5 Ways to Stay Cancer-Free as You Age

The older we get, the more likely we are to develop cancer. About 77 percent of people diagnosed with it are 55 or older, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Thanks to modern medicine, more people are living longer,” Dr. Therese B. Bevers, medical director of MD Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center said in a statement. “But a longer life doesn’t always equal a healthier one.”

Lifestyle changes you make now — regardless of your age — can lower your risk of developing cancer later. All seniors should incorporate the following changes now to keep it at bay.

1. Exercise

Physical exercise can lower the risk for many cancers, including lung, prostate, colorectal, breast, and endometrial. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, every day. Healthy exercise choices for seniors can also include swimming, golfing, tennis, and gardening.

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are four main types of exercise: endurance (walking, swimming, riding a bike, to build cardio health), strengthening (builds muscles), stretching (to maintain flexibility), and balance exercises (to reduce the risk of a fall). Seniors need some of each.

2. Eat well

Many seniors, sometimes due to living alone, don't watch their diets as carefully as they should and don't bother cooking very much. “A poor diet may keep seniors from getting the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy body and lower their risk of lung, mouth, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers,” Bevers said.

Seniors don't need as many calories as they did when they were younger, and their meals should be packed with nutrients. Aim for two servings of fresh fruit and at least two cups of deeply colored vegetables each day. Ditch processed grains for fiber-rich whole grains, and choose lean proteins such as poultry and fish. Keep salt at a minimum and don't forget to drink plenty of water.

3. Don't smoke

“Quitting smoking is the most important thing anyone can do to improve their health,” Bevers said. It's never too late to quit, and quitting can lower your odds of developing heart and lung disease and many other ailments in addition to cancer. Enlist the support of family and friends, chew mints or gum, and use nicotine patches — whatever it takes to quit. And avoid secondhand smoke as well. You can get help by calling free quit-smoking numbers:

• American Cancer Society: 1-800-QUIT-NOW

• National Cancer Institute: 1-877-44U-QUIT

4. Manage stress

Stress of any kind can lower your immunity to infection and diseases, including cancer. Financial stress affects many senior citizens. Plan for your financial health now, and if you are a senior with financial difficulties, enlist the help of other family members to set up a budget or a stress-free system of paying bills, like automatic bill payment.

5. Get regular checkups and screenings

Screenings for cancer can spot the disease at its earliest and most treatable stages, and many of the major cancers that can be screened for — including colorectal and breast cancer — are typically diagnosed at around the age of 70. During your regular physical checkup, ask your doctor, who will take your personal history into account, to recommend exactly which tests you need and how often you should get them.