People who are diligent about keeping their heart healthy have a good chance of staving off cancer as well, researchers report. A recent study found that individuals who don't smoke, maintain a healthy weight, normal blood pressure, as well as other lifestyle factors that influence heart health, have a 38% lower risk of developing cancer.
"People generally know that healthy behaviors prevent heart disease and cancer, but to relate risk factors such as cholesterol to cancer is novel," Sometimes I talk to patients about lowering their cholesterol and exercising, and they get very fatalistic saying that, in my family, cancer is the problem. But, these findings indicate that the same healthy habits that reduce risk for heart disease also lower the risk for cancer, stated lead researcher Laura Rasmussen-Torvik.
For this study, researchers followed more than 13,000 healthy individuals for 13 years, measuring seven indicators of heart health at the study’s outset and then tracked if participants developed cancer. The seven heart health indicators they assessed were: not smoking, healthy weight, regular physical activity, healthy diet, and healthy levels of blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. Researchers found that the more heart healthy characteristics people had, the less likely they were to develop cancer. Compared to people who had none of the seven factors, having just one reduced the risk of cancer by 20%. Having 5-7 heart healthy factors lowered the risk of cancer by 38%.
It's not clear why these associations exist, but researchers hypothesize that levels of inflammation that are increased by heart health risk factors also contribute to the development of cancer.
Another recent article corroborated existing evidence that a diet rich in plant-based foods not only helps to prevent heart disease but also cancer. These findings were from an ongoing study that has been tracking the health and lifestyle characteristics of 86,000 U.S. nurses for over 26 years.
In this study, researchers found that women with diets rich in vegetables, fruit and legumes and diets low in red meat, sodium, and processed carbohydrates have a decreased risk of developing breast cancer. The risk was lowest among women whose diet resembled that of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet -- an eating plan that helps to lower blood pressure. It emphasizes vegetables, fruit, fiber-rich grains, legumes and nuts, and low-fat dairy. Women following a diet similar to DASH had a 20% reduced risk of developing breast cancer. High fruit and vegetable intake were most strongly predictive of lower breast cancer rates. Even after researchers accounted for factors like weight, exercise habits and smoking, the link between plant-rich diets and lower breast cancer risk still held.
What to do: Practice heart healthy habits! Control your heart health risk factors with regular activity, a healthy diet, and taking medication when indicated. It is also very important for heart health and cancer prevention not to smoke or quit if you do.
Adapted from articles found at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_116242.html and http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_118784.html.
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