Plant-Based Diet, Exercise Thwart Cancer at Any Age

Q. Cancer runs in my family but, at age 78, I see no point in trying to prevent it. At this stage in my life, it’s a lost cause, right?

Not by a long shot, according to recent research. Although one survey revealed that Americans feel increasingly helpless about their personal cancer risk as they grow older, emerging research from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) shows that even in later life, many cancers can be delayed or prevented through regular physical activity and a plant-based diet.

According to the latest estimates, nearly four in five cancers are diagnosed after age 55 and by age 65, a person’s cancer risk is 10 times that of younger people. New consumer research commissioned by AICR finds that one in three adults over age 50 are unaware of the link between aging and increased cancer risk and many mistakenly believe it’s too late for them to take action.

Even more troubling, according to the AICR survey, is that many older Americans think there is nothing they can do to reduce their cancer risk. According to the survey, approximately one in five Americans over 50 – 22 percent – agreed with the statement, “It’s too late for me to reduce my personal risk of cancer.” Among Americans in the 71 and over age group, this figure was significantly higher: 32 percent.

Increasingly, research is demonstrating that at any age, individuals can take simple steps – like getting and staying more active and eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains – that will help delay aging and lower cancer risk.

AICR is joining forces with the Alliance for Aging Research to launch the campaign It’s Never Too Late to Lower Your Risk, which is designed to close a significant knowledge gap among older Americans about aging and increased cancer risk.

See your doctor to make sure all of your health screenings are up-to-date, and be sure to ask about diet and exercise plans that are appropriate for you. Companionship is important as well. If you need assistance around the house, contact a trusted home care provider like Home Instead Senior Care.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more information about the “It’s Never to Late to Lower Your Risk” campaign, log on to http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=nevertoolate_home.