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Living Well In Yalobusha County

By Pamela Redwine
County Coordinator
MSU Extension Agent III

Approximately one-third of the most common types of cancer in the U.S. would never occur if Americans ate more healthfully, moved more, and managed their weight better. If we add in not smoking and avoiding sun damage, then nearly half of all cancers in the U.S. could be prevented.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) published their third expert report, “Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: A Global Perspective.” Based on a comprehensive search of the scientific literature, they summarized their findings in 114 pages and 10 basic recommendations. Here are some highlights:

Cancer Prevention Recommendations

Be a healthy weight- Excess body fat pumps out hormones and other compounds that can give cancer growth a boost.  Carrying extra fat is a cause of at least 12 cancers.

Be Physically Active – All types of activity reduce cancer risk by affecting hormones and immune function.  A good goal is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.  Also limit your sedentary time.

Focus on whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans – These foods provide a host of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytonutrients.  Aim for a variety of foods to get at least 30 grams of dietary fiber daily, 5 servings of non-starchy vegetables and fruits each day, and at least three servings of legumes weekly.

Skip processed foods high in fat, starch, and sugar – though these types of foods aren’t linked directly to cancer, they indirectly affect cancer risk because they’re associated with weight gain.

Limit red and processed meats – Aim to limit red meat (beef, lamb, and pork) to no more than 12-18 ounces weekly and try to avoid processed meats – like hot dogs, ham, and sausage – to lower your risk of colorectal cancer. 

Reduce sugar-sweetened drinks- These are linked to weight gain, which is linked to at least 12 types of cancer, so it’s best to have them very rarely.

Source: Communicating Food for Health Newsletter, May 2019

SAVE THE DATE

The Create MHV Club will meet on Wednesday, May 15th, at 10 a.m. at the Extension Office.  Participants will be painting a church and the program leader is Jo Davis.  All supplies will be provided for a cost of $4.  Please call the Extension office by Monday, May 13, to reserve your spot.

The Looped with Love Crochet MHV Club will meet on Thursday, May 16 at 10 a.m.  If you have been wanting to learn a new hobby this is a great place to start. This club is open to the public and meets twice a month. 

Sewing for Service will meet on Monday, May 20, at 10 a.m. until noon at the Extension office.  We have the equipment we just need volunteers to help sew.

The Healthy You exercise has started a Beginners ZUMBA class!  The class meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. at the Multi-Purpose Building in Coffeeville. The class is free, just make sure to wear cool, comfortable clothes, good walking shoes and bring water to drink. 

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