So many new potential things that can cause cancer pop up all the time, making it hard to know what to believe and what to brush off.
However,seeing as the National Cancer Institute predicts the number of new cases of cancer per year to rise to 23.6 million by 2030. Its more important than ever to be aware of the things you’re doing every day that might be putting you at risk – especially when your health and wellbeing are essential right now.
From using scented candles to sitting too much, these are the cancer risk factors you probably didn’t know about, and for more ways to keep yourself cancer-free, be on the lookout for these 5 things that could lead to cancer.
1. Not managing your stress
While stress doesn’t directly lead to cancer, your body’s response to that stress—via things like increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and elevated blood sugar levels—can inevitably lead to cancer if left untreated. In recent years, links have also been discovered between psychological stress and cancer, seeing as people under duress may develop certain bad behaviors like “smoking, overeating, or drinking alcohol.
2. Skipping out on flossing
Are you keeping up with your oral hygiene? Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash are all essential to staying healthy. In fact, a 2018 study found that gum disease is associated with a 24 percent increase in both lung and colorectal cancer, meaning you need to start taking care of your mouth ASAP.
3. Sitting too much
In a 2014 review published scientists analyzed data from 43 studies and found that for every two additional hours of sedentary behavior a day, a person’s risk of colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and lung cancer increased by 8 percent, 10 percent, and 6 percent respectively.
4. Sleeping with the TV on
Artificial light that emanates from your TV screen is linked to both breast and prostate cancer. Light at night is likely to be one of a number of factors that contributed to the increase in breast cancer over the last few decades, too much screen time before bed is one of the 25 Things You’re Doing That Would Horrify Sleep Doctors.
5. Using scented candles
There’s something so soothing about scented candles. But though they relax you almost immediately in the moment, they can also do a whole lot of damage down the road. Scented candles are full of potentially dangerous chemicals like benzene and toluene, and breathing them in regularly could increase your risk of cancer.
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