In 2006, 174,470 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States. About 92,700 men and 81,770 women will develop the disease -- the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.

An estimated 162,460 men and women will die of lung cancer this year, accounting for 28 percent of all cancer deaths and taking more lives than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. While most people diagnosed with lung cancer will die within the first two years of diagnosis -- this has not changed in 10 years -- some people are cured. There are currently about 333,000 long-term survivors.

Mama's Health recommends eating these healthy foods to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Herbs, vegetables, dietary fiber and fruits are food items most of us already know are essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are some foods that are especially good for preventing cancer and heart disease.

Basil tops the herb list and reduces blood pressure and eases the symptoms of emphysema and bronchitis. In addition, rubbing basil on your skin acts as a natural bug repellent.

Spinach, asparagus, and broccoli top the vegetables most recommended to cut down on heart disease and cancer, giving at least 50 percent of the recommended daily allowances (RDI) for vitamin A, and about 20 percent of the RDI for vitamin C. Spinach is a good source of iron, calcium and folate and asparagus is also high in folate content (20 to 50 percent of RDI per serving). Folate is a nutrient identified as being important for pregnant women. Folate, also known as folic acid, might reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and breast cancer.

Sweet Bing cherries, pumpkin, strawberries and apricots, are high in vitamin A and C, and provide a good source of fiber. Sweet Bing cherries is a cancer prevention food with the ability to fight the inflammation associated with some cancers. Pumpkin and strawberries are a good source of iron and folate. A substance found in strawberries, quercetin, has been shown to program cancer cells to self destruct. All are low in calories.

Dietary fiber found in whole wheat bread and 100 percent bran cereal along with kidney beans, white beans, and potatoes top the fiber charts for healthy eating to prevent cancer and heart disease. Soy nuts top the healthy snacks and are high in protein and isoflavones.

Is smoking or not smoking a choice for everyone? While some cities are banning smoking in public places and some conscious efforts around the US are setting standards to stop smoking in the work place -- and restaurants are following a pattern to either end smoking in their establishments or to designate an area just for smokers -- it is still up to a lot of individuals to make choices where they will go in public to avoid cigarette smoke.

Twenty percent of lung cancers in women are from non-smokers who were exposed to second hand smoke. This statistic seems to be on the rise. But it is not just lung cancers that are affected by second hand smoke. Other types of cancers have been related to smoking or second hand smoke.

As adults we all have to make choices daily whether to go hang out with friends in a bar or night club that allows smoking, or to visit with a friend or family member in their house and they are a smoker. But what about the children? What choices do they have to stay away from parents, guardians, or baby sitters or other family members that are smokers? Children face a higher risk than adults of the negative effects of second hand smoke. Not only is a child's body still developing physically, but their breathing rate is faster than that of adults. Children breathing second hand smoke have many more illnesses like ear infections, bronchitis, allergies, and stunted growth.

So if you are trying to find some way to help you quit smoking, think about the health of your children or the children you are around. If you need another reason, remember that kids of a parent that smokes are more likely to start smoking themselves when they get older.  Do you want your kids to have an increased risk of lung cancer or heart attacks because they learned to smoke from you?

If you just can't quit, then make a conscious effort to smoke outside of the home and do not smoke in the car.  Also consider using smokeless ashtrays.  Cut down on the amount of exposure to second hand cigarette smoke for your child who does not have the choice.