The health scourge of our time has always been cancer. Health care professionals and members of the public, alike, debate whether or not there will ever be a cure. Therefore, it goes without saying that it would be best to avoid cancer altogether. Cancer treatments have advanced with time and have saved many lives, but cancer treatments are extremely rough to undergo and are harsh on the body. In many instances, the breakdown of the body’s overall health goes hand in hand with the treatment. If a person has a choice between having cancer or avoiding cancer, avoidance trumps the disease every time. That being said, the American Institute for Cancer Research has released a 517-page report detailing the medical view of what your main risk factors for developing cancer are, and what you can do to reduce your risk. The report’s most interesting finding is that being overweight increases your risk of developing many different types of cancer. Excess body weight has been touted as the number one cause of ill health in the United States. Being over weight leads to heart disease, diabetes and stroke. It is also a major contributing cause of cancer. (Spoiler Alert: The primary health care crisis in our country isn’t about a lack of insurance coverage, lack of medical funding or the cost of prescription drugs. It is truly about being over weight!) The report also gives a list of recommendations of how to avoid cancer. The most important recommendations were to be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight for your height, and to exercise on a regular basis. To combat cancer with the best overall health possible, physical activity must be a part of your everyday life. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar). Avoid sugary drinks. Eat mostly foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. Limit intake of red meat and avoid ALL processed meat. Limit alcoholic drinks to one per day for women, two per day for men. Decrease consumption of salt. Avoid moldy grains or legumes. In addition, recen t research has recently found a strong link between immune system function and cancer. The stronger the immune system, the less the chance that cancer cells will proliferate. Keep your immune system strong by eating right, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, exercising and improving spinal nerve flow. As you can see, the list of recommendations makes sense. It may take a big effort to stick to the list, but it will be well worth it. Just ask someone who has gone through chemotherapy.