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Oncologists share 15 surprising things they personally do (and don't do) to prevent cancer

“I used to drink very hot coffee but I drink it warm now since very hot drinks damage esophagus can cause esophageal cancer.”

Photo credit: Canva

Oncologist shares their own personal tips to help prevent cancer

Nearly all of us know a loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer. Many of us have it ourselves, and there’s been an alarming increase of young people (under 50) receiving diagnoses. All this to say, a large number of us might be wondering what changes can be made in order to stave off the disease.

A few oncologists, along with a few other alleged medical professionals, shared what they personally do (or don’t do), given what they know about cancer. There might be a few discrepancies in opinions here—particularly in how strict to be with alcohol—but it does paint a good picture about how to create a lifestyle that can help prevent a visit to their office.

Here are 15 of our favorites, and many of them go beyond the usual "get diet and exercise" fare:

1. They don’t ignore their symptoms, or allow for any medical gaslighting

 cancer, cancer prevention, how to avoid cancer, cancer causing foods, what causes cancer, oncologist, oncologist near me A woman describing he symptoms to her doctor. Photo credit: Canva

“Cancer nurse here. If you get any unusual symptoms such as lethargy, swollen glands, pain, weight loss, night sweats, a cough that won’t go away etc go get a simple blood test. If you’re bloated, have abdomen or back pain, changes in urine colour, headaches that persists, breathing changes, get an Xray/CT/ultrasound. If your GP dismisses you and doesn’t investigate at all… go get a better GP. The amount of patients that have been diagnosed late have usually been to their GP a few times and not had any tests performed. You can’t always prevent cancer but you can certainly catch it early and give yourself a better chance of beating it.”

“It’s heartbreaking when people ignore symptoms and don’t get diagnosed until the cancer is too advanced for treatment to be helpful.”

2. They avoid alcohol. Pretty much at all times. 

“I hate to tell you this but it’s alcohol. It directly causes at least seven kinds of cancer. Twenty years from now we will talk about alcohol the way we talk about cigarettes today.”

3. Same goes for smoking.

“DO NOT SMOKE. It doesn’t matter what it is, no smoking.”

4. For the love of all that is holy, they wear sunscreen.

 cancer, cancer prevention, how to avoid cancer, cancer causing foods, what causes cancer, oncologist, oncologist near me A mom applying sunscreen onto her child. Photo credit: Canva

“My best piece of advice is WEAR SUNSCREEN and get your moles and spots checked. Health insurance typically covers a yearly total skin check at a dermatologist.”

5. They cut off any burnt pieces of food.

"My father was a genetics professor, and he also said not to eat any charred black food. That goes for toast, veggies, pizza crust, and especially meat. It can lead to DNA damage and mutations that lead to cancer. He just trims off the charred parts of steak and whatever else is burned."

6. They eat a balanced diet and don’t rely on supplements to “fix” anything.

“Moderation is more important than ‘magical’ ideas about certain foods. Rather than thinking that some food or even some additive causes cancer or, alternatively, some berry or supplements prevent it, think about balance. Red meat isn’t ‘poison’ but 15 servings a week isn’t wise.”

“As someone who grew up with an oncologist in the family (though they are now retired), I can share: They don’t eat red meat. They eat a balanced diet of fish/poultry, lots of fruits & vegetables, and 1 sweet a day.”

7. They take their coffee lukewarm. 

“I used to drink very hot coffee but I drink it warm now since very hot drinks damage esophagus can cause esophageal cancer.”

8. They don’t put food in the microwave.

“Use as little plastic as possible for food storage and drinkware (glass is best!) and never put plastic in the microwave.”

9. They don’t use toxic chemical on their lawn.

 cancer, cancer prevention, how to avoid cancer, cancer causing foods, what causes cancer, oncologist, oncologist near me A person using herbicide on their lawn. Photo credit: Canva

“Hematopathologist here. I never use herbicide (weed treatments) on my lawn. I’ve seen too many childhood leukemias/lymphomas, especially in children of parents who work in lawn care.”

10. They…don’t join the military?

“The number of people who developed cancer because of something they were exposed to while serving is just mind-blowing (camp lejeune, asbestos in the navy, the tar pits, agent orange, etc etc etc).”

11. They say no to food coloring.

“Food coloring… we are just figuring out how toxic it is. Tartazine in relish and what that vibrant color in your Aperol Spritz?”

