Men’s Cancer Awareness Month

Ambassador

*Top 10 Prevention Tips*

Dr. Johnmark Opondo

Deputy Medical Health OfficerSaskatoon Health Region

1. Reach for more vegetables and fruit!

• Go for a rainbow of colours that offer variety of nutrients and taste great

• According to Canada’s Food

Guide women should eat 7-8 servings of vegetables and fruit daily and men 8-10 servings.

• For more information visit: Canada’s Food Guide

2. Sit less, and move more!

• Aim for 30 minutes of moderate daily activity that gets your heart pumping.

• It reduces your risk of colorectal and other cancers

• You’ll feel less stressed, more productive and relaxed. Learn more about the benefits of physical activity and additional tips from the Public Health Agency of Canada

3. Limit your alcohol intake

• Drinking any alcohol- beer, wine, or spirits raises your risk of cancer. The less you drink, the more you reduce your risk. Keep it to less than 1 drink a day for women and less than 2 drinks for men.

4. Have a healthy body weight.

• Being overweight or obese increases your risk of cancer. Talk to your doctor about your ideal weight.

5. Avoid processed foods when possible.

• Processed foods can contain hidden fats, calories, sugar and salt which can increase your risk of certain types of cancer.

• Always read the nutrition labels

6. Limit salt and sugar.

• Eating too much salt and salty food may increase your risk of stomach cancer.

• Choose foods that are low in salt (or sodium). If the label says it’s 5% or less, that’s considered low.

7. Be a non-smoker and avoid second-hand smoke.

• Every year, more than 800 non-smoking Canadians die from second-hand smoke.

• Smoking is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths and is responsible for more than 85% of lung cancers.

• For help with quitting, try the Smokers’ Helpline

8. Eat less red meat and avoid processed meat.

• Red meats are beef, pork, lamb and goat. Processed meats include ham, bacon, salami, hot dogs and sausages.

• Limit red meat to 3 servings a week. 1 serving is 85 grams (3 ounces) cooked.

• Save processed meats for special occasions like “holiday ham” or “ballpark hot dogs.”

9. Eat lots of fibre.

• Fibre is in vegetables, fruit, and plants such as whole grains and legumes.

• A high fibre diet is good for your digestive system and protects against colorectal cancer.

• Fibre helps you maintain a healthy body weight which also reduces your risk of many other cancers.

10. Visit your doctor for your annual checkup.

• Prevention and screening are two of the most powerful weapons you have against cancer.

• Men who maintain a healthy body throughout life are often better able to fight off diseases like cancer.

• Sign up for Reminder for Life to receive an annual reminder about what you need to discuss with your doctor, based on your age and gender.

• It’s free to sign up, and it might just save your life!

Finding and treating cancer as early as

possible is one of the best ways to beat this disease!

To learn more, visit the Canadian Cancer Society’s

Men’s Cancer Awareness Month site:

www.menshealthforlife.ca Dr. Johnmark Opondo

Men’s Cancer Awareness Month Ambassador