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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – You know all those years of smoking weren’t good for your health. And even though you quit a long time ago, the years that you worked in an office where people lit up only increases your concern. Is it too late to reduce your risk of lung cancer?
There’s no way to guarantee that any person won’t get lung cancer. But you can take steps to reduce your risk.
Consider these:
- Don’t smoke. If you’ve never smoked, don’t start. If you do smoke, quitting is the No. 1 thing you can do to improve your health. Quitting reduces your risk of lung cancer — and your risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Avoid secondhand smoke. If you live with, work with or spend time with someone who smokes, urge that person to quit or to smoke away from you. Avoid areas where people smoke whenever possible.
- Test your home for radon. Have the radon levels in your home checked, especially if you live in a region where radon is a known problem.
- Protect yourself from carcinogens. Take precautions to protect yourself from exposure to toxic chemicals. For example, wear a mask while using cleaning products or when working with chemicals.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle. Some evidence has shown that diet and exercise may have an impact on lung cancer. Eat a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables and try to exercise most days of the week.