Welcome to the Facts
First of all, it's important to understand what cancer is—and what it isn't. In medical terms, cancer is a group of diseases that makes cells multiply in an out-of-control way. If not controlled by surgery or drugs, this kind of growth (known as metastasis) can lead to death. We say cancer is a 'group' of diseases because there are many different kinds of cancer, usually named for the place where the cancer first develops, such as the breast, lung, colon, or skin.
In spite of the fact that you cannot catch cancer from anyone else, people can still feel powerless in the face of such a deadly disease. However, the truth is many cancers can be prevented—actually, more than 50% of cancers can be prevented. The first step is to get informed—get the true facts about cancer, the risks, and how to avoid those risks.
The daily decisions you make about your lifestyle matter not just for now, but also for the future. This includes choices you make about the food you eat, how much exercise you get, if you use tobacco, and whether you protect yourself from the sun. The good news is that because more than half of all cancers are a direct result of behaviour that can be changed, you can do something about it. Unhealthy habits, peer pressure, lack of awareness, and misinformation can all get in the way of healthy lifestyle habits that promote cancer prevention and good health in general. Practicing healthy behaviours such as not using tobacco, having a healthy body weight, keeping active, and eating a healthy diet also helps to reduce your risk of other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
We want to hear from you!
We want to know what you think. Write to us at hi5@preventionprograms.org if you have any questions or stories to tell us about cancer and cancer prevention.
 Facts about Sun Safety
We're lucky to live in British Columbia, where there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy year-round. But all that time in the fresh air can also lead to an unintended consequence—and that's overexposure to the sun's UV rays. Although we think that having a tan is associated with healthy times spent outside, the truth is that changes in skin colour actually represent damage to the skin. And that damage gets worse over time. That healthy glow you got this summer at the lake? Unfortunately, that results in most of the visible consequences of skin damage—spots, wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging that can make you look much older than your years.
There are several different kinds of skin cancer. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are the most common kind. Over 90 percent of these cancers are associated with unsafe sun exposure. Melanoma is the most serious kind of skin cancer. If not treated, it can lead to death, but if caught early the cure rate is much higher. British Columbia's rates of melanoma are the highest in Canada and, sometimes, even very young people can get melanoma. You can read about one young British Columbian's struggle with melanoma here.
The best ways to minimize your risk of skin cancer is to protect yourself from the sun. That means wearing long sleeves and a hat, finding shade—especially during the hottest part of the day from 11 am to 3 pm, and wearing SPF 30+ sunscreen.
Hi5 Ways to Stay Sun Safe
- Get it checked. If you see a blemish or spot on your skin that looks suspicious, talk to your doctor. You can see more about what skin cancer looks like here. It's not pretty.
- Stay out of bed. The tanning bed, that is. There is no safe level of tanning with sunbeds or sunlamps. They can cause damage that leads to skin cancer. In fact, the World Health Organization thinks it's a good idea to restrict the use of tanning beds by people under 18.
- Fake Bake. If you want to have the appearance of a tan, use a self-tanning lotion or spray. But remember, self-tanning lotion won't protect you from the sun — you still need to cover your skin outdoors. Read more about sunless tanner.
- Get your D. You might have heard that protecting yourself from the sun can mean you don't get enough Vitamin D. Not true! You can get the Vitamin D you need through foods and—possibly—supplements. Find out more about Vitamin D and how to make sure you have enough.
- Watch it in winter. It's the same sun in winter as in summer—and it still has UV rays that can cause skin damage. If you're skiing or just spending time outdoors in the snow, continue to protect yourself with goggles, headwear, and SPF 30+ sunscreen.
 Facts about Tobacco Use
Most people who use tobacco start in their teens. This makes sense—after all, tobacco kills half of its users, so the people who sell tobacco products need to keep finding new, younger customers. The reasons teens give for smoking are similar—they think it looks cool, or their friends do it. Sometimes they are influenced by people in their lives, possibly even their parents. But here's what you need to know about tobacco use.
