6 ways to live a healthy lifestyle

Doctors and magazine articles discuss the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. But what does that actually mean? And how can it aid in the prevention of cancer?

You're probably thinking it means "eat healthy and exercise." And that's a big part of it, according to Karen Basin-Engquist, Ph.D., director of MD Anderson's Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.

A healthy lifestyle, however, is much more than just diet and physical activity, according to her.

1. Keep a healthy weight

To begin with, maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to live a healthy life and lower your cancer risk.

What is important about your weight is the amount of body fat you have. A higher percentage increases your chances of developing cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

Diet, activity level, genes, and age are all factors that can influence your weight. Basin-Engquist suggests ways to stay slim.

• Get your feet moving: Aim for at least two and a half hours of moderate aerobic exercise per week, or one hour and fifteen minutes of more vigorous physical activity. You should also try strength training at least twice a week.
• Avoid excessive sitting: Even if you exercise for 30 minutes in the morning, sitting for the rest of the day can be harmful to your health. Recent studies have linked excessive sitting to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and cancer. So, every hour, take a five-minute walk to break up your workday.
• Consume for your own good: A healthy diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables. Aim for two-thirds of your plate to be made up of produce. MD Anderson's nutrition experts also recommend limiting red meat consumption and avoiding processed meats.

Consume plenty of water.

Avoid sugary beverages and sodas.

Avoid salty foods as well as processed foods such as pre-packaged meals, chips, cookies, and other treats.

2. Use caution when consuming alcohol.

According to Basin-Engquist, "excess alcohol consumption has been linked to several cancers, including breast cancer and esophageal cancer."

On the other hand, several recent studies have discovered that moderate or low alcohol consumption may reduce your risk of death from any cause.

Don't start drinking if you don't already, advises Basin-Engquist. If you enjoy alcohol, she suggests limiting yourself to one drink per day for women and two for men.

3. Get some beauty rest.

"We can't live or function without sleep – it allows us to achieve our goals in life," says Diwakar Balachandran, M.D., medical director of the MD Anderson Sleep Center.

Furthermore, studies show that chronic sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain and other health issues, including cancer.

"We must give sleep the priority it deserves," says Balachandran. Most adults require seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Are you getting enough sleep? These eight healthy sleeping habits may be beneficial.

4. Avoid using tobacco.

This is one of the major ones. Tobacco use is responsible for 25% to 30% of cancer deaths, according to research. Despite these risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly one in every five adults smokes.

"When it comes to the dangers of smoking, people tend to know very little," says Alexander Prokhorov, M.D., Ph.D., professor of behavioral science at MD Anderson. What you should know, he says, is that all tobacco products – including e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco – are dangerous and contain cancer-causing chemicals. So, using tobacco in any form puts your life at risk.

Also, you should avoid secondhand smoke. “It can cause lung cancer in non-smokers and is associated with heart disease and asthma attacks,” Prokhorov says. No level of exposure is safe, he warns.

5. Use caution in the sun.

It takes more than just sunscreen to avoid skin cancer, especially the deadliest form, melanoma.

Most people do not apply enough sunscreen or reapply it frequently enough.

To keep your skin safe:

• Apply a generous amount of sunscreen to every exposed part of your body.
• Every two hours, reapply sunscreen liberally. Reapply it more frequently if you're sweating or swimming.
• Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., avoid direct sunlight. That is when the sun's UV rays are at their strongest.
• Wear protective clothing, such as a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses.

Additionally, avoid tanning beds. They produce the same UV rays as the sun and cause skin cancer. In fact, beginning indoor tanning before the age of 18 can increase melanoma risk by 85 percent.

6. Obtain a screening

Cancer screening exams are medical tests performed when there are no symptoms of illness. They can aid in the early detection of cancer when the chances of successfully treating the disease are greatest.

Follow MD Anderson's screening exam recommendations and consult with your doctor. He or she can advise you on which exams are appropriate for you.

"This may appear to be a lot to take on," Basin-Engquist says. "However, you don't have to make all of these changes overnight to see health benefits."

She suggests starting with just one or two of these healthy habits. You can gradually incorporate the others into your healthy lifestyle once you've gotten used to them.