Experts believe that even those of us who carry genes that bring a predisposition to some types of cancer might be able to reduce the risks by living a healthy lifestyle and adopting natural remedies for cancer. You’ve probably heard this before but it bears repeating – a third of the most common cancers in the U.S. might be prevented by adopting healthier habits. Smoking is associated with just about another third of cancers also known to be preventable.

The trouble is, today’s culture is full of unhealthy choices that are more convenient and more affordable.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, AICR, a charity that encourages research on the relationship of nutrition and managing weight on cancer risk, there are three key things you can do to help yourself improve the odds of staying healthy and cancer free.

1. Eat a predominantly plant based diet – that’s mostly fruits, veggies and whole grains, little or no sugary, processed foods (fast foods too) as well as keeping intake of red meat to 18 ounces a week and salt intake to no more than 2.4 grams per day. Alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation, that’s one drink a day for women, two drinks per day for men.

2. Keep your weight healthy – BMI between 21 and 23 is considered ideal for improving your odds. The lower end of the BMI range is even better when it comes to cancer risk. It’s also important to try and avoid gaining weight as an adult, though if you have, losing even a few of those extra pounds can bring benefits to your body.

3. Exercise regularly – being moderately active for 30 minutes, working up to 60 minutes a day is also key. If your exercise routine is especially rigorous, thirty minutes a day is just fine. Limit how much time you spend in front of the TV or computer just sitting.

“The data is pretty clear that we can make a significant drop in the cancer rate with these three changes,” Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and nutrition advisor for the AICR explains.

“We can prevent about one-third of cancers with these changes. And if you add tobacco prevention, which reduces about 30 percent of cancers, over half of today’s cancers could be prevented.”

Of course these recommendations aren’t any guarantee of your future health, but they certainly improve the odds of staying healthier.

The experts believe that each healthy change helps encourage another one. If you’re active you’ll eat better because good foods give you more energy, and the great feelings that come from exercise will keep you coming back for more.

Both behaviors will have weight dropping off, reinforcing your good habits and leaving you looking, and feeling, better than ever.

If you’re concerned about cancer risk, or you have a family history of the disease, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about genetic counseling.

This process can help you and your family identify who among you might be at risk, and involves taking a very detailed family medical history (disease information about your brothers and sisters, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, children and grandchildren) so that the counselor can assess your risk and guide you to the options open to you.

You may need a single, hour-long session, or several, depending on your needs for genetic testing or follow up.

Of course even if you, or someone you love, carries a genetic risk, that does not mean you’re going to get a disease like cancer. You can do something about it with natural remedies for cancer, starting now.

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