Are you overweight, and interested in cancer prevention techniques? Even if you are overweight you probably know it puts you at risk for things like heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, strokes and more. But did you know that obesity is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer?
Here’s why you need to think about how to lose weight to lower your cancer risk: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention obesity is linked to up to 8% of all cancers and is a leading risk factor for cancer.
Some types of cancer linked to obesity include colon, gallbladder, kidney, liver, pancreas, breast, and thyroid cancer.
Excess weight can cause hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation, which can encourage cancer cells to grow. Therefore, to reduce your cancer risk, it’s important to lose excess weight and maintain a healthy weight level.
How to Lose Weight To Your Lower Cancer Risk
Establish a Healthy Eating Habit
To lose weight, you have to be mindful of the types of food you eat and how much you eat. A healthy eating pattern can help you lose weight by lowering your calorie intake by making healthier food choices, and controlling your portion sizes.
You must eat a balanced diet, which means focusing on nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables. Eat proteins to promote muscle growth, and avoid high-calorie, processed foods, and sugary foods and drinks.
To cut down on your portion sizes, start using smaller plates. Listen to your body too, as it does send signals saying you are full if you listen. There are hormones that let your mind know that you are full or hungry. So don’t ignore them, especially when you are feeling full!
Get Your Body Moving
Exercise and cancer prevention go hand in hand. Exercise and physical activites help you burn calories and improves your metabolism. You can start with a few minutes of exercise per day and gradually increase the time as your body adapts to your new routine.
Any physical activity you can do can contribute to your weight loss efforts.
It’s also important to avoid activities that make you inactive, such as watching TV and sitting at your computer for extended hours. If you have to sit and work, you can still get up and do some stretching, or go for a walk.
It’s important you find physical activities you can do and enjoy. If you don’t you will struggle to maintain enthusiasm and you will find reasons to avoid doing them.
Get Adequate Sleep
Getting enough sleep is also crucial for losing weight and preventing cancer. Poor quality sleep can throw your hormones off balance, particularly leptin and ghrelin, which are the two hormones that regulate your appetite.
When you’re sleep-deprived, you might want to eat more than normal or start snacking. This also affects your metabolism and satiation, leading to weight gain, which is not what you want!
It is very important that you get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health and weight regulation.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits, such as emotional eating or night eating, and this can affect your hormonal levels. When you’re stressed, you might find comfort in eating, especially sweets and high-fat foods.
Stress has several ways to increase your risk of cancer. If you deal with stress on a regular basis, these tips can help you de-stress and lower your risk.
To lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s better to find other healthy ways to cope with your upset, stressed-out emotions. You can do deep breathing exercises to calm down and relax, or any other form of stress relief technique that suits you.
Stay Well-Hydrated Throughout The Day
Drink plenty of water every day. Sometimes, you may be thirsty, but may mistake it for being hungry, which can lead to unnecessary snacking. When you drink water regularly, it also improves your metabolism and fills your tummy so that you feel full, which can support weight maintenance.
In Summary
Losing weight and getting out of the obese zone can help you become healthier and reduce your risk of cancer. Changing what you eat will improve your gut health which is an important factor when your focus is on avoiding cancer.
You can’t lose all your excess weight overnight, so don’t let it add to your stress. However, it is important that you have some direction about it. Set your weight loss goals and track your progress so that you can stay focused and keep going.
If you set goals they will help keep you motivated, plus short-term action plans can make weight loss more manageable and achievable. It’s never too late to think about how to lose weight and lower your cancer risk.