Celebrating the 4th of July brings on feelings of patriotism, enhanced by family togetherness.  What better time to practice cancer prevention strategies, to increase the likelihood of many more!  We offer a few tips to increase your odds against cancer, while enjoying this important holiday.

1.  Bring the sunscreen, and not just any sunscreen.  Check out our blog entry (June 15th) on skin cancer prevention to find sunscreens that offer protection against UVA rays as well as UVB.  Make sure you can find shade during the peak hours, whether it is indoors, under an umbrella, or by wearing a protective hat and clothing.

2.  Practice safe grilling.  Eating grilled meats raises the risk of pancreatic cancer, and may raise the risk of colon and breast cancer.  To lower your risk:
          -marinate meats for 40 minutes prior to grilling (this decreases the production of heterocyclic
           amines, cancer causing chemicals, by 90 percent)
          -microwave meats for two minutes prior to grilling
          -use natural charcoal and a fire chimney to minimize exposure to petroleum products
          -grill veggies.  With grilled veggies you do not need to worry about carcinogens such as heterocyclic
           amines, and can work on getting your five to nine servings per day of fruits and veggies, that lower
           the risk of cancer.

3.  Bring a tablecloth.   CCA-treated wood (the wood known for its green hue) was banned in the U.S. in 2003, but roughly 90 percent of outdoor wood (picnic tables, playground equipment) manufactured prior to that time are made of CCA-treated wood.  The Environmental Working Group has estimated that one in 500 hundred children will develop cancer in their lifetimes from time spent eating and playing on cca-treated wood structures.  Make sure wooden tables built before 2003 are covered.  This is a great opportunity to pull out that faded red, white, and blue tablecloth your grandmother loved, or to toss it in favor of a disposable variety from your local discount store.

4.  Be safe by the bonfire.  Never burn coated, painted, or pressure treated wood.  Also avoid burning garbage or cardboard, since plastics and colored inks can release harmful chemicals.  Avoid burning any wood products that may contain glue, such as particleboard or plywood.

And, most of all, enjoy the 4th!  Be thankful that we live in a country that will listen... IF enough of us choose to avoid products that may cause cancer and select healthier alternatives instead.

For more information on safety and cancer prevention, check out www.avoidcancernow.com