Top 10 Cancer Fighters

8. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D. The vitamin is closely linked with bolstering bone health, but it also appears to have a critical role in immune function and may affect cancer risk. A new study presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting found that 77 percent of cancer patients have low levels of vitamin D. “You can certainly find an association of low vitamin D and cancer, but we don’t know if there’s cause and effect,” notes Dr. Smith. “It doesn’t mean that having a low vitamin D levels cause cancer.” What’s not in question? There’s no harm—and there may be several benefits—in getting vitamin D from food like fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil, as well as from a 10-minute dose of sunshine.

9. Kick butt. It’s not exactly earth-shattering news that smoking wreaks havoc on your health (not to mention makes you reek of cigarette smoke). Lighting up harms nearly every organ in the body and puts you at risk for a whole host of cancers, including lung, esophagus, kidney, bladder and even cervical cancer.

So it’s no exaggeration that quitting smoking can save your life. Need help kicking the habit? Follow the three-step Breathe-Free Program. 

10. Break a sweat. Slap on your sneakers and hit the treadmill to lower your risk of cancer. Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute studied physical activity among women with and without breast cancer and found those who stayed active during work and in their free time had a 39 percent lower breast cancer risk than those who were inactive.

Exercising not only reduces your cancer risk, but it also boosts your energy and helps you maintain a healthy weight. Plus, you’ll see instant beauty benefits as increased circulation gives your cheeks a gorgeous glow.

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