Cancer
Matt Lee
Professor Lynch
Personal and Community Health
April 14, 2013
CVD and Cancer
After taking the cancer and CVD risk assessment I learned that aside from working in the sun without protection, smoking is my largest risk for cancer or CVD. Aside from these two risk factors I live a fairly healthy life, I work harder than most people my age can even fathom from their deep-fryer station at McDonald’s, I eat fairly well and I seldom find myself stationary.
My top-dog risk factor as determined by the cancer and CVD risk factor assessment is hands down smoking. Although I do not smoke profusely, on a stressful or long day at work I’ve been known to smoke roughly a pack a day, although I don’t think I’ve ever exceeded that. I am actually ashamed to have ever started smoking, it almost killed both grandparents on my dad’s side of the family. I can feel my chest tightening on some days but not enough for it to be an inhibition on work I can still work all day and run five miles fairly easily. Needless to say though smoking is still wreaking havoc on my cardiovascular system, whether I can feel it affecting my now or not. Not only that but the fear of getting cancer is overwhelming so there are several steps that can be taken to eliminate the risk factors associated with smoking. Namely, stopping smoking obviously. In order to stop I plan to buy an electronic cigarette and attempt to wean myself off of the real-deal. I know that most of them only emit water vapor impregnated with nicotine to curb the craving for a cigarette. Although I was supposed to give three examples of how I could reduce this risk, I feel that simply stating that I am attempting to quit is sufficient, because once I’ve quit what more is there to do if I’m not smoking and creating that risk factor for myself.
Secondly, and definitely a bit less worrisome (to me anyways), would be my exposure to direct sunlight without proper protection. I am a roofer, builder, contractor, pressure
Professor Lynch
Personal and Community Health
April 14, 2013
CVD and Cancer
After taking the cancer and CVD risk assessment I learned that aside from working in the sun without protection, smoking is my largest risk for cancer or CVD. Aside from these two risk factors I live a fairly healthy life, I work harder than most people my age can even fathom from their deep-fryer station at McDonald’s, I eat fairly well and I seldom find myself stationary.
My top-dog risk factor as determined by the cancer and CVD risk factor assessment is hands down smoking. Although I do not smoke profusely, on a stressful or long day at work I’ve been known to smoke roughly a pack a day, although I don’t think I’ve ever exceeded that. I am actually ashamed to have ever started smoking, it almost killed both grandparents on my dad’s side of the family. I can feel my chest tightening on some days but not enough for it to be an inhibition on work I can still work all day and run five miles fairly easily. Needless to say though smoking is still wreaking havoc on my cardiovascular system, whether I can feel it affecting my now or not. Not only that but the fear of getting cancer is overwhelming so there are several steps that can be taken to eliminate the risk factors associated with smoking. Namely, stopping smoking obviously. In order to stop I plan to buy an electronic cigarette and attempt to wean myself off of the real-deal. I know that most of them only emit water vapor impregnated with nicotine to curb the craving for a cigarette. Although I was supposed to give three examples of how I could reduce this risk, I feel that simply stating that I am attempting to quit is sufficient, because once I’ve quit what more is there to do if I’m not smoking and creating that risk factor for myself.
Secondly, and definitely a bit less worrisome (to me anyways), would be my exposure to direct sunlight without proper protection. I am a roofer, builder, contractor, pressure