Cooking class aims to reduce cancer risk through healthy eating

Let’s talk about cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 4 adults will be diagnosed with cancer. That is a startling statistic.

The good news is there are things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or potion that can help you. However, simple lifestyle changes — such as eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, and engaging in physical activity — can reduce your risk by 30 percent.

To help you learn more about reducing the risk of cancer, the Macon-Bibb Cooperative Extension Office and the American Cancer Society have teamed up to present two free cancer cooking classes, called “Cooking for a Lifetime,” right here in Middle Georgia.

The first will be April 11 at Rosa Jackson Community Center. For this class, we would like to invite women between the ages of 21 and 64 who are uninsured or underinsured. We are targeting this audience to share a variety of resources available for information about breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.

We will also host a second “Cooking for a Lifetime” class April 25 at the Cancer Center, Navicent Health. This session will be open to all women and also will provide information about reducing risk for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.

Each class will feature experts from the American Cancer Society and Macon-Bibb Cooperative Extension. Instructors will discuss food options that promote good health and decrease the risk of cancer. In addition to just talking about nutrition, instructors will prepare healthy food options and participants will be able to taste the dishes.

We invite all women to join us for these special events.

“Cooking for a Lifetime”

▪ 10 a.m.-1 p.m. April 11, Rosa Jackson Community Center, 1211 Maynard St.

▪ 10 a.m.-1 p.m. April 25, Cancer Life Center Navicent Health, 800 First St.

Each session is free, but interested participants must pre-register. To do so, call 478-751-6338 or email thomaskj@uga.edu. We encourage you to register early because space is limited.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 6:56 AM with the headline "Cooking class aims to reduce cancer risk through healthy eating."