12. They advise against taking vitamins for those who already have cancer.

“Something that always surprise my breast cancer patients is when I tell them to avoid vitamins specially antioxidants, as they could be associated with more risk of recurrence and dying from cancer if you take them while on cancer treatment, or even before treatment. There is a lot of information regarding this issue with contradictory results, but until we get better information it is logical to be cautious about vitamins.”

13. They pay attention to the amount of heavy metals in their food.

“I’m also very cautious about cheap spices and tofu – they can be contaminated with heavy metals (spices) and paraformaldehyde (tofu) both of which should not be consumed in any quantity.”

14. They’re pro-HPV vaccine.

“A huge fan of the HPV vaccination for both males and females. So many preventable cervical and head/neck cancers.”

15. And anti-antibiotics…at least in excess.

 cancer, cancer prevention, how to avoid cancer, cancer causing foods, what causes cancer, oncologist, oncologist near me A bottle of antibiotics. Photo credit: Canva

“Protect your gut microbiome from unnecessary antibiotics. Our healthy bacteria keeps our immune system in balance and is linked to better cancer surveillance.”

However, it’s also worth noting that several oncologists chimed in to say that you can make all the perfect lifestyle choices in the world, have zero genetic risks, and still end up getting a cancer diagnosis. Yes, there’s many reasons to still make healthy choices, but one can’t simply blame themselves if they do end up unlucky. But keeping these things in mind does so much to, potentially, add not only years of life, but quality to those extended years. In the end, that's all any of us can really hope for—as many happy, healthy days as we can possibly accumulate before the time comes.

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Experts share the 6 things you should remove from your home to make it more serene

"We live finite lives. Be deliberate with them."

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A frustrated woman is decluttering her house.

In the never-ending quest to declutter our homes, cars, and lives, it can sometimes feel like a frustratingly impossible task. So perhaps an easier approach than "throw out everything that doesn't bring you joy" a la Marie Kondo, you could start a bit smaller.

Many interior designers, organizers, and "flow/Feng shui experts" have noted that there are some items that are easier to part with than others. It's a good place to begin and can often make the biggest impact in a space.

Renowned minimalist Joshua Becker, who runs the popular organizing blog Becoming Minimalist, shares his thoughts about the importance of living with intention. He writes, among many mantras, "We live finite lives. Be deliberate with them." With this in mind, his decluttering ideas (spread amongst quite a few YouTube videos) promise to "instantly create more space."

Among his suggestions, one is to remove empty boxes. "We all have them that we keep around just in case," Becker admits. But we likely don't need them. "Recycle them," he insists. Whether it's an old iPhone box or the box for your TV in the junk room, you're never gonna need it.

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

Secondly, and this is common among many organizing tips, is to open up your kitchen and bathroom pantries and drawers and throw out anything that has expired. It's simple. Expired—toss it. Sure, maybe SOMEDAY you'll need that old Tylenol. But chances are, a newer one will get the job done better.

A third recommendation is to let go of mismatched or chipped kitchenware. This goes for Tupperware without lids, as well. Donate it and keep only what you need. Interestingly, this tip made it onto another list for a different reason. In a piece for Woman and Home, digital lifestyle writer Emily Smith suggests the angle is less about space and more about flow. The piece quotes Feng shui expert Denise O'Dwyer, who shares, "Chipped, broken, or unused plates and cups all drain your personal Qi, or energy, and obstruct the positive energy within your space."

 plates, dishware, broken plates, declutter, home A white, broken plate sitting on top of a wooden table.  Photo by Elanchezhian Narayanasamy on Unsplash  

 

In keeping with the Feng shui angle, O'Dwyer also suggests getting rid of most items that conjure up negative or painful memories. "Holding onto items associated with negative memories or unresolved emotions can keep you anchored to the past, preventing personal growth and inviting negative Qi into your space."

Another easy fix to help bring serenity to your home? Get rid of unused or broken clocks. In fact, it's considered bad luck, or at worst, tacky, to give a clock to someone in China. Shared on the beijinger blog, "Giving someone a clock can be a big mistake, as the pronunciation of clock (钟表 zhōng biǎo) is homophonic to ending, termination, or death (终 zhōng), and can be especially offensive to older people, suggesting that you are praying for their death."

 clocks, dancing clocks, time, decluttering, rudeness Clocks dancing in a film.   Giphy Warner Archive 

O'Dwyer concurs and explains that broken or unused clocks are "believed to symbolize a stagnant concept of time and hinder progress. They can create a sense of pressure, reminding us of time passing without purpose. Repair or replace broken clocks and remove unused ones to encourage a healthier relationship with time."

