(ABC) -- New research says seven simple, common-sense steps are all you have to remember when it comes to cutting your cancer risk.
In 2010, the American Heart Association proposed seven steps to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes.
Writing in the journal “Circulation,” researchers now say the same steps work to cut down on cancer deaths, too, such as:
- Don’t smoke
- Stay active
- Watch your weight
- Maintain healthful levels of blood pressure
- Maintain healthful levels of blood sugar
- Maintain healthful levels of cholesterol
Examining data from 15,000 adults, the authors found that following six or seven of the steps lowered cancer risk by 49 percent.
But even those who stuck to three or four of the steps still had a 25 to 33 percent drop in cancers.
The authors hope the dual-purpose checklist for both heart disease and cancer will be doubly effective in helping the public prevent illness.
