I’m jumping right into the topic at hand, and that is cancer. I’m sure all of us can think of someone in our lives that have been affected by the disease. This, in my opinion, is one of the scariest topics to talk about, but as cancer itself quickly becomes the number one killer in America, maybe it is time that we start informing one another about what is going on with this illness.

To start off, do we even know what the exact definition of cancer is? According to a simple Wikipedia search, cancer is defined as a disease caused by an uncontrollable division of abnormal cells in any part of the body. Now, let’s pay real close to the word “any.” Many of us, including myself, forget that there are more than just the typical types of cancer. Any part of our body can be affected, signifying that cancer is just an umbrella word to over a hundred diseases.

Next, did you know that there are plenty of measures we can take to start making preventions for cancer? Now there is no way to guarantee us 100% cancer free lives, but we can take steps in the right direction. Now I’m not talking about everyone going on some crazy diet, or a lifestyle that makes us constantly bend over backwards, but simple things that can get you going. Examples? Well, one is to not smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer by a landslide. The survival of lung cancer is under 20%, and if you have been exposed to the toxins that are in tobacco, your chances of survival drop to just about 3% (Bollinger.) Let that sink in, because I know when I read that it sent a shiver down my spine.

Sleep, did you know not getting a proper amount of it can increase your chances of cancer? The body heals while we sleep, so doesn’t it almost make a bit of sense that those who lack sleep have increased chances of getting sick? It might make you think twice about those late nights and all-nighters.

The most common cancer found in women is breast cancer, and in men it is prostate cancer. Both of these can be detected early by doing one simple thing: going to the doctors for exams. Yes, I understand it is tedious, but they are so incredibly important. Early detection is the difference between life and death in some cases, and none of us want to end up on the wrong end of that spectrum.

Here is the point I am trying to get across: simple actions can be taken to put you in a better place. No one is capable of making or breaking cancer, but these actions are simple, and almost common sense. You don’t need to live life in paranoia, or make a complete 180, you just need to be smart, and together we can all start moving forward in beating this heartbreaking disease.

Here is just one source I found on the matter. I encourage everyone to take a look:

Bolligner, Ty. "17 Cancer Facts You Need to Know." The Truth About Cancer. N.p., 01 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Aug. 2016.