Making nearly every list we perused on this topic? Unused clothing. This one can be tough because trends are always popping up again. Seventies bellbottoms became 90's flare jeans and lo and behold, they're back. But in a "Decluttering checklist" piece for Home and Gardens writer and content editor Chiana Dickson share wisdom from organization expert Jessica Litman, writing, "If you’re wanting to declutter your clothes fast, but struggling to make decisions, try items on and ask yourself how it makes you feel. There’s nothing worse than wearing clothes you don’t feel good in, so if that’s the case, remove it from your closet straightaway."


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Wellness

Hospice nurse reveals the exact time most people die and the reasons why are fascinating

It's called the "letting go hour"

Canva Photos

There is a three hour window of time when most dying people pass away.

Death is hard to think about and harder still to talk about. Some people get panic attacks just imagining the inevitable end of their life. It's an extremely uncomfortable and inescapable fact of living. For some people, learning as much as they can about what it's like and how it works is the one thing that brings them a little bit of comfort.

That's where Julie McFadden comes in. McFadden has been working as a hospice nurse for nine years. She has been educating people about the dying process on social media for almost as long, racking up millions of views with her gentle, reassuring, and highly informative FAQs.

In a recent video, Hospice Nurse Julie tackles a big, scary question: What time do people usually die? And can we actually predict someone's time of death?

"When is the most common time to die? I think you might be surprised what research says," she begins the video.

McFadden says even she was surprised when she started digging into the data and research. She noted that in her own work, she hasn't really seen a trend, but after poring through studies and speaking to colleagues throughout the hospice industry, she was taken aback to discover there was a clear answer to her question.

"Research and anecdotal evidence... it does show that most people die between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.," she says. She explains that some professionals refer to this window as the "letting go hour."

Other studies and experts have a slightly different take, citing the most common time as 6 a.m.—8 a.m., or even peaking at 11 a.m. But the truth remains that there is a definitive pattern of a high percentage of people passing away in the wee hours of the morning or middle of the night.

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

"So, why does that happen? That's where my brain went. And to me, the reason why is the most fascinating part," she explains.

There are a few different factors, McFadden says, that explain such a narrow death window. The first relates to the normal cycle of our body's energy and alertness.

"Biologically, we have a circadian rhythm... And between the hours of two and five, that is when our body's energy level is the lowest. Our temperatures drop, our blood pressure drops, and our breathing slows."

She mentions that those late night/early morning hours are also typically very quiet, without a lot of interruption and stimulation that might unwittingly keep a patient engaged with the outside world. "There's less people kind of trying to hold you there."

The dying person's personality also plays a role. McFadden says she sees over and over that some patients will wait until the entire family arrives before they "let go," while others will wait until things are quiet and they're alone. More outgoing people may wait to be surrounded before they pass, while introverts may prefer to pass in solitude. For the folks who prefer peace and quiet, those nighttime hours make a lot of sense.

 death, dying, death doula, hospice, hospice nurse, mortality, aging, seniors, love, family, fear, afterlife Learning about death is uncomfortable, but it helps us in the long run.  Photo by Sijmen van Hooff on Unsplash  

McFadden then shared a pretty wild story of a patient of hers who "chose" when to die. Viewers then chimed in with their own.

Most people who have lost a loved one absolutely insist that dying people are aware of, and have some level of control over, when they decide to let go. You should watch McFadden's video to hear her best story, but the comments were full of even more.

"My good friend Donna was dying in hospice from a brain tumor and a week before she passed things looked pretty grave so she wasn't expected to last another 2 days. Her sister was by her side and said it's okay you can go but she opened her eyes and said no I'm not going yet I'm waiting for my birthday, I'm dying on my birthday. Her birthday was a week away and no one thought she would make it but she did. Her sister whispered in her ear 'today is your Birthday Sis you made it' and then she passed within the hour," one user shared.

"My grandmother was actively dying for two weeks and held on until the wee hours of the first of the month. She was concerned about getting her social security check to help the family," said another.

