“Cancer Sucks!” No two words put together could be truer…
I’m not sure why we can put a man on the moon, yet we can’t seem to find a cure for cancer…. I recently lost another dear aunt to cancer, and honestly – there are no words to describe what huge loss her light will be to all of us.
So why am I sharing this? Because there may be some things we can do to help prevent this horrible disease from invading our bodies… There may be a few things we can do to protect our loved ones….
But first – what causes cancer? I found this article written by an independent cancer research company that I wanted to share http://www.cancertutor.com/Articles/What_Causes_Cancer.html If you click on this link – beware, these guys are NOT fans of traditional cancer treatments – and are pretty much questioning if science actually wants to find a cure for cancer…. This I found interesting since my cousin Dickey who has also been diagnosed with cancer, said the same thing to me a few days ago…The article said…
“Every human being has cancer cells in their body!! Anyone who can read this sentence has many cancer cells in their body. However, God has designed our bodies to have a very, very sophisticated immune system which, among other things, was designed to safely target and kill cancer cells.
When a person is “diagnosed” with cancer it means there is an imbalance in their body between the strength of their immune system and the number of cancer cells in their body. In other words, something has damaged their immune system and/or something has caused a high number of cancer cells to form.
The result of this imbalance is an abnormally high number of cancer cells which thrive in their body. The number of cancer cells may grow out of control and eventually the person may be diagnosed with cancer.
- The approach of many alternative or natural health practitioners is four-fold:
- First, change the diet and lifestyle of the person to change their “inner terrain” to make the body hostile to cancer cells (e.g. change to an alkaline diet),
- Second, strengthen the immune system with natural nutrients,
- Third, use very gentle treatments that safely target and kill the cancer cells
- Fourth, use supplements to protect and energize the non-cancerous cells damaged by orthodox treatments.
Of course, in many cases other things are needed, but these are the most common aspects of an alternative cancer treatment. By doing these things the balance (between their immune system and the number of cancer cells) has been restored.”
Here are some other things that have been known to cause cancer – I say knowledge and a very strong immune system is our first line of defense! So take your vitamins, eat your veggies, and know what’s in your environment!
Heredity and Cancer – Sometimes, certain types of cancer seem to run in some families. This can be caused by a number of factors. Often, family members have certain risk factors in common, such as smoking, which can cause many types of cancer. But in some cases the cancer is caused by an abnormal gene that is being passed along from generation to generation. Although this is often referred to as inherited cancer, what is inherited is the abnormal gene that can lead to cancer, not the cancer itself. Only about 5% to 10% of all cancers are inherited.
Cigarette Smoking -The 1982 United States Surgeon General’s report stated that “Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality [death] in the United States.” This statement is as true today as it was then.
Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors — activities that people choose to do — smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society.
Regular cigar smoking – increases your risk for many cancers, including:
- Lung
- Lip, tongue, mouth, throat (oral cavity)
- Esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach)
- Voice box (larynx)
- Probably pancreas
Studies have shown that regular cigar smokers are 4 to 10 times more likely to die from cancers of the mouth, larynx, and esophagus than non-smokers. For those who inhale, cigar smoking appears to be linked to death from cancer of the pancreas and bladder, too.
How you smoke and how much you smoke are both important. Cigar smokers may spend an hour smoking one large cigar that can contain as much tobacco as a pack of cigarettes. Smoking more cigars each day or inhaling cigar smoke leads to more exposure and higher risks. The health risks linked to occasional cigar smoking (less than daily) are not known.
Secondhand smoke causes cancer – Secondhand smoke is classified as a “known human carcinogen” (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization.
Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of these are known or suspected to cause cancer.
Diet and Physical Activity: What’s the Cancer Connection? – How much do daily habits like diet and exercise affect your risk for cancer? Much more than you might think. Research has shown that poor diet and not being active are two key factors that can increase a person’s cancer risk. The good news is that these are things you can control.
Except for quitting smoking, some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:
- Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
- Be physically active on a regular basis.
- Make healthy food choices.
The evidence for this is strong: Each year, about 570,000 Americans die of cancer; fully one-third of these deaths are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity, and carrying too much weight.
How does alcohol raise cancer risk? – The exact way in which alcohol affects cancer risk isn’t completely understood. In fact, there may be several different ways in which it raises risk, and this may depend on the type of cancer.
Damage to body tissues: Alcohol may act as an irritant, especially in the mouth and throat. Cells that are damaged may try to repair themselves, which may lead to DNA changes in the cells that can be a step toward cancer.
In the colon and rectum, bacteria can convert alcohol into large amounts of acetaldehyde, a chemical that has been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.
Alcohol and its byproducts can also directly damage the liver, leading to inflammation and scarring. As liver cells try to repair the damage, they may acquire mistakes in their DNA.
skin cancer – Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the melanocytes – the cells that produce the skin coloring or pigment known as melanin. Melanin helps protect the deeper layers of the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Melanoma is almost always curable when it is detected in its early stages. Although melanoma accounts for only a small percentage of skin cancer, it is far more dangerous than other skin cancers and causes most skin cancer deaths.
Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 68,130 cases of skin cancer in 2010 and most (about 8,700) of the 11,790 deaths due to skin cancer each year.