There's nothing cool about it. When you start using tobacco because you've seen it in the media or in advertisements, you should know that you are being manipulated. Tobacco companies use many means to appeal to young people, from featuring cartoon characters to having movie and tv stars smoke. They know that if you don't start to smoke during adolescence you are unlikely ever to become a smoker. They also know that smokers who start at a younger age are more likely to become regular and heavier smokers, and are less likely to quit. Finally, they know that tobacco addiction is powerful, and that's why they want to get you hooked now. But you don't have to fall for that. You should know that tobacco is the single leading preventable cause of cancer death. It kills over 45,000 Canadians each year.
Hi5 Ways to be Tobacco Free
- Want to know more about how the tobacco companies sell you on smoking? The Children's Rights Council has plenty of info on tobacco marketing, and on smoking and its effects.
- Think about the costs of tobacco use not only to your health, but to your wallet. Want to see how much it is costing you to smoke? Check out this tobacco cost calculator.
- Think SNUS is better than cigarettes? Unfortunately chewing tobacco is just as bad for you as smoking. Find out the truth about SNUS here.
- Want to learn more about what tobacco companies are really selling and what tobacco products can do? Check out The Truth.
- If you do use tobacco and need help quitting, a great resource in British Columbia is at www.quitnow.ca or you can call 877.455.2233.
 Facts about Healthy Weight
What's a healthy weight? You can get a lot of information about weight from friends and the media, but it might not be the most accurate. The truth is that everyone grows and matures differently during their teenage years. Your own weight may fluctuate when you have growth spurts, or during periods when you're more active than others. The important thing is to keep your weight in a healthy range over a period of time. Being underweight isn't good for your health. Neither is being overweight. And being obese—severely overweight—can have big time consequences.
Unhealthy weight gain is more than a cosmetic issue. Overweight teens are more likely to be overweight adults, and the chances of developing serious health problems—like heart disease or diabetes—increase along with your waistline. Excess body fat is also linked with an increased risk of some cancers—especially those of the bowel, pancreas, kidney, endometrium (womb), and breast. That's why you should try to stay as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
Hi5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Know your BMI. Your Body Mass Index a good starting point to tell if you're at a healthy weight. You can find a BMI calculator just for teens here. Another thing to know about is body composition. Two people the same height and age may have a different healthy weight thanks to their muscle, fat, and bones. Your doctor or a school nurse or nutrition counselor can answer any questions you have about your BMI and your weight.
- Learn to cook! Move beyond mac & cheese. Take some cooking classes or just practice at home. When you cook your own meals, you'll be more conscious of what goes into them.
- Get moving. Teens and young adults should be on the move every day. It doesn't have to be sports. Walking to school, taking the dog for a run, riding your bike to the store—all help burn calories and build muscle. For more tips on how to up your activity level, visit ActNowBC.
- Watch your intake. It's not just what you eat, it's how much and how often that can affect your weight. Here is a handy Food Tracker just for teen girls and teen boys. Use these guides to help you stay on track with your nutrition.
- Stand Up. Now Sit Down. Limit TV, game, and computer time to less than 2 hours a day. Chances are you're sitting in a desk at school, so try to take advantage of your free time to get some exercise. If you're going to sit down, try to do it at mealtimes. Grabbing fast food and gobbling it while running from one place to another is a sure way to add empty calories.
 Facts about Good Food
Food is fuel. You need good, nutritious food to help you grow better, move faster, and think harder. Maybe you already have a good idea about whether your diet is healthy or not. Maybe you're confused about all the information on food out there. But the truth is that healthy eating is simpler than you think. Almost all foods can fit into a healthy diet—you just need to eat enough of the right foods in the right amounts.
Your body needs nutrients to get through each day. You need protein for growth, carbohydrates for energy, and healthy fats for energy storage and nutrition. You need fibre to keep your digestive system working well, and you need vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep your bones, muscles, and nerves functioning.
- Aim for regular meals and eat them sitting down, not on the run.
- Eat from all the food groups (vegetables & fruits, grains & bread, meat, fish & beans, milk & substitutes, and fats & simple sugars).
- Balance the amount of food you eat with the amount of activity you get every day.
Hi5 Ways to Eat Well
- You need 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit every day. Period.
- Keep track. The nice people at Dietitians of Canada have created a useful EATracker to help assess your food choices and compare them to those laid out by Health Canada. It's a handy way to see how your food choices stack up.
