Maturing with Time and Evidence: The Updated American Cancer Society Lifestyle Guidelines

Two of those had more teeth to them than their 2012 guidelines: 

1. It is best to avoid alcohol completely; for those not avoiding alcohol altogether, they recommend limiting consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
2. Reduce the amount of red and processed meats you eat. The ACS guidelines also emphasize decreasing the amount of processed foods you eat as well as increasing physical activity. 

Most of all, they stress how important it is to adopt healthy patterns of eating and moving, rather than singling out specific foods, diets or physical activities.

During the eight years between the 2012 and 2020 guidelines, respected cancer prevention research organizations such as the American Institute for Cancer Research, World Cancer Research Fund International and others have published evidence and guidelines that ACS used to update its recommendations. We are seeing an alignment in diet and physical activity guidelines across organizations. Our hope is this will reduce the confusion for those of you looking to put your money where your mouth is and where your feet trod, run, dance, or jump.

The ACS guidelines

I want to also say that a few decades ago, I was an active volunteer and board member of my local and state American Cancer Society. This many years later, I am glad to see this organization refresh and revise their lifestyle-related cancer-prevention guidelines. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, I was impressed with their outstanding educational programs and innovative cancer-prevention research projects. I was proud of them for putting out such practical, useful programs for the everyday folk who lived in small-town Virginia (where I live) and elsewhere.

I have to smile when I think back to teaching their healthy lifestyle program called “Taking Control.” Thirty-plus years before BCCTBeyond Conventional Cancer Therapies (predecessor website to CancerChoices)/CancerChoices listed our 7 Lifestyle Practices, the American Cancer Society was emphasizing taking control of your health through diet, exercise, good sleep, sense in the sun, stress management, avoiding carcinogens, and finding enjoyment. It’s like life coming full circle when I realize that what the ACS was promoting then still makes sense today, with the added benefit of time and evidence.

Eating Well

Moving More

Sharing Love
and Support

Exploring What Matters Now

Managing Stress

Creating a Healing Environment

Sleeping Well

The 7 Lifestyle Practices include practical ways to put these and other healthy lifestyle guidelines into your anticancer action plan. Also see Healthy Lifestyle › for further choices you can make.