Neuro-oncology expert Sara Meade advises maintaining a balanced diet, enjoying fresh air, exercising outdoors, getting enough sleep, managing stress… to reduce the risk of brain cancer.
Brain cancer is the biggest killer of children and people under 40 in the UK, with more than 12,000 people diagnosed each year. Only one in 10 people are expected to survive after diagnosis.
Dr. Sara Meade. Image: Daily Mail
Dr. Sara Meade, a clinical neuro-oncologist at Harborne Hospital in the UK, says making a few simple lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of this disease. Prioritize the following healthy habits to maintain brain health:
Enjoy fresh air and exercise outdoors
Dr. Meade makes family walks or leisurely swimming a priority. She believes engaging in fun outdoor activities is crucial to maintaining brain health and happiness.
This expert often spends time on hobbies like swimming to take care of his health and spirit. She also often goes out of her work area for about 20 minutes to meet colleagues and relax. Participating in outdoor activities brings joy and helps reduce stress, encourage a positive attitude in life, and maintain overall health.
Dr. Meade emphasizes that regular exercise and maintaining an ideal weight can strengthen the immune system. According to Cancer Research UK (CRUK), maintaining a strong immune system can help improve its ability to detect and deal with cancer-causing cells. Regular exercise helps reduce inflammation, a factor that can lead to cancer development if not controlled.
Dr. Meade noted that although there is no specific evidence linking brain cancer risk from being sedentary, regular exercise habits can help reduce the risk of cancer.
Do interesting activities that are both good for your health and your brain. Image: Freepik
Maintain a balanced and healthy diet
According to Dr. Meade, a healthy diet is the foundation for good health, providing adequate nutrients for the body and helping the brain function optimally. This habit helps her have the necessary energy and focus in daily life.
Fish oil, which contains important omega-3 fatty acids, is beneficial for brain health. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and limiting foods high in fat and sugar also helps maintain a healthy weight. However, Dr. Meade says there is no clear evidence that eating a specific food can reduce cancer risk. The most important thing is to maintain a healthy diet and a normal weight to protect overall health.
According to CRUK, being overweight or obese increases the risk of 13 types of cancer, including meningioma. This mechanism involves fat accumulation, increasing levels of growth hormones in the body and promoting more cell division. This extra cell division can increase the risk of cancer. Additionally, excess fat also attracts immune cells to areas with a lot of fat, which can cause inflammation and increase the risk of developing cancer.
Get enough sleep every night
A healthy sleep schedule and quality sleep help people perform better and maintain healthy cognitive and mental function. Healthy adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to give their bodies enough rest to support their activities in both their work and personal lives. However, age and health conditions can affect sleep needs, according to the UK National Health Service (NHS).
Chronic sleep deprivation can negatively impact mood and decision-making. In the short term, it can lead to feelings of sadness, irritability, increased appetite, and difficulty concentrating. In the long term, sleep deprivation is also associated with major “wear and tear” on cells and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
The 2019 study from the University of Hong Kong looked at about 50 doctors from two local hospitals. Of them, half had to work at night and only got two to four hours of sleep, while the rest slept seven hours or more. As a result, night shift workers had 30% more DNA damage than those who worked normal hours.
A 2014 study from the University of Chicago found that disrupted sleep can trigger the type of inflammation that promotes tumor growth and progression, although the study was conducted on mice, not humans. A 2021 study of people 50 and older found a higher risk of cancer in those who rated their sleep quality as “fair” or “poor.”
However, Dr Meade said more research was needed to confirm whether lack of sleep directly increases the risk of cancer. People who do not get enough sleep may be dealing with other lifestyle factors such as poor diet, which can increase the risk of cancer.
People who regularly do not get enough sleep tend to be overweight, have poor diets, and have irregular work schedules. All of these factors often come together and can lead to unhealthy decisions after a night of poor sleep.
Balance tensions
Dr. Meade believes that staying organized and maintaining a work-life balance is key to maintaining mental health. Planning and setting daily priorities are important to maintain this healthy balance.
Every day, planning ahead to manage work and life responsibly is key to maintaining mental health. This habit helps stay organized, reduce stress, and maintain balance that supports overall health. Although each person has different daily habits and schedules, these are habits that help promote mental health.
There is some evidence that improving mental health and reducing stress can reduce the risk of cancer. A 2022 paper found a link between exposure to cortisol (the stress hormone) and cancer. Another study in February of this year also suggested that stress may influence tumor growth and spread.
Prolonged stress can cause high blood pressure and depression, according to the NHS. Additionally, stress can also make it more difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle such as not smoking and not drinking alcohol. However, there is not enough evidence to confirm that “people who are more stressed are more likely to get cancer”, as warned from CRUK.
Even without direct contact, managing stress will help improve quality of life, in Dr. Meade’s view. No one can control getting brain cancer, and most people did nothing wrong to cause it. Brain cancer is often random and uncommon, so it is important to create the best conditions for a long and quality life.