- Stop the pop. Want to see how much sugar is in your drinks? This website gives you an idea how many empty calories you are sucking up through that straw.
- Every packaged product sold in the grocery store has a label that gives you information about what's in the food. It's a good idea to learn a bit about these labels to help you make good food choices.
- Eat well at school. You spend most of your day at school, so it's a natural place to make better or worse food choices. Find out ways to improve your eating habits and take action for healthy eating at your school.
 Facts about Physical Activity
Physical activity isn't just important because it helps you keep at a healthy weight. It keeps your heart pumping, makes your bones and muscles stronger, and helps you feel better about yourself. It can be social or solitary. Healthy bodies come in a range of shapes, sizes, and weights but they all have one thing in common—having a physically fit body means you can do the activities you want just as often as you want to.
There's another big bonus to keeping fit. Regular physical activity protects you in the long run against many diseases. Heart disease, diabetes, and cancers such as breast cancer and colon cancer are all linked to lack of exercise.
Canada's Physical Activity Guide for youth recommends that you increase your physical activity to 90 minutes a day and do three different kinds of activity a week. These include
- Strength activities like lifting and pushing, to build your muscles.
- Endurance activities, like running, kayaking, or rollerblading, to keep your heart and lungs strong and healthy.
- Flexibility activities, like stretches and twists, to keep your joints moving.
- Even if 90 minutes seems like a lot, you can start with 30 minutes and still get plenty of health benefits.
Hi5 Ways to Be Active
- Multitask. It's what teens are known for. Try it next time you're watching TV. Instead of just sitting on the couch, put a yoga mat on the floor and do some stretches to increase your flexibility. Or lift some hand weights to build your muscles.
- For girls, physical activity declines dramatically during the teen years. The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport has a program called On the Move, which has as its objective "to increase the participation of girls and women in all aspects of Canadian sport and physical activity."
- How much is enough? If you can talk while exercising, you're doing great. If you can sing, you're not working hard enough.
- Choose some place you normally drive or take the bus to reach and decide instead to walk, skateboard, or ride your bike there once this week. Then next week, up that to two times. Pretty soon, it will feel like the normal thing to do.
- Try something new. ActNow BC has some good suggestions for trying new activities that can help you maximize health and get moving.
More Hi5 Facts
This website can help you learn more about cancer prevention and healthy living. You may also have questions about other physical and mental health issues. The following websites are good places to find reliable information on issues that are often important to youth.
Emotional Health
- The BC Government has a downloadable guide for teens age 13 to 17 who suffer from depression or who believe they may have depression.
- Mind Your Mind is a site by youth for youth where you can get info, resources, and the tools to help manage stress, crisis, and mental health problems.
- Teen Mental Health has information on evidence-based medicine and mental health issues for teens.
Alcohol & Drugs
- Alcohol & Drug Information & Referral Service in BC. 800.663.1411. Lower Mainland. 604.660.9382.
- Here to Help has fact sheets and resources for both addiction and mental-health issues.
Sexual Health
- The Kids Help Phone site has information on dating, girls’ and guys’ health, STIs and pregnancy. Like the name says, you can also call them at 800.668.6868.
- Youth in BC can answer many questions about sexual health. After all, more knowledge can help you make the best choices.
Cervical Cancer Screening
Regular cervical cancer screening can find abnormal changes in the cervix early, before cancer develops. Treatment of abnormal cervical cells can prevent cervical cancer from developing. A vaccine is available for women aged 9 to 26. Read more about it from these sources.
- Questions about HPV and cervical cancer screening (Pap tests)? Visit the BC Cancer Agency for help.
- To learn more about the HPV vaccine for young women in BC, take a look at the LACE campaign website.
Breast Cancer Screening
Pass it on! Should someone you know be getting a mammogram? Do you have questions about breast cancer? Are you concerned about the risk of breast cancer? The following sites can help you out.
- The BC Cancer Agency offers screening mammograms for women age 40 to 79 and has information on who should be screened and how to get a mammogram.
- For more background information on breast cancer, you can take a look at the Canadian Cancer Society website
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