From Your Health Journal…..”Another great article from a site I always like to promote called NewsMax Health by Nick Tate entitled Surprising Things That Cause Cancer. I do encourage you all to visit the NewsMax Health site to read some informative articles, including the one we are discussing here today. Our site has discussed in great length how obesity in an individual could potentially lead to cancer. The best cancer weapon is prevention — equal parts awareness and action. While smoking and obesity are known cancer risks, there are lesser-known conditions and lifestyle choices that can make you more susceptible to a cancer diagnosis. For example, working the night shift, birth control pills, too little sunlight, risky sex, and age all can play a role in causing cancer. Please visit the Newsmax Health site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It is well written and very informative.”

From the article…..

Smoking, obesity, and unhealthy diets are the biggest risk factors for cancer. But a range of other little-known factors you may not know about can also lead to deadly cancer.

“The best cancer weapon is prevention — equal parts awareness and action. While smoking and obesity are known cancer risks, there are lesser-known conditions and lifestyle choices that can make you more susceptible to a cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz.

“Additionally, while exercise and a balanced diet are known to improve your health, there are other activities and practices you can incorporate into your life to decrease your risk.”

Here’s a look at five surprising things that many people are unaware can raise their risk of cancer, based on research compiled and cited by the American Cancer Society, Environmental Protection Agency, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. Night shift work: Women who work a night shift at least three nights a month — for example, nurses or 911 dispatchers — face an increased risk of colorectal and breast cancer, according to several studies cited by the American Cancer Society. Recent research, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, has also concluded that men who work the night shift face a three times greater risk of prostate cancer than those who maintain more traditional work hours.

That study, conducted by scientists at the University of Quebec and the Centre INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, found night-shift workers face greater risks for cancers of the lung, colon, rectum, bladder, and pancreas, as well. The researchers suggested this might be due to changes in levels of melatonin — a naturally occurring hormone that responds to changes in light — in the body. Sleep loss may be another factor.

What you can do: If you can’t cut back on your night-shift hours, health experts recommend taking melatonin supplements and making sure to get sufficient sleep during the day — in a darkened room — to boost your immune system. Some companies are also experimenting with different kinds of artificial lighting that don’t affect melatonin production, so it might be worth asking your employer about those possibilities.

To read the complete article…..Click here