Yes. Both can significantly reduce the risk for many common cancers concludes a new report released today by the American Institute for Cancer Research. AICR experts estimate that 70 percent of endometrium cancer, 45 percent of colon cancer, and 38 percent of breast cancer cases are preventable by following a wholesome diet, getting adequate exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. (For a more detailed list, go here.)

The report asks government and community leaders to make these lifestyle changes easy for people by creating walking and biking routes, encouraging active play and healthy foods at public schools, and eliminating unhealthy vending machine snacks and beverages. And it challenges us all to become more educated about the foods we buy—to get savvy about nutrition guides and labels. (We know that can be tricky. Get our lowdown on how to read nutrition labels.)

Read more about cancer prevention and stayed tuned for Delicious Living’s latest cancer-preventing recipes in March.

Good news for all of us organic and sustainable food believers out there. This week President Obama tapped organic advocate Kathleen Merrigan for the number two ag position. If like me you participated in grassroots efforts to get forward-thinking food officials appointed and were dismayed by the Vilsack pick, then you should be doubly pleased. Here’s the jubilant reaction from our friends over at the Organic Center. more

Along with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, Neil Young founded the Farm Aid concert in 1985, Neil Young has long been an advocate for family farmers. In today’s Boston Globe, Young calls for “federal leaders to recognize the unmatched ability of family farmers to strengthen local economies.” Read his op-ed, titled “Comes a Time To Fight For Farmers.”

Since I returned from vacation, I have been downright ignoring the gym because, well, I’ve just been too busy to dedicate an hour. But starting today, I’m going all Oprah and getting back on that bandwagon — with microworkouts. Researchers say that if, like me, you have only 10 minutes to tone, you can still reap some of the same benefits as longer exercise. Need some tips to get started? Check out our 2007 story on “10-Minute Toning.”

After reading recent green tea health news, I went out and bought a brand new stash of green tea (pear-kiwi flavor, my favorite!) for work. So I was glad to hear more good news about tea: After reviewing nine studies involving over 190,000 individuals, UCLA researchers have concluded that drinking green or black tea every day may reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 21 percent. The reduction was associated with drinking three or more cups of tea daily—and the greater the consumption, the higher the benefit. Brews from all true teas (from the Camellia sinensis plant, not herbal tisanes) were associated with lowered risk of stroke. Epigallocatechin gallate (or EGCG, a polyphenol in tea) or theanine (an amino acid with stress-lowering properties) may be responsible for tea’s stroke-thwarting abilities, but more studies are needed, say researchers.

Source: Find time for tea to slash stroke risk: Study

You might opt for organic sheets, organic towels … how about organic jeans? Wal-Mart and KMart are joining companies like Levi’s, James Jeans, and Seven on the organic clothing bandwagon by adding lines of organic denim made by Greensource.

Greensource is a Seattle-based apparel company that uses certified organic cotton, meaning they use cotton that has not been grown using synthetic fertilizers, growth regulators, chemical pesticides or genetic engineering. Organic cotton must live up to the same standard that USDA sets for organic fruits and vegetables. And with an average of one pound of chemicals going into every conventional pair of jeans, organic may be the smarter choice. Greensource has also created a tool to trace the product from field to store. By entering a product number on their website, consumers can learn exactly where their pair of pants was grown and made.

London Fashion Week isn’t even over yet and government organizers have already created an environmentally focused action plan for fashion. Last week during the 25th annual Fashion Week, which runs February 20-24, the Sustainable Action Clothing Plan was created to reduce harmful effects on the environment.

With the realization that 2 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills every year, a plan has been created to lower the amount of waste created from cheap, highly disposable clothing. Many brands have become increasingly popular over the past decade, launching stores aimed at young girls who are able to fill their closets with the latest fashions from these inexpensive stores. Creators of the act believe that in the long run, producing cheap clothing will be completely unsustainable. more

Seriously? You’re not just messing with us, are you? The New York Times reports that the EPA is expected to regulate carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases associated with climate change within the next few months. If the agency declares that carbon dioxide should fall under the Clean Air Act, the effects would ripple through transportation, energy, and manufacturing sectors. No matter what, one thing is clear: This is the beginning of an era in which green ideals and the dangers of human-impacted environmental changes are taken seriously. I have hope, people.

While the squeeze on resources has us all thinking in new ways about how our food and health products are sourced, sustainability is the buzzword in the herbs and supplements industry. We’ll tell you how to choose sustainable herbs in our April issue. But here’s something to think about: A new paper titled “The Effects of Climate Change on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants” published by the American Botanical Council examines the daunting threat global warming poses to medicinal plants. Researchers say that the species more in danger of dying out as a result of climate change are those in alpine regions (think Rhodiola rosea). But even supper common plants such as chamomile and fennel could eventually be in the red.

Need more proof that organic and vegan are the hottest trends in beauty care? Victoria’s Secret has just launched a new line of 100 percent vegan body care products that feature organic, U.S.-sourced ingredients. That’s a bold statement from a company hardly known for being eco-aware (ahem, printing on unsustainably farmed paper products). But the more planet and people safe products out there, the better, I say. Bring it!