Are you armed to fight cancer?

The genetic nature of cancer is no secret. Some people are more likely to contract cancer within their lifetime because of family history.

But the best ways to fight the odds, and the disease, are simpler than you might think, according to experts. Many of the things done to reduce chances of contracting cancer are the same things that can be done to live a healthier lifestyle in general.

“Almost every cancer has some connection to diet and exercise,” according to Cheryl Ylinen, oncology nutrition specialist at Central DuPage Hospital’s Cancer Center.

Colon cancer, for example, is one that has a strong correlation with diet and exercise, she said. Lung cancer is impacted by diet and exercise, but not as much as other cancers, she said. There are other factors people can use to minimize lung cancer, such as not smoking, she said.

In order to fight colon and other cancers highly effected by diet and exercise, Ylinen recommends eating a more plant-based diet that is also high in fiber. She recommends more fruits and vegetables, she said.

“In an apple there’s like 200 chemicals,” she said. “A lot of them have anti-cancer effects.”

In addition to fruits and vegetables, she recommends nuts, legumes and beans. She also recommends a diet that includes whole grains such as brown rice, wheat bread, oatmeal and popcorn.

There are certain things that should be limited within the diet as well, such as red meat. She recommends limiting servings to less than 18 ounces per week.

“People who consume more than that have a higher risk of cancer,” she said.

Kathy Snyder, registered dietician and personal trainer with Dreyer Medical Clinic, works to create menus higher in fruit and vegetable servings for her patients concerned about cancer.

“We come up with several ideas to put it in their diet,” she said. “They can visually see what they could be doing versus what they are doing.”

Numerous studies have also shown the benefit of exercise in cancer prevention, she said.

Ylinen works with several people who have already developed cancer. Regular 30-minute walks about three to four times per week help to fight the cancer and decrease the chance of it recurring, she said.

“Exercise, I think is extremely important,” she said.

She also recommend that people stay away from processed meats such as ham, hot dogs, bologna, salami and sausage.

“The people who eat these foods have a higher risk of contracting cancer,” she said.

She also recommends that people do their best to maintain a normal body weight. People who carry an excess of fat in their abdomens are at a greater risk for contracting cancer, she said.

Of course, smoking and drinking can have negative effects, said Nidhi Tiwari, physician with Provena Mercy Medical Center said.

“Smoking can give you multiple types of cancer,” she said. And Ylinen said there is a strong correlation between drinking and breast cancer in women.

Tiwari recommends similar dietary changes to help prevent cancer. She also recommends making sure that you have enough vitamins and antioxidants in your diet. Vitamins C, E, and B are all helpful.

“They’ve been shown to significantly reduce cancers,” she said.