Does Your Environment Put You at Risk for Cancer?

Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die of it. And according to the recent report submitted to President Obama by the President's Cancer Panel, simply establishing healthy habits - stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right - may not be enough.

The panel reported that "the true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated." The 240-page report is the first to focus on environmental causes of cancer, and in the letter preceding it, the panel noted that environmental exposures are not a new threat, but one that "has not been addressed adequately by the National Cancer Program."

Americans face an array of dangerous exposures, and the Environmental Working Group's research has found that children are born "pre-polluted" with up to 200 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants that have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people. So, how to protect yourself and your children?

Try some of these simple changes:

Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets.
Those built before 2005 are coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing.

Eat EWG's Clean 15.
Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG's Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures.

Watch out for the Dirty Dozen.
On the other end of the spectrum is EWG's Dirty Dozen, those foods most likely to have high pesticide residue. Don't worry, this does not mean you can't have otherwise healthy superfoods, or that you have to kick your coffee addiction. Just beware of these foods and buy them organic.

Use natural cosmetics.
In the United States, the personal care products industry is virtually unregulated, and many toxic chemicals can be found in the most common of makeup, shampoos, lotions and other personal care products. Play it safe by using natural cosmetics, or try making your own.

Avoid canned food.
In addition to being found in many plastic bottles, Bisphenol A is also found in the epoxy resin liner of most canned fruits and vegetables. The BPA from this lining has been shown to leach into the vegetables in the can. Instead, buy fresh or frozen vegetables, which also tend to have few preservatives and less added sodium. And buying fresh vegetables means you can talk directly with the farmers to learn more about what pesticides and other chemicals they use (or don't use) during the growing season.


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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.