1. Three Individual Choices To Improve Your Health
Presented by HealthLinks

2. The Facts
Avoiding the use of tobacco products and exposure to secondhand smoke, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active throughout life, and consuming a healthy diet can substantially reduce a person’s lifetime risk of developing cancer (as well as cardiovascular disease).* *American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2011.

3. The American Cancer Society’s Recommendations
Nutrition:
Eat a variety of healthy foods based mostly on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans.
Physical Activity:
Adopt a physically active lifestyle.
Maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
In the US, overweight and obesity contribute to 14%-20% of all cancer-related deaths.
Tobacco Cessation:
Avoid using tobacco products

4. Nutrition

5. Nutrition And Chronic Disease
If Americans ate a healthy, balanced diet, as many as one-third of all cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented. *
Factors that can affect cancer risk include types of foods, preparation, portion sizes, fat content, food variety, and overall balance of the diet.
*American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2009.

6. 10 Simple rules for healthy eating
Eat regularly (every 3-5 hrs)
Balance your meals
Eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables
Emphasize whole grains
Watch portion size
Focus on healthy fats and oils
Enjoy the sensual and social aspects of eating
Limit sugar and artificial sweeteners (low fat items often have added sugar!)
Be sensible about salt (under 2,300 mg/day)
Drink plenty of water (6-10 glasses)

7. What is a serving size?
Meat: 3 oz = deck of cards, 3 oz fish = checkbook
Fruit: 1 medium fruit = tennis ball, ½ cup cut = rounded handful
Cheese: 1 oz = 4 dice
Vegetable: ½ cup cooked or raw = rounded handful, 1 cup leafy = baseball
Grains: 1 bread slice, ½ cup pasta/rice= rounded handful
Snack food: 1 oz = rounded handful
Butter, oil, dips: 1 tbsp = tip of thumb

8. Exercise

9. Physical Activity Is Important
Moderate physical activity for minutes on 5 or more days a week can lower your risk of:
Breast, colon, prostate, and several other cancers
Heart disease
Diabetes
Hypertension

10. Physical activity reduces risks by:
Strengthening the immune system
Shortening the time it takes food to move through the intestines
Altering body composition
Changing hormone levels

11. What is moderate activity?
Anything that makes you breathe as hard as you would during a brisk walk
Examples:
Mopping
Dancing
Raking the lawn
Softball
Pushing the lawn mower
Volleyball
Playing doubles tennis

12. Tobacco Cessation

13. Smoking is the Single Most Preventable Cause of Premature Death and Disease*
Smoking is the major risk factor for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is a major risk factor for heart disease
For every 1 person who dies from a smoking-attributed disease, there are another 20 people suffering from at least 1 serious smoking related illness
* American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2009.

16. Potential Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking
Time After Stopping
20 minutes
BP, HR, and peripheral circulation improves
24 hours
CO levels drop
48 hours
Nicotine eliminated; taste and smell improved
2-12 Weeks
Lung function can improve up to 30%
3-9 Months
Shortness of breath and coughing decrease
1 year
Risk of MI reduced by 50%
10 years
Risk of lung cancer reduced by 50%
15 years
Risk of MI and stroke fall to the same level as a nonsmoker
Potential Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking

17. How to Quit Quitting smoking may be the most
important step a smoker can take to
improve their health
Think about the reason for quitting
Learn how to overcome nicotine cravings
Make changes in habits

18. More About Quit Smoking Medications
Varenicline (CHANTIX®)
Many smoking cessation products contain nicotine, but CHANTIX works differently. CHANTIX was specifically designed to help adults stop smoking without the use of nicotine
CHANTIX targets nicotine receptors in the brain, attaches to them and blocks nicotine from reaching them
Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT)
Medicines that may help decrease a smoker’s withdrawal symptoms by giving a controlled dose without the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes
Patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler
Bupropion (Zyban®, Wellburtrin®)

19. How to Quit Choose a quit date within 2-3 weeks Be aware of triggers
Throw away cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays, and other smoking gear
Smokers should tell friends and family about their quit date and ask for their support

20. How to Quit Learn about quitting resources/support
Quitline – QUIT-NOW
Individual or group counseling
Quit smoking medications
A combination of treatments may work
better than just a single approach

21. “The first wealth is health” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

22. Thank You