How to Prevent Leukemia: Everything You Need to Know

Compared to other types of cancer, leukemia is not as widespread; in fact it is a relatively rare form of cancer. However, this doesn’t mean that we should ignore it and not take steps on how to prevent leukemia.

Thankfully, lowering your risk of leukemia is not too complicated. In addition, these things can also help lower your risk of cancer in general, as well as improve your overall health.

How to prevent leukemia: 5 things to remember

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects a person’s blood cells. Because of this, it can easily spread throughout the body and cause serious damage. In order to prevent leukemia, it is important to take a holistic approach and prioritize strengthening your overall health.

Here are 5 things you need to remember:

Eat right

The food that we eat is extremely important to our health. Eating food that’s bad for us not only weakens our body, but it also increases our risk for disease, which includes cancer.

This is why eating the right kinds of food in the right amounts is one way to prevent leukemia.

When it comes to your diet, prioritize eating fresh vegetables and fruits. These types of foods contain the nutrients that your body needs to stay strong and healthy. You should also supplement your diet with protein and healthy fats from fish and nuts, carbohydrates from grains and seeds.

Aside from this, you also need to watch your portions. Even if you have a healthy diet, you can still put yourself at risk of disease if you overeat.

Try to avoid too much red meat, as well as foods that are high in fats, sugar, and salt. This might be a significant lifestyle change for some people, but it definitely pays off in the end, and you will feel your body getting stronger and healthier.

Avoid certain chemicals

Certain chemicals, called carcinogens can increase a person’s risk for cancer. This means that avoiding those chemicals can help prevent leukemia.

When handling cleaning products, be sure to wear gloves as well as a mask to avoid touching and inhaling any harmful chemicals. The same goes if you’re handling chemicals at work.

One of the biggest sources of these carcinogens can be found in cigarette smoke. If you’re a smoker, it would be best to quit immediately to lower your risk of cancer, lung disease, heart problems, diabetes, and other illnesses.

If you’re living with someone who smokes, it would also be a good idea to urge them to quit, since secondhand smoke can have the same effect.

Be aware of your family’s history with leukemia

While most cases of leukemia are not hereditary, there is some evidence to show that it can run in some families. This means that if you have a relative that developed leukemia, you need to be extra careful with your health.

This information might not necessarily prevent leukemia, but it can help you take steps to lower your risk.

Visit the doctor if you notice any peculiar symptoms

Listening to what your body is trying to tell you is an important thing to prevent leukemia. If you notice any peculiar symptoms such as sudden fatigue, a consistent low-grade fever, and sudden weight loss, it would be best to visit your doctor as soon as possible.

While these aren’t sure signs of leukemia, these symptoms are ones that you should never ignore.

Get checked up regularly

Lastly, be sure to regularly schedule appointments with your doctor. As we age, the risk of cancer developing increases. Additionally, improving our general health can reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Unlike breast cancer, which can be screened through the use of a mammogram, leukemia does not have an established screening test. Instead, doctors may suspect leukemia after evaluating your medical history and ordering blood tests.

Signs of leukemia that may be spotted during a routine check include:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Enlarged spleen or liver (through X-ray or palpation)
• Abnormal CBC results (very high white blood cell or leukocyte count)

Key Takeaways

It is important to be mindful of the ways of how to prevent leukemia. The more you practice these things and make it a part of your lifestyle, the better the outcome would be.

Learn more about Leukemia here.