February is National Cancer Prevention month—and yes, March is around the corner, but it’s not too late to drop a common unhealthy habit that can contribute toward lung cancer: smoking cigarettes. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine revealed that smoking can lead to a dozen other kinds of cancer (apart from lung cancer) as well as adversely affect the kidneys, liver, stomach, bladder, and other major organs.
Quitting smoking is one key way to help prevent cancer—but many people are also using smoking cessation aids such as chewing gum, nicotine patches and even hypnotherapy to quit smoking. During hypnosis, for example, a doctor may ask the patient to associate unpleasant outcomes with smoking. Study results are mixed on whether hypnosis works or not, so it’s always a good idea to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables are top recommendations for preventing cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 69% of people want to quit smoking—but perhaps they don’t know where to begin or they fell it’s too late. Remember—it’s never too late to quit smoking. Explore your options. Research shows that people who quit the nasty habit reduce their risk of disease and dying early.
Along the way, don’t forget to occasionally reward yourself for incorporating healthy eating habits.
Sources for Today’s Article:
“What You Need to Know About Quitting Smoking,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site; http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/, last accessed February 29, 2016.
Siegel, R. L., “Deaths Due to Cigarette Smoking for 12 Smoking-Related Cancers in the United States,” JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; 175(9):1574-1576; doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.2398, last accessed February 29, 2016.
