According to the US government and reported on by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), over two million people were diagnosed with cancer (of which over 600,000 died) in 2023. That is a staggering amount when you consider that statistic solely accounts for the US and not any other country. Another stunning fact, according to the AACR, is that many of the cases (about 40 percent) stem from preventable causes.

In the US, too, February marks National Cancer Prevention Month, so we decided to take a moment to look at ways you can help prevent cancer from developing.

Don’t Smoke (or Work on Quitting)

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but abstaining from smoking (or working on quitting) is a great way to lower your potential for developing cancer. According to the AACR, not only is lung cancer the leading type of cancer in both men and women, but it is the cause of three out of every 10 deaths by cancer. If you are a smoker, it is never too late to quit!

Exercise

If you exercise regularly, you are less likely to develop cancer. Not only are you keeping your body in good shape and all your muscles, joints and organs functioning as best they can, but keeping (or getting to) a healthy weight can reduce your risk of cancer (among other things, like heart disease and depression).

According to Cancer Research UK, “Keeping a healthy weight lowers your risk of 13 different cancer types. This includes two of the most common types of cancer (breast and bowel) and three of the hardest to treat cancers (pancreatic, esophageal and gallbladder).”

Eat Right

A healthy diet won’t stop cancer from happening, but it can lower your risk of developing certain cancers. The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas advises packing your plate with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins and/or beans to get the most out of every meal. In addition to weight management, a healthy diet — and the vitamins and nutrients found in fresh, nutritious foods — can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases in addition to cancer.

Take Supplements

Exercise and a healthy diet are great things you can control to help lower your risk of developing different types of cancer, but one way to boost those two facets is by taking high-quality supplements.

Even the best diets don’t always have everything we need to live our best lives. That nutrient gap could be because of the seasonality of vegetables or just different bodies needing different things. By taking supplements — such as those available from Partner.Co (obviously) — you can help your body stay in tip-top shape every day.