What you eat can — your risk for cancer. That's why oncologists pay close attention to their food, physical activity, stress-management and more. Healthy habits can improve your overall health in the short and long-term, they say.
"We are seeing cancers being diagnosed at younger ages in general, and I think this is a reflection on how much our lifestyles are changing," Dr. Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, a medical oncologist in the department of clinical cancer prevention at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells TODAY.com.
Eating habits and physical activity have changed drastically over the last 30 to 40 years, he says. "It's crucial for us to realize that cancers rely on our behaviors and our lifestyles," Vilar-Sanchez says. "It's important that we are conscious of that and we intervene to modify our cancer risk.
" Of course, your genetic risks and environmental exposures also play major roles in determining your risks for cancer, he says. But we shouldn't ignore our lifestyle habits — especially because these are are factors we tend to have more control over. When talking to patients about , Dr.
Julia Brockway-Marchello, a breast oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tells TODAY.com that "it’s about promoting a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits that can help patients in reducing recurrence risk, but also physically and mentally." That includes diet and exercise considerations as well as easy daily habits to adopt and avoid.
And oncologist.
