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Preventing Cancer: 9 Practical Tips for Consumers
By Jane Houlihan, EWG Senior V-P for Research
Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die of it.
But there are some things you can do to reduce the risk. First, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes that are known to make a difference - stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right.
But according to a new report from the President's Cancer Panel, environmental toxins also play a significant and under-recognized role in cancer, causing "grievous harm" to untold numbers of people. Environmental Working Group's own research has found that children are born "pre-polluted" with up to 200 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants that have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people.
Here are some simple things you can do to reduce your exposures:
- Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help. Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG's National Tap Water Database.
- Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from EWG.
- Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. "Fluorochemicals" related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. To avoid them, avoid greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home. Download EWG's Guide to PFCs and learn more about PFCs.
- Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun's cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG's sunscreen database.
- Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.
- Eat EWG's "Clean 15." Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG's Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG's Dirty Dozen, buy organic.) Learn more at EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.
- Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. Get EWG's tips to avoid it.
- Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG's Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you're shopping, don't buy products that list ingredients with "PEG" or "-eth" in their name.
- Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks - read the label before you buy. Californians will see a "Proposition 65" warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.
Read EWG's news release about the President's Cancer Panel report.
gr8 list, the other one that pops into mind is
avoid carrying a roll of fat around your middle (substantially increases kidney/liver cancers)
Thanks for the list! Cancer touches so many of our lives and I think it is so easy to say that "everything causes cancer these days" and ignore some simple decisions that may be difficult to make, but are so wroth it if we can lower the numbers of cancer victims a bit.
The President's Cancer Panel report also said this: "Each person can become an active voice in his or her own community. To a greater extent than many realize, individuals have the power to affect public policy by letting policymakers know that they strongly support environmental cancer research"
My 11 year old daughter is being treated for OVARIAN cancer, which I believe is the likely result of endocrine disruptors in the environment. The Panel talked at length about the issue.
I promised my daughter I would fight for change, but I can't do it alone; I NEED help! Many, many cancers ARE PREVENTABLE, as was made clear in the report. PLEASE take 2 minutes to sign this petition compelling President Obama to implement the recommendations made by the Panel, we CAN make a difference!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/presidents-cancer-panel
Please change how companies can put pesticides and toxic chemicals in our food, water, cosmetics, furniture, mattresses, cell phones, canned food, and generally everything in our life and calling chemicals safe for us just because nothing is known about that chemical. We need the EPA to actually research these chemicals and stand up to big business and keep our lives safe from pesticides and chemicals before it is too late. As we watch our environment become a huge toxic mess where you can't even drink the water. It is already happening to local people who have had a natural spring their entire lives only to have them contaminated when drilling begins near their spring. Greed kills all......stop it!
Great list of 9 ways to reduce exposure. Glad to see filter your water as #1 and stop using plastic bottles as #7.
All tap water has something in it that should be removed prior to drinking it, even if it's just chlorine.
Definitely a good water filter vs bottled. We can bottle our own in non-toxic bottles, that are reusable and don't pollute our planet, for around 10-12 cents a gallon, about 2 cents for a 20oz bottle. It's better water and costs less than 1/10 as much as bottled.
Lots of good product comparison sites online, search "compare water filters" or similar. Consumer Reports says "Best Buy" is under $105.
Seldom do we see things that help us and help the planet, are more convenient and save hundreds of dollars a year... dropping bottled water and using a home water filter does just that.
Charles
This is so important. Thanks for this list. Hey, everyone! Sign that petition provided by Mamo Gra! Here on Cape Cod we are trying to stop the utility company from spraying up to five herbicides under the power lines. Cape Cod already has a cancer rate 20% higher than the rest of MA. We have sandy soil. Toxics filter down into our drinking water from private wells. Our legislators and all towns involved oppose the spraying but NStar will not be moved. We know about body burden. I have a friend who plans to move away if NStar is not stopped. It is time for citizens to rally against the chemical industry and flock to organizations like EWG. Tell your friends. Talk this up. Call your representatives in Congress NOW about the Safe Chemicals Act. Let's give the EPA some teeth to regulate the synthetic chemicals that cause cancer.