At the beginning of each year, many people resolve to better themselves in some way. From losing weight to saving more money, writing down New Year’s Resolutions can be a good way to start fresh and reach your goals. But even with the best of intentions, keeping resolutions can be challenging. In fact, surveys show that more than 20 percent of them are broken right after the first week.
In honor of 2019, we’ve put together four cancer-fighting resolutions that are worth fighting to keep. Simply pick one or two if you can’t commit to all of them. Your body will thank you.
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Add superfoods to your diet.
A few simple changes to your diet can make a huge improvement in how you look and feel. More importantly, nourishing your body with healthy foods and maintaining a proper weight can help lower your risk of cancer.
Start by adding superfoods to your diet. These contain large amounts of anti-cancer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Make your salads and omelets healthier with dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips, snack on a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds or raw almonds. There are many cancer-fighting recipes that you can find online for your daily meals.
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Use sunscreen daily.
Skin cancer rates are higher than ever before. Since the 1980s, incidences of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have doubled. While people with fair skin may be at a higher risk for developing this disease due to sun exposure, people with darker skin tones are at risk as well.
For this matter, it’s important to make it a point to use sunscreen every day, even during winter. Sunscreen protects against the harmful ultraviolet rays that can wreak havoc on your skin even on cloudy days. It also plays a role in preventing premature aging.
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Reduce your alcohol intake.
Whether you’re guilty of drinking at the end of each working day or having a “few too many” on a Friday night, it’s hard to deny that drinking is a big part of many Americans’ routines. From weekend getaways to sporting events, booze is more often a part of every celebration. If you feel that you can’t ditch alcohol completely just yet, start the year by cutting your consumption down.
To prevent liver damage, heart diseases, and cancer, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests only having up to two drinks per day for men and only one per day for women. However, these guidelines do not recommend non-drinkers to start drinking alcohol for any reason.
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Schedule your screenings.
Regular cancer screenings help with prevention and early detection. These tests include colonoscopies for colorectal cancer, mammograms for breast cancer, body checks for skin cancer, pap smears for cervical and uterine cancer, and more. Talk to your physician to see what procedures are appropriate for you given your age, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Sure, you might have picked up some bad habits in the last couple of years, but it’s not too late to start over. Prioritize your wellbeing this year and turn the tide by creating anti-cancer goals. Let your resolutions make 2019 a banner year for better health.
