Parents are an irreplaceable part of our lives. They shower us with love and affection. They show us the path of life and give us support and guidance throughout our lives. We grow older, but in the eyes of our parents, we always remain their children. We always want our parents to live a healthy, long life. Living a long life does not necessarily equate to living a healthy life. Age is a risk factor; as we grow older, the risk of cancer increases. The American Cancer Society reports that approximately 77% of cancer patients are 55 years of age or older. It’s alarming! We can help our parents reduce cancer risk by raising awareness and encouraging them to practice ideal habits such as regular exercise and healthy eating. These will undoubtedly improve the quality of life. Let’s take a look at some ideal practices:

Physical activity
Engaging in physical activity is crucial for everyone to sustain a healthy lifestyle. When our parents get older, they spend more inactive time. To make them more active, we can follow these steps:

• We need to inform them about the benefits of physical exercise, as a healthy weight reduces some cancer risks like breast, endometrial, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers.
• We may encourage them to participate in activities they enjoy, such as gardening, golfing, playing tennis, or swimming, to stay physically active.
• Consider going for a morning walk with your parents or engaging in exercise together to promote physical well-being.

Healthy food habits
Nutritious food intake lowers the risk of esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers. We should be careful that people older than 50 have sufficient calories and nutrients. We should remind them to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in their daily diet to reduce their cancer risk. At the same time, we should discourage eating red meat and sugary drinks. 

Avoid sun exposure
Skin cancer is associated with sun exposure. We should strongly advise them to avoid prolonged sun exposure to prevent skin cancer. 

Cut off smoking
We should urge our parents to refrain from smoking to reduce the risk of cancer and other major health issues. It will reduce the risk of cancer and other major health problems like heart and lung diseases.

Company
When parents get older, they become lonely, and depression affects them. Stress affects our immune system and weakens our defense mechanisms, which may provoke certain cancers. We should give them time and encourage them to help and visit others.

Regular health check-ups and screening
Take your parents for regular health check-ups and screening tests. Your parents may be healthy, and there are no symptoms of illness; you should take them for screening tests. Early detection will ensure early treatment, which may save lives.