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Each
year, about one-third of all
cancer deaths are attributable to
lifestyle choices. Paying attention
to your diet, weight and activity
level will increase your odds of
preventing cancer.
What canyoudo?
Eat healthy, with an emphasis on
plant foods, such as fruits, veg-
etables, beans and whole grains.
Aim for 2 to 3 cups of vegetables
and fruits every day.
Limit re ned, high-sugar and
high-fat foods such as chips,
creamy sauces, dressings, ice
cream and high-calorie drinks.
Choose more sh, chicken, tur-
key and legumes. Limit red meat
and avoid processed meats such
as sausage, ham, lunch meats
and hot dogs.
Control your weight
To reduce cancer risk, most people
need to keep their body mass index,
a score based on height and weight,
below 25. If you are overweight or
obese, losing even a small amount
of weight brings health bene ts.
Limit alcohol
Evidence suggests that all types
Reduce your cancer risk
ONCOLOGY
Cancer care,
close to home
The Cancer Center at Mercy
Medical Center Mt. Shasta provides
comprehensive surgical, radiation and
medical treatment for cancer, allowing
area residents to remain close to home
when receiving treatment.
Mercy Medical Center Redding’s
Regional Cancer Center has a
dedicated 16-bed area, the Ida C.
Emmerson Oncology Unit, which
provides inpatient and outpatient
services by skilled surgeons,
pathologists, medical oncologists,
radiation oncologists and specialized
nurses right here in our community.
Nutrition counseling is available at our
facilities. Please request a referral from your
physician. Need a physician? Go to
www.mercy.org
and select the hospital campus
closest to you, then go to our “Find a Doctor”
page—or call
888.628.1948
.
of alcoholic drinks may increase
your risk of a number of cancers,
including cancer of the mouth,
esophagus, breast and colon.
Alcohol is considered more harm-
ful when combined with smoking.
If consumed at all, limit alcoholic
drinks to two per day for men and
one per day for women.
Consume less salt
Besides a ecting blood pressure,
eating too much salt increases
your risk of stomach cancer. Read
food labels to learn exactly how
much sodium is in a product. Limit
yourself to 2,400 milligrams a day.
Bephysicallyactive
An active lifestyle may reduce the
risk of cancer. Being active also
helps prevent weight gain and
obesity, which may in turn reduce
the risk of developing cancers
that have been linked to excess
body weight.
Elaine Patterson, Registered Dietitian,
Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta.
By Elaine Patterson, RD
Dignity Health North State