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These simple lifestyle changes can drastically reduce your cancer risk.

Maintain a healthy weight “Fat tissue is hormonally active, increasing the production of the oestrogen and insulin-like growth factor, which have been linked to cancer growth,” says Dr Marisa Weiss, chief medical officer and founder of breastcancer.org.

Break a sweat Doing 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day can lower your risk of colon, endometrial and breast cancer by up to 40%. Your goal: exercise at least half an hour most days.

Eat a variety of foods News flash: there is no miracle food. “When you start getting into the minutiae of diet, it’s very challenging to pull out just one thing – like blueberries – and say that it causes or prevents cancer,” says Dr Therese Bevers, the director of a cancer prevention centre. What is proved to keep your cells healthy? “A varied diet of fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains.”

Limit you alcohol intake Dr Bevers says, “Alcohol increases the risk for head, neck and breast cancer. Each drink increases your risk incrementally, so we advise women to stick to one glass or less per day.”

Schedule screenings Getting a mammogram can help detect cancer before the symptoms appear. Talk to your doctor about your medical history to determine when best to go for a screening. Women over the age of 40 are encouraged to go every year.