Make These Healthy Choices Now to Help Reduce Your Risk of Cancer Later

Thinking ahead is one of the best prevention methods to combatting cancer. That’s the advice according to William Nelson, director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University. Nelson recently took part in a Quora Q&A session where he answered cancer-related questions from the public. Nelson’s session was full of information to help cancer patients and their caregivers understand the disease, as well as to give people, especially young adults, the tools to reduce their risk of cancer. Unhealthy Practices to Avoid While summertime tanning may be a favorite pastime for many young people, Nelson emphasized the danger of such practices. Overexposure to the sun or — even worse — to tanning beds can put people at much higher risk for skin cancer. In fact, Nelson said, tanning-bed users are nearly 60 percent more likely to develop skin cancer than people who have never used such equipment. So, limit your sun exposure and, when you will be out in the rays, make sure to lather up the sunblock! Another avoidable unhealthy habit is tobacco use. People who smoke are about 25 times more likely than non-smokers to develop lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths for Americans. The best way to reduce that statistic is to not become a tobacco user, even a casual one. Or, if you are, to take steps to quit immediately. Embracing Healthy Habits In addition to staying away from some harmful behaviors, Nelson suggested a few positive habits young people can develop that will also help reduce their risk for cancer. Weight control was among the most important....

Online Dating Sites for Cancer Patients And Survivors

Online help for cancer patients exists in many forums: medical guides, resource lists, community forums and — in keeping with a wider trend — dating. As society has increasingly grown to rely on the internet, and with the emergence of social media, online dating has rapidly risen in popularity. The social pressures of bars, clubs and blind dates disappear when singles are able to make connections first through the web before diving into a relationship. One of the common benefits online daters reference is that they can avoid the often-awkward small talk that comes with first encounters and instead focus on finding potential partners who share their backgrounds, interests or experiences. That’s particularly relevant for people who have unique experiences like those facing cancer. A diagnosis shouldn’t mean an end to the dating game, an opinion championed by Cancer Dating Service. The site connects cancer patients for both romance and friendship, noting the benefits of forging a relationship with someone who’s experienced similar struggles. “Other people like you are out there waiting for you, ready and willing to give you support and love,” the site urges. “You do not have to pretend in front of them that everything is okay when it is not just to make them feel comfortable. It is already hard for you the way it is.” Users can join for free to create a profile, browse users’ profiles and send “flirts” to others. Premium membership allows for more profile options and user interactions. The process of making new connections, and maybe even love interests, can be both exciting and a self-confidence booster, which especially holds...