The Prevent Cancer Foundation Blog » Wellness

Give the Gift of Prevention for Mother’s Day

Ashley — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:46:04 +0000

My Mom is incredibly caring, has endless strength and loves her family more than anything. She was 14 years old when her mother died of kidney cancer. Several decades later, she lost her father and her oldest brother to prostate cancer. Like so many others, cancer runs rampant in my family, so taking steps to prevent the disease is something I try to share with my Mom.

In past years, I have given my mother jewelry, flowers and framed photos, but I believe this year’s gift will be her favorite. This Mother’s Day I am giving my mother a gift that could save lives. I am making a contribution to the Prevent Cancer Foundation in her honor memorializing the loved ones we have lost to cancer. I’m standing with the Prevent Cancer Foundation community to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!

You can also show your mom how much you love and appreciate her by celebrating Mother’s Day with fun and healthy activities you can do together that help reduce cancer risk. Some great ideas she’s sure to love are:

Plant a garden. Gardening is a great way to bond with your mother and put your muscles to good use! Make the most out of your gardening experience by planting fruits and vegetables with cancer fighting antioxidants.
Cook a healthy Mother’s Day meal. Give your mom the day off by preparing these delicious and nutritious recipes for either breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert: Breakfast Tacos, Banana-Berry Smoothies, Caramelized Onion Lasagna, or Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust.
Train for a 5k race/walk. Get the whole family to sign up for an upcoming walk/run event and spend Mother’s day walking or running a trail together. The Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k Walk/Run on Sunday, September 29 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to saving lives at a family friendly gathering!
Have a heart-to-heart talk about cancer screenings. Let your mom know how much she means to you by talking openly with her about getting life-saving breast, cervical or colorectal cancer screenings. Encourage her to talk to her doctor about the screenings she needs.
Take a fun fitness class together. Find a group fitness program that you and your mom can both enjoy. There are many different activities available for those of all different fitness levels. Try something like water aerobics, rock climbing, yoga, zumba or crossfit to keep you and your mom fit and feeling good.
Learn about your mom’s family health history. Mother’s Day is a great time to have a simple conversation about your family’s medical background of cancer and other diseases. To learn how this important step can could save or prolong your life or the lives of your family members, watch our recent webcast: Family Medical History: Why and What You Should Know.

Your mom has taken care of you in so this Mother’s Day make sure she is taking care of herself, by staying active, eating healthy and getting regular cancer screenings. Join me in celebrating mothers for all that they do by making a donation in honor or in memory of your loved one; a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, wife, colleague or friend.

Heart Health = Cancer Prevention

Ashley — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:00:56 +0000

Healthy habits do more than just help protect you and your family from cancer, they can also help prevent other chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. In fact, a recent study suggests heart health may be a vital component in lowering one’s risk for cancer. Researchers tracked over 13,000 people over time who were advised to follow the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7,” a guide to reducing one’s risk for heart disease, which includes exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, controlling cholesterol, keeping blood pressure down, regulating blood sugar levels and avoiding smoking. The study found that those who followed six or seven of the steps reduced their risk of cancer by 51 percent compared to those who followed none of the steps.

Read the full CBS News article

Healthy Recipe: Basil, Shrimp & Zucchini Pasta

Ashley — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:00:54 +0000

Yield: 4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Description:

This quick-cooking, healthy dinner is a simple combination of zucchini, shrimp and pasta flecked with plenty of fresh basil. If you have leftover cooked pasta from another meal, use it and skip Step 2. Since the recipe combines a starch, vegetables and the shrimp, all you need is a fruit or vegetable salad to round out the menu.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (31-40 per pound; see Note)
2 cups orecchiette or other small pasta, preferably whole-wheat
2 medium zucchini or summer squash or 1 of each.

Recipe Steps:

Combine 1/4 cup basil, tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl. Stir in shrimp; let stand for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
Quarter squash lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shrimp mixture along with the squash. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and just barely cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the pasta and heat, stirring, until piping hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup basil and season with pepper.

Recipe Tips & Notes:

Note: Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to get the size you want, order by the count per pound. Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Fortunately, it is possible to buy shrimp that have been raised or caught with sound environmental practices. Look for fresh or frozen shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as the Marine Stewardship Council. If you can’t find certified shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America—it’s more likely to be sustainably caught.

Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 315 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 143 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 7 g fiber; 1096 mg sodium; 687 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (38% daily value), Magnesium (30% dv), Folate & Potassium (20% dv), Vitamin A (19% dv), Zinc (18% dv), Iron (17% dv)

2 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat

When and When Not to Work out During Cold/Flu Season

Ashley — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:14:20 +0000

A case of the common cold can disrupt your work life, your social calendar and even your exercise regimen. Sports medicine experts say brisk exercise is a good idea for minor colds but if you are running a fever or have flu-like symptoms they strongly advise skipping your workout, getting lots of bed rest and staying home to avoid spreading your germs at the gym. The important thing is to listen to your body, you may have to scale back your workout or exercise at home if you think you may be contagious. To maintain your healthy fitness goals and keep colds and the flu at bay, research suggests five days or more of aerobic activity per week can be a powerful factor in lowering your number of sick days.

Read the full Reuters article

Is Social Networking the New Handy Weight Loss Tool?

Ashley — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 03:00:26 +0000

In case you needed another reason to use social media, researchers at the University of South Carolina have discovered that using a Twitter support group may help individuals achieve those challenging weight loss goals. The study’s findings showed that those who participated in a weight loss program overall lost more weight when they used the site to receive and share information and encouragement. The research team found that every 10 tweets corresponded with about 0.5 percent weight loss. The Twitter community provides an alternative to the traditional face-to-face weight-loss support group that may prove more cost-effective and less time-consuming. Researchers plan to examine how other social media sites function as health support systems and how to best tailor messages to give people the type of weight loss intervention they need.

Read the Full Wired Article

Tips to Maintain a Healthy Weight [Infographic]

Ashley — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:21:18 +0000

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important step we can take to greatly reduce the possibility of developing certain forms of cancer. When trying to lose excess weight, many of us turn to fad diets that promise a quick fix. These dieting schemes often cause short-term weight loss, continuing no more than six months, followed by weight regain. Typically more weight is gained than was lost. The best way to lose excess weight is to improve health habits in lasting ways by eating well, living actively and making realistic healthy weight-loss goals.

To mark National Healthy Weight Week, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has designed this infographic to show safe and effective ways to help you and your loved ones maintain a healthy body weight. Committing to these simple lifestyle changes can greatly improve your health and help us all Stop Cancer Before it Starts!

Help Your Loved Ones Prevent Cancer [Infographic]

Ashley — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:33:53 +0000

Adopting lifestyle changes that help prevent cancer is easier when there is a strong support network of friends and family to rely on. You can start your loved ones on the road to good health by leading by example and motivating them through these 5 simple steps:

Promote a healthy diet.
Find fun physical activities the family can do together.
Discourage smoking and drink alcohol in moderation. Support loved ones who are trying to quit smoking.
Talk about your family health history with each other.
Schedule routine cancer screenings for you, your family members and friends.

Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Graphic Design Communications Associate designed the infographic below as a reminder of the ways you can encourage and support your family and friends to adopt these healthy choices and Stop Cancer Before It Starts!

Technology and Tactics to Rev up Your Walk

Ashley — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:30:42 +0000

Frequent walking promotes several health benefits such as disease prevention and stress relief, but finding the time or the motivation to engage in this activity on a daily basis can be cumbersome. Thanks to modern technology and smart walking tips, individuals have a variety of methods and devices to help put some pep in their step.

Popular digital technology and innovative devices that boost motivation and intensify the walking workout include pedometers, smartphone apps, a weighted vest and an on-body monitoring device which measures one’s progress. Other tactics that save time and prevent boredom include holding a walk-and-talk meeting for work, incorporating different activities like sprints or jumping jacks, joining a walking club and changing your walking route in order to enjoy a change of scenery or a new adventure.

Read the Full Washington Post Article

Freefest 2K12—Music+Cancer Prevention Awareness

Liona — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:08:06 +0000

The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s booth at Virgin Mobile Live Freefest this past Saturday was a huge success! For those of you unfamiliar with Freefest, it is a huge music festival held at Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD. An estimated 35,000 people attended this year, and we were able to spread the word about the Prevent Cancer Foundation to thousands of people at the event!

Prevent Cancer staff from L to R: Will Mellor, DJ Abernathy, Elliot Turner and Liona Chan

Our booth was brightly decorated in our Prevent Cancer signature green and our volunteers all matched in green tanks and sunglasses. We had a great time meeting so many people while jammin’ out to the many talented DJs and bands playing on the Dance Forest stage.

