Alice RD
April is the month for both Oral cancer and Esophageal cancer awareness. In 2011, over 39,000 new cases of oral cancers and an estimated 17,000 esophageal cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S.
You can learn more about oral cancers and how to lower your risk in today’s eNews article, Oral Cancers: 3 Things You Need to Know.
Did you know that esophageal is second only to lung cancer in preventability? AICR estimates that 69% of esophageal cases in the U.S. could be prevented if Americans followed our recommendations for cancer prevention.
Top risks include drinking alcohol, being overweight and obese; you can lower your risk by eating plenty of non-starchy vegetables (dark green lettuce, carrots and broccoli, for example) and fruits in your diet. Read more about these foods in AICR’s Foods That Fight Cancer.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) can be a risk factor for esophageal cancer. The more often that stomach acids reflux and come in contact with the esophagus, the more likely it is that cells can change in a way that increases risk of cancer.
If you have GERD, you can reduce your symptoms by:
1. Stopping smoking
2. Losing weight if needed
3. Eating small, frequent meals
4. Avoiding lying down for 3 hours after a meal
Substituting vegetables and fruits for higher calorie foods in your diet can boost protection by helping you lose weight and getting more cancer-fighting foods on your plate.
Learn more about these cancers from our brochure Reduce Your Risk of Oral and Esophageal Cancers.
Read here for more information about GERD.
