It’s thought that around 700,000 Americans currently have a primary brain tumor. Of all the types of cancer, the most deadly is a malignant brain cancer called glioblastoma.
That’s why preventing brain cancer is so crucial. Fortunately, there are several measures you can start taking right now to help lower your risk.
The following guide will cover the best brain cancer prevention tips. Read on and learn how to help protect your brain and potentially avoid the need for cancer treatment.
Table of Contents
Know Your Family History
It’s essential to know your family’s medical history to help understand your own risk factors. If you see a pattern of brain tumors or any kind of cancer, pass that information along to your doctor and have regular checkups.
You can check out this comprehensive DNA test if you’re unsure about your family’s medical history. DNA tests give you insight into your level of risk when it comes to disease and inherited cancers.
Some tests also suggest dietary changes, exercises, and other wellness tips for cancer prevention. You’ll have all this information for any children that you have so that they know their risk factors as well. Knowing your family medical history can even give you an idea of how you’ll respond to prescription drugs. That can be a huge help if you ever end up needing something like cancer treatment.
Avoid Radiation
Certain kinds of radiation can raise your risk of developing tumors and brain cancer. By lowering the amount of radiation you expose yourself to, you can potentially help stop the disease from affecting you.
Ionizing radiation is one type of radiation associated with a person developing brain cancer. It’s found in atomic bombs and surprisingly in some cancer radiation therapies.
So, it might not be possible to reduce your exposure to ionizing radiation if you must go through treatment for different cancers. That’s the most realistic way you’d experience exposure because exposure via an atomic bomb or nuclear meltdown is unlikely.
Note that ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun can also raise your brain cancer risk. Always wear plenty of sunscreen and cover your head from the sun when possible to lower your risk.
Note that there isn’t evidence that radiation from things like power lines, cell phones, and microwaves increases the risk of brain cancer. Electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation do not play a role in the development of tumors.
Improve Your Diet
For some, simply changing their nutritional and eating practices can help lower brain cancer risk. Evidence suggests that nutritional practices start forming during fetal development, and continue through childhood, and then into adulthood.
Make sure to include many fruits and vegetables in your diet to lower your risk. You can also eat fewer fatty foods and lower your cholesterol to improve your chances of not developing brain cancer.
Expecting mothers should eat fruits and vegetables throughout their pregnancy. Parents should make sure to feed their kids healthy fruits and vegetables all throughout their childhood to lower their brain cancer risk, too.
Regular Exercise
Try to exercise regularly and come up with a schedule that suits your lifestyle. You should exercise almost every day of the week if possible.
Performing cardiovascular exercise can help keep you healthy and may lower your risk of brain cancer forming. This includes many types of cardio exercises such as walking, biking, running, hiking, rowing, and swimming.
Aim for around half an hour of cardio each day for the best results. That will give you 150 minutes over 5 days and leave a few days for rest.
Recognize Symptoms
It’s important that you learn the symptoms of brain cancer, especially if you have a family history. There are numerous brain cancer and tumor symptoms you might find and they often vary greatly.
The symptoms largely depend on where the cancer forms in the brain and its growth rate. No matter the case, it’s important to speak with your doctor right away if you see any signs of brain cancer.
Look for any changes in your memory, personality, sensations, motor functions, and coordination. While none of those things guarantee brain cancer, they serve as clues and help with prevention.
Other signs of brain cancer include new headaches or a change in the pattern of your headaches. Also, keep an eye out for any vomiting or nausea that occurs for no explainable reason.
Vision problems can also serve as signs of brain cancer. Examples include blurry vision, double vision, or reduced peripheral vision.
Incremental sensation or movement loss in your legs or arms might also be signs. Sometimes problems with balancing, speaking, or confusion can have a link to brain cancer.
Pay Attention to Your Age
Brain cancer can affect people of all ages but the risk does increase as a person grows older. That’s why it’s important to schedule more checkups with your doctor as you age. Relevant tests look at things like vision, nerves, and brain function.
Parents should know that some brain tumors and cancer affect children much more than adults. Examples of cancers that almost solely affect kids include brainstem gliomas and astrocytomas. Kids need to have at least one checkup every year until they’re 21.
Understanding Brain Cancer Prevention
Now you know that brain cancer prevention consists of diet, exercise, avoiding radiation, and knowing your family’s medical history. Don’t forget to schedule regular checkups and remember the signs and symptoms mentioned in this guide.
You can browse our site’s health category for more tips to keep you feeling your best.