What is a carcinogen? – Cancer is caused by changes in a cell’s DNA – its genetic “blueprint.” Some of these changes may be inherited from our parents, while others may be caused by outside exposures, which are often referred to as environmental factors. Environmental factors can include a wide range of exposures, such as:
- Lifestyle factors (nutrition, tobacco use, physical activity, etc.)
- Naturally occurring exposures (ultraviolet light, radon gas, infectious agents, etc.)
- Medical treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, immune system-suppressing drugs, etc.)
- Workplace exposures
- Household exposures
- Pollution
Substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens. Some carcinogens do not affect DNA directly, but lead to cancer in other ways. For example, they may cause cells to divide at a faster than normal rate, which could increase the chances that DNA changes will occur.
Carcinogens do not cause cancer in every case, all the time. Substances labeled as carcinogens may have different levels of cancer-causing potential. Some may cause cancer only after prolonged, high levels of exposure. And for any particular person, the risk of developing cancer depends on many factors, including how they are exposed to a carcinogen, the length and intensity of the exposure, and the person’s genetic makeup.
For more detailed information click on the link below –http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/index
Below is an article I found that says a few simple lifestyle changes can drastically reduce your risk of many types of cancer –
1. Avoid Smoking and Exposure to Smoke – Smoking is the most significant cancer risk factor that we can reduce. It is responsible for not only lung cancer, but many other types of cancer. One of the best ways to prevent cancer is to quit smoking or never start. As soon as you quit, and it’s never too late, your body reaps the benefits of being tobacco-free.secondhand smoke is also a way to prevent cancer. Secondhand smoke is the smoke exhaled from a smoker or a lit cigarette, pipe or cigar. This smoke contains more than 60 known carcinogens”. These carcinogens interrupt normal cell development. This interference is what
Avoiding
2. Practice Sun Safety and Recognize When Skin Changes Occur – Did you know that over one million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among men and women, and it accounts for about half of all cancer diagnoses. The good news is that skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.
The first step in preventing skin cancer is to avoid UV ray exposure. We can do this by wearing sunscreen, avoiding mid-day sun, wearing protective clothing when outdoors, and by staying away from tanning beds. Here are some tips to get you started:
3. Eat Your Fruits and Veggies – A well-balanced diet is advantageous for many reasons. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables greatly reduces your risk of developing cancer and many other conditions.
Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which help repair our damaged cells. Green, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are your best bet to help prevent cancer. Studies also show that dark fruits, like blueberries and grapes, may also have anti-cancer properties.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower appear to pack a powerful punch at preventing cancer, according to numerous studies. Other cruciferous vegetables include bok choy, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
4. Limit Red Meat and Animal Fat – Numerous studies show that a diet high in animal fat increases the risk for several types of cancer, particularly colon cancer. Red meat contains much more fat than poultry and fish, so reducing the amount of red meat in your diet may help to prevent cancer. A diet high in fat also is major cause of obesity, which is a risk factor for many types of cancer.
5. Limit Your Alcohol Intake – Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol regularly increases your risk factor for many types of cancer. Studies suggest that men who consume 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women who have 1 alcoholic drink per day significantly increase their risk factors for certain types of cancer.
6. Exercise for Cancer Prevention – Did you know that when you are exercise, you are reducing your risk for many types of cancer? The American Cancer Society recommends exercising 30 or minutes, at least 5 days a week for cancer prevention. Exercising doesn’t have to mean going to the gym to lift weights. There are plenty of ways to get exercise into your day.
7. Know Your Personal and Family Medical History – Knowing your family history of cancer is important to properly assess your risk factor for certain types of cancer. We know that cancers like breast, colon, ovarian, and possibly other types can be hereditary.
If you know that a certain type of cancer runs in your family, let your doctor know. Together, you can determine a proper screening plan and assess your true risk. Genetic testing and counseling is available and may be recommended based on your family’s medical history.
8. Know What You’re Being Exposed to in Your Work Environment – Chemicals in the workplace may increase your risk of developing many types of cancer, including kidney cancer and bladder cancer. If you are exposed to fumes, dust, chemicals, etc. in the workplace, you have a legal right to know what you are being exposed to. Gasoline, diesel exhaust, arsenic, beryllium, vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, coal products, mustard gas, and chloromethyl ethers are all carcinogens and can be found in some work environments. Talk to your employer about limiting exposure.
9. Practice Safe Sex – You may wonder what sex has to do with cancer. Unsafe sex can result in the infection of the human papillomairus (HPV), a known cause for cervical cancer and a risk factor for many other types of cancer. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that is spread through sexual, skin-to-skin contact. A vaccine, Gardasil, to prevent HPV was approved by the FDA in 2006 and protects against four strains of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer and other types. HIV/AIDS is also associated with some types of cancers.
10. Get Screened for Cancer Regularly – Cancer screening tests can be useful not only in detecting cancer, but also helping prevent it. Screening tests like the colonoscopy and Pap smear can detect abnormal cellular changes before they turn cancerous. The key to their effectiveness, however, is that they are done regularly.
Other cancer screening tests are available and may be useful for early detection, but not necessarily cancer prevention. Prostate cancer screening through digital rectal exams and PSA tests can help detect prostate cancer early. Mammograms and other imaging tools are also recommended to detect breast cancer in women.
http://cancer.about.com/od/causes/tp/topreventcancer.htm
Check out the links below for things to help you prevent cancer….
http://www.rd.com/health/31-simple-ways-to-prevent-cancer/1/
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