Five ways to reducing your cancer risk this summer
Here are some simple ways you can
reduce your risk of cancer – especially
in the summer months.
Every day 60 New Zealanders are diagnosed
with cancer. According to the World Health
Organisation about half of all cancers could be
avoided. What can you do for yourself and your
family to reduce the risk of cancer?
“Anyone can develop cancer, but there are lots
of ways each of us can reduce that risk” says
Medical Officer of Health, Dr Phil Shoemack.
“Most people know that being smokefree and
limiting how much time we spend in the sun
reduces the chance of getting cancer. Being a
healthy weight , getting some physical activity
every day, making some changes to what we eat
and not drinking alcohol will also limit our chance
of getting a range of different cancers,” adds Dr
Shoemack.
Your habits today influence your health tomorrow.
Choose carefully this summer and you can
substantially reduce your risk:
• DON’T GO UP IN SMOKE - Tobacco use is
the leading single cause of cancer. Worldwide,
smoking kills about 6 million people each year.
Be smokefree and make sure your home is too.
• GO EASY AT THE GRILL - You can reduce
your cancer risk by being a healthy weight. A
simple tip is to have smaller portions, and
stay away from foods that promote weight gain
such as sugary drinks and fast food. Eat more
fruit and vegetables and limit red meat (beef,
pork, lamb, goat) and processed meats (bacon,
salami, ham, sausages) as these increase your
risk of bowel cancer.
SLIP into a long-sleeved shirt and into the shade.
Generally, fabrics with a tighter weave and darker
colours will give you greater protection from the
sun. There are also certain fabrics on the market
that have a sun protective factor (SPF) rating. to pre-cook these foods,” he says. “When
taking foods off the barbeque, use a
clean plate, not the plate which held the
raw meat. Also, introduce variety and
healthier choices for your family and
friends with the addition of options such
as barbequed sweet corn, vegetarian
kebabs, grilled eggplant or zucchini”.
SLOP on plenty of broad-spectrum SPF30+
sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going
outdoors. For more information visit
www.mpi.govt.nz/nzfoodsafety
umbrella, tent or other shelter. Then it’s important
to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap,” says Dr Phil
Shoemack, Medical Officer of Health.
SLAP on a hat with a wide-brim or a cap with
flaps – more people get sunburned on their face
and neck than any other part of the body.
WRAP on a pair of wrap-around sunglasses – UV
radiation is just as dangerous to eyesight as it is
for the skin.
Take these precautions especially between 10
am and 4 pm
(September to
April).
For more
information about
being SunSmart
for you and your
family visit www.
sunsmart.org.nz
Taking the barb out of the
barbeque this summer
What better way to enjoy summer than to eat
outdoors? Before you fire up the barbeque and
whip up a salad, take a minute to ensure you, your
friends and family will be safe from the misery of
food poisoning.
Every year lots of New Zealanders get foodborne
illnesses and many are caused by unsafe food
handling practices in the home.
Be active for at
least 30 minutes
every day.
• KEEP MOVING – You can reduce your cancer
risk by being moderately active for at least 30
minutes every day. Daily walks at the beach
here we come! And why not take the whole
whanau with you.
• LIMIT ALCOHOL - Alcohol causes at least 7
types of cancer, including bowel cancer and
breast cancer. Any amount of alcohol increases
your cancer risk. The more you drink, the higher
the risk. For example, every additional glass
of alcohol increases a woman’s risk of getting
breast cancer.
For more information visit:
• www.cancernz.org.nz
• www.who.int/cancer/prevention
Be safe – be SunSmart!
“Whether you go on a picnic, barbeque or
camping trip – you’ll be taking your food out of the
fridge or freezer. As soon as the temperature of
the food begins to rise, bacteria in the food can
multiply and this could be a risk,” says Medical
Officer of Health, Dr Phil Shoemack. “Unless
perishable food is handled properly, it can cause
problems so keep hot food HOT and cold food
COLD – or don’t keep it at all.”
Cleaned the barbeque since last summer? A
dirty barbeque is a haven for pests which love to
spread bacteria so make sure it has been cleaned
before you use it. Your hands and any utensils
also need to be cleaned thoroughly (wash for 20
seconds, dry for 20 seconds) before and after
preparing food.
“Cross contamination from raw to cooked foods
is one of the biggest risks,” says Dr Shoemack.
“Be careful with knives, cutting boards, hands –
anything used for raw and cooked foods and clean
them thoroughly when moving from raw to cooked
foods.” Preferably use different chopping boards
for meat and other food.
Sunburn and skin damage is caused by Ultra
Violet (UV) rays from the sun and it can lead to
skin cancer. This is especially important if you
are swimming or near water as the sun’s rays are
reflected onto you. So everyone needs to cover-up,
especially your children. The golden rule for barbeques is that perishable
foods should always be refrigerated until needed,
which means removing food from the fridge or
chilly bin only when you are ready to cook it on
the barbeque. Also remember to ensure food is
not packed into a chilly bin while it’s still warm -
food cannot cool quickly enough in a chilly bin to
prevent bacteria growing.
“Firstly, if it’s possible, try to stay out of direct
sun during the hours of 10am to 4pm. This is
when the sun can do the most damage. Look
for natural shade or create your own with an “When cooking, always make sure chicken, pork,
sausages and minced products like hamburger
patties are cooked until the juices run clear –
there should be no hint of pink. It can be better
It’s simple – Clean, Cook, Cover, Chill.
Survey highlights car
dependency
Some preliminary findings
from a survey looking at
travel solutions around the
Bay’s two hospital sites have
been released.
The BOPDHB Travel Plan Survey ran
for three weeks in July/August, with
a total of 1581 people completing
it. Of these, 1180 were BOPDHB
employees (representing 35% of staff)
and 401 were patients and visitors.
The survey gathered base data for
travel in and around the BOPDHB’s
two hospital sites in Tauranga and
Whakatāne.
Car dependency was a theme which
came through strongly in the survey.
92% of staff commuted by car during
an average week and 91% of visitors/
patients travelled to hospital by car.
Of those staff members who travelled
to work by car, 80% did so as the sole
occupants of that vehicle.
The survey also revealed that the
1180 staff who answered the survey
travelled a combined distance of
25,922 kms to work and home each
day. Other sources accessed during
the survey showed that around 145
cars per hour come in to the main car
parking area at Tauranga Hospital
between 8am and 5pm, Monday to
Friday.
This information will feed into the
BOPDHB Travel Plan which is due to
be finalised by the end of the year.