Surprising ways to reduce cancer risk

Move every two hours:
Scientists last month warned we should all sit less to avoid cancer. Indeed, the risk of developing cancers, especially womb, bowel and lung, rises by up to 10% for every extra two hours sitting, according to a new review of studies by the University of Regensburg in Germany. The effect appeared to be unrelated to how much exercise people took when they were not in a chair or sofa, suggesting that even people who are physically active may increase their cancer risk by staying immobile for too long at a time.

Marinate your meat:
Char-grilling or frying meat at high temperatures creates a variety of chemicals that have been linked to cancer. But researchers from the American Institute for Cancer Research found that coating the meat with a marinade prevented direct contact with the flames, reducing the amount of carcinogenic chemicals that were created. For an easy marinade, mix the juice of a lemon with two tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of clear honey, a dash of soy sauce and a good dollop of mustard.

Keep fruit out of the fridge:
Studies show that chilled fruit contains fewer cancer-fighting nutrients than fruit kept at room temperature.
For example, tomatoes and peppers stored in a bowl rather than the fridge can contain double the betacarotene and up to 20 times more lycopene -both of which have been linked to lowering rates of cancers.

Don’t microwave veggies:
If you are in the habit of blitzing veggies in the microwave while trying to raise your intake, you might want to switch to steaming instead. While studies show microwaving vegetables won’t lower their vitamin C content, one Spanish study found it could destroy 97% of broccoli’s cancer-protective flavonoids.

Ditch your scented candle:
Believe it or not, the air in your home can often be more polluted than outdoors. But while tobacco smoke is by far the worst pollutant, experts say that the volatile organic compounds released by certain cleaning products, air fresheners and some scented candles could be carcinogenic. While the jury is still out on how much of a threat this poses to human health, it’s easy to limit exposure to these sources by opening windows and doors often to keep your home well ventilated.

Pass on the salt (and don’t add extra):
Salt is linked to 14% of stomach cancer cases in the UK. Our daily intake should be less than 6g (2.4g sodium) so don’t add any to food, and check the sodium content of shop-bought foods.

Sleep in total darkness:
Many studies have linked prolonged exposure to artificial light at night, as experienced by long-term shift workers, to a higher risk of several cancers, including breast and prostate.