Many people stopped to participate in the new #PreventCancer4 campaign, a quick and easy way to support cancer prevention and early detection! They each filled out who they are preventing cancer for and posed for a photo. The #PreventCancer4 messages were ones from the heart: some honored moms and grandparents while others were more all encompassing: “everyone” and “the world”. And beyond that, some were a little more “out there”: “cancer sucks” and “hot chicks”. But no matter the answer, it’s pretty clear that everyone is affected by cancer in some way, and there is always someone who you should be preventing cancer for!

We also distributed our Buddy Bracelets promoting colorectal cancer awareness, green Prevent Cancer sunglasses, stickers and other cool swag. We even featured a free sunscreen “bar” where we had sunscreen “shots,” the recommended amount of sunscreen to use to protect your skin from the sun. The sunny morning definitely required it, as many visitors had forgotten theirs!

Several cancer survivors also stopped by and we were truly touched by the many personal stories that we heard throughout the day. It seems that everyone has a personal connection to cancer, and we are extremely thankful to everyone who was kind enough to share their stories with us.

Alabama Shakes performs on the main pavillion stage.

Many thanks to everyone who generously donated to the Prevent Cancer Foundation during Freefest! Every dollar counts and each donated to the Foundation helps fund our lifesaving cancer prevention and early detection research, education, advocacy and community outreach programs.

To those who visited our booth at Freefest, check out your #PreventCancer4 photos on our Facebook page and be sure to tag yourselves! For those who didn’t make it out to the festival, show your support for cancer prevention and make your own #PreventCancer4 photo and post it on our Facebook wall. Don’t be afraid to get creative! See these and other snapshots of Freefest here!

2012 Prevent Cancer Foundation 5K Is Most Successful to Date!

Liona — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 14:49:04 +0000

Thank you to all participants, donors, sponsors and volunteers who helped make the 4th annual Prevent Cancer 5K walk/run the most successful yet, raising a record breaking $112,000! More than 400 individuals and families (and doggies) gathered at Nationals Park Sunday, September 30 to demonstrate their commitment to saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection.

Racing President Teddy leads the 5K starting line.

Dance Trance led a fun, aerobic warm-up before Nationals Racing President Teddy and Washington Kastles mascot Top Spin kicked off the walk/run. Following a victory lap inside the stadium on the main concourse, guests enjoyed music and food, visited the Nationals dugout and batting cages (where they could actually swing at balls), toured the Prevent Cancer Super Colon, picked up some doggie treats from Barkley Square and Aunt Sasha’s Barked Goods and tried their hands at the hoola hoop station, corn hole tosses and giant Jenga (provided by United Social Sports). We even had free oral cancer screenings and a Walgreens table where people could get flu shots.

A huge thank you goes out to our wonderful 5k Chair, Katherine Kennedy. Her commitment and passion for cancer prevention, along with her incredible social media outreach was a driving force to making this event a fundraising success!

“I was truly humbled and overwhelmed by the support the entire community bestowed upon us,” said Event Chair Katherine Kennedy. “There are so many people to thank from the team captains rallying more teams and participants than ever before to so many generous sponsors and friends of the Foundation pooling their resources for this spectacular event. Truly a group effort to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!”

Prevent Cancer EVP/COO Jan Bresch, top fundraiser Allison Hutchins and Event Chair Katherine Kennedy.

We also want to give a big shout out to top individual fundraiser Allison Hutchins, who raised $3,025, winning a treadmill desk grand prize generously donated by exclusive fitness partner LifeSpan Fitness. Allison was also captain of the top fundraising team, Cancer Conquerors, which raised $7,640 and won a catered dinner for 10 by Windows Catering. Ginger Albright of the Cancer Conquerers was the second top individual fundraiser with $2,165, and Grant Allen’s team All in Against Cancer came in second in team fundraising with $7,455.

Many thanks to generous sponsors Bayer HealthCare (Grand Slam), Johnson & Johnson (Home Run), Pricewaterhouse Coopers (Triple), Venable (Triple), Lilly (Double), Millenium Pharmaceuticals (Double), Genentech (RBI), 1-800 CONTACTS (RBI), MarcParc Valet (In-Kind), Subway (In-Kind) and exclusive fitness partner LifeSpan Fitness.

The 5k may be over for this year, but it’s not too late to give to cancer prevention efforts! Donations are still being accepted for teams and individuals who are working to complete their fundraising goals. Event proceeds will support the Foundation’s cancer prevention research, community outreach, advocacy and education programs. To make a donation, please go to www.preventcancer5K.org.

See more photos from this year’s 5K on our Facebook page–don’t forget to tag yourself! Check back to the Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k site for the date of the 5th Annual Prevent Cancer Foundation 5K, which will again be held at Nationals Park!