"About a week before my 93 year old mom died, she adamently said a few times to me and others she was leaving the following Tuesday. At first I thought she meant she's going out... That Tuesday comes and it was clear she was probably not going to make it to end of the week. I was aware of her comments from the week before but didn't think it would happen that day. She died at 11:12 pm that night, on the day she said she was leaving. She knew."

"While not quite the same thing as 'predicted,' my mother said 'they' told her when she was going to pass away -- to the minute. 'They' being the people visiting her and promising to help her during her visioning experiences. She said they had shown her where she was going to go. She died at exactly the time her visioning-visitors had told her."

The stories shared by the hundreds in the comments to McFadden's video are heart-wrenching, but ultimately extremely hopeful.

@hospicenursejulie

Replying to @skinnysketch19 the transitioning phase #hospicenursejulie #caregiversoftiktok #dementia #education #medicaltok #learnontiktok #science #STEM

McFadden doesn't want her viewers who may have a loved one who's dying to be more anxious and nervous during the night, worrying and potentially losing sleep.

"People are going to do it when they do it. Their body is going to let go when the body is ready to let go. All you can do is be there for your loved one the best you can."

She reiterates that, even for someone like her who has seen and helped many patients cross over from this world to the next, that death is a mystery. As much as we can continue to learn and understand new aspects of it, we'll never fully know what it's like until we experience it ourselves.

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Health

American who left the country for just 2 weeks shares why life in the U.S. made her feel sick

After leaving the country, she saw the truth.

via Canva/Photos

An American in Italy.

As the old saying goes, you are what you eat, so our diets play a tremendous role in how we feel from day to day. Food can give us energy, vitality, and mental clarity or make us feel listless and drained. A person who spent two weeks in Italy shared an incredible revelation they had while living in the Bel Paese. Even though they ate healthily while living in America, they felt great after spending a few days in Italy.

The traveler felt so much better living the Italian lifestyle that they pledged to leave America one day, possibly in five years, and move to Italy. They felt so much better abroad because Italians are much more conscious about their food quality.

 american food, italian food, american tourist, italian pizza, wine, big sunglasses An American woman in Italy.via Canva/Photos

“I'm just so mad at the food in the US. I left for 2 weeks to Italy. My mood was better, my awareness was better. I could eat wheat (I'm extremely gluten intolerant and it messes with my autoimmune disease if I eat it among a multitude of other symptoms) with gluten pills with minor bloating,” they wrote on Reddit. “I had some of the best food, best health feelings (other than muscle soreness from walking so much) I've ever had in my life. It's made me have so much resentment for US food. I mean, even my skin cleared up quite a bit overseas.”

American food has a lot of sugar

The big realization they had is that American food is loaded with sugar. “It just makes me so mad that having any kind of sugar is just too much here. Sugar and wheat and what ever else is just so much harder on my body here than in Italy. I want to move,” they wrote.

 american food, italian food, american tourist, italian pizza, wine, big sunglasses An American woman in Italy.via Canva/Photos

It’s easy to criticize the traveler by saying, “Well, why don’t you just eat differently when you return home to America?” But it can be tough to eat healthy in America because it's nearly impossible to escape the food system. “There is sugar in f**king everything. It's so bad,” one of the top commenters wrote. “I've pretty much stopped eating anything that isn't home-cooked using whole foods. Even all the bread products I consume are baked at home. Everything from bagels to dinner rolls.”

How do Americans and Italians eat differently?

The attitude towards food in Italy and the United States couldn’t be more different. First, both cultures treat shopping completely differently. Americans go to large grocery stores where a lot of the food is processed and the produce is available, whether in season or not. Italians prefer to go to small markets for fresh meats and produce, and only eat the foods in season.

 american food, donuts, hamburger, soda, french fries, candy A big table of American food.via Canva/Photos

Further, the Italian government has much stricter rules about food consumption. Italy is one of the top food producers in the European Union, and the government has banned GMOs for commercial use.

The Italian diet is healthier because it skips processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbs. Instead, it follows the Mediterranean approach, which supports heart health, better sleep, weight control, and mental well-being, while also reducing the risk of cancer and diabetes.

On a deeper level, Italian people place a high value on food, and meal time isn’t something to be rushed but a time to enjoy a multi-course meal with friends and family. Americans have an on-the-go lifestyle, where meal time is what we fit in between working and relaxing in front of the TV. So, if Americans took a page and put food back in the center of their lives, it may help with their mental, physical, and social well-being.

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