1.59. Preventing Noninfectious Diseases http://www.ck12.org
1.59 Preventing Noninfectious Diseases
- Describe how noninfectious diseases can be prevented.
How can you reduce your risk of developing cancer?
You can reduce your risk of developing cancer by staying away from certain hazards. For example, the use of tanning
beds can lead to skin cancer.
Preventing Noninfectious Diseases
Most allergies can be prevented by avoiding the substances that cause them. For example, you can avoid pollens by
staying indoors as much as possible. You can learn to recognize plants like poison ivy and not touch them. A good
way to remember how to avoid poison ivy is "leaves of three, let it be."
Some people receive allergy shots to help prevent allergic reactions. The shots contain tiny amounts of allergens.
After many months or years of shots, the immune system gets used to the allergens and no longer responds to them.
Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases cannot be prevented. But choosing a healthy lifestyle can help
prevent type 2 diabetes. Getting plenty of exercise, avoiding high-fat foods, and staying at a healthy weight can
reduce the risk of developing this type of diabetes. This is especially important for people who have family members
with the disease.
Making these healthy lifestyle choices can also help prevent some types of cancer. In addition, you can lower the
risk of cancer by avoidingcarcinogens, substances that cause cancer. For example, you can reduce your risk of lung
cancer by not smoking. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by using sunscreen. How to choose a sunscreen that
offers the most protection is explained below (Figure1.118). Some people think that tanning beds are a safe way to
get a tan. This is a myth. Tanning beds expose the skin to UV radiation. Any exposure to UV radiation increases the
risk of skin cancer. It doesn’t matter whether the radiation comes from tanning lamps or the sun.