drank beverages 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) or hotter and drank more than two large cups of hot beverages per day had a 90 percent higher risk of esophageal cancer than those who drank tea. less. cold temperature.
However, the team said more research is needed to determine the exact reason why hot temperatures are associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer.
Switch to day shift
Working the night shift disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which damages the immune system (stock photo)
Research has long linked grave changes to a variety of health problems, from sleep disorders to diabetes to heart disease.
In addition, working nights can increase the risk of cancer.
A study published earlier this month in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention analyzed data from nearly 4 million women to find associations between long night shifts and nearly a dozen forms of cancer.
The team found that women who worked at night had a total cancer risk of 19 percent.
When looking at individual cancers, 41 percent are more likely to have skin cancer, 32 percent are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 18 percent are more likely to develop gastrointestinal cancers like stomach or colorectal cancer.
And for every five years of late shift work, the risk of breast cancer increases by 3.3 percent.
Experts think that the disruption of the circadian rhythm caused by shift work is to blame, as it can damage the immune system.
One study in the journal Cancer, for example, found that getting less than six hours of sleep per night was associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer.
Reduce oral sex
Doctors warn that HPV – the world’s most common STD – is a risk factor for throat cancer in men and women (stock photo)
While more sex and masturbation can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, oral sex in particular has been linked to an increase in esophageal cancer.
Researchers believe this may be because oral sex increases the chance of being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of sexually transmitted viruses and a known risk factor for certain head and neck cancers.
In 2021, researchers from Johns Hopkins University 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.
All took a detailed survey of their sexual behavior and submitted a blood sample to test for HPV antibodies.
The team found that people with HPV-related cancers started having oral sex at an earlier age and with more partners than healthy patients.
Researchers also estimate that cancer patients are about 80 percent more likely than people without cancer to engage in oral sex with their partners.
The study only looked at how oral sex is a risk factor for cancer and there were no findings related to penetrative sex.
Getting the HPV vaccine and limiting the number of sexual partners can help reduce this risk. The CDC recommends that people get a series of two or three HPV vaccines around age 11 or 12.
According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be about 71,000 cases of head and neck cancer in the US this year, along with 16,100 deaths.
Soak up the sun
Getting enough sunlight increases vitamin D, an important mineral for reducing harmful inflammation
Exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet rays are major risk factors for developing skin cancer and melanoma.
However, exposure to sunlight, the main source of vitamin D, can reduce the risk of breast and colorectal cancer.
Research in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that getting at least 1,000 units of vitamin D per day can reduce the risk of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer by 30 to 50 percent.
Vitamin D helps reduce harmful inflammation and control cell growth, including cancer cells.
Additionally, a 2019 study found people with higher levels of vitamin D had a reduced risk of colorectal and bladder cancer.
However, the American Cancer Society still recommends wearing sunscreen and staying in the shade on sunny days.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is approximately 600 international units (IU) per day for adults.
For foods rich in vitamin D, people should reach for salmon or eggs and can increase their levels with supplements or over-the-counter vitamins.
