Pipe smoking, cigars, and chewing tobacco also cause cancer. Parents, if you smoke, your children are more likely to smoke. Avoid weight gain. Being overweight increases risk of colorectal cancer, cancer of the uterus, and, in postmenopausal women, breast cancer. Be physically active for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week.
Physical activity lowers risk of colorectal cancer.
Choose chicken and fish rather than red meat and avoid saturated fats. Adding a daily multivitamin that contains folic acid may further decrease your cancer risk. If you drink, limit alcohol to one drink on any day for women, two drinks on any day for men. Modest alcohol consumption benefits the heart, higher consumption increases cancer risk. Because of differences in metabolism and weight, women in general should drink less than men.