Staying healthy, despite the holiday craze - Boston Business Journal (blog)

In case you didn't feel badly already about what you ate over thanksgiving, the American Cancer Society is encouraging people to look closely at their diets and exercise habits as a way to avoid cancer.

According to Colleen Doyle, the director of nutrition and physical activity at ACS, surveys have shown that people are largely unaware of how great an impact nutrition and diet can have on cancer risk.

'Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country. Cancer is second. And a lot of the things we know from a science perspective that impact cancer risk also impact diabetes and heart disease,' Doyle said.

To keep you healthy for the holiday season and beyond, Doyle recommends balance.

'(Doing this) with the holidays...it's probably won't be the end of you,' Doyle said. 'But I think it's most importantly to look at that big picture over time.'

For a healthier lifestyle over time, Doyle has these takeaways:

Watch your weight:

Over a dozen cancer types have correlations with people who are overweight, including ovarian cancer, kidney cancer, and breast cancer.

American Cancer Society studies have also reported that weight contributes to 14-20 percent of all cancer-related mortalities.

These figures not only pertain to otherwise healthy individuals, but can also increase the risk of a person already diagnosed with cancer to have a reoccurrence or to be at risk for developing another type of cancer.

Engage in physical activity:

Physical activity can reduce the risk of developing many types of cancers, including breast cancer and colon cancer. Physical activity can also help people maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of developing weight-related cancers.

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