ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to attempt a sort through the often confusing and seemingly conflicting information presented in the lay media and scientific publications regarding dietary and exercise guidelines. It considers nutrition and exercise and shows that by focusing women on a few target areas in their lifestyles, health care providers can educate them to substantially reduce their risk of developing certain cancers. For women in the United States, the top three causes of cancer deaths, lung, breast and colorectal, are all most likely highly influenced by lifestyle factors. Several studies have found that eating a low-fat diet can reduce colon cancer risk by approximately 50%. The impact of fat upon the development of breast cancer is one of the most hotly debated issues in cancer prevention. Research strongly suggests that dietary fiber plays a protective role in preventing certain cancers, especially colon and breast. Cancer develops slowly, gradually, over decades, in a carefully orchestrated process conducted at the cellular level.
