Cancer.
For many, the word alone is enough to evoke fear, unease, trepidation, and worry.
More likely than not, the thought of cancer has crossed your mind many times and you have wondered to yourself if you might be the unlucky 1 in 3 that will get cancer before the age of 75.
[This disease has really gotten out of control, hasn’t it?
And the saddest part of all is that many of the cancers that strike are due in large part to our lifestyle.
What we eat.
How much we move (or don’t move).
What we put into our bodies.
What we breathe in.
What we think. And feel.
What we stress.
At no other time in history have our lifestyles so greatly supported and encouraged the growth of cancer.
There are so many different cancers out there that I can’t even pronounce let alone wrap my head around.
It is a very sad situation. Many of us have lost loved ones to cancer or know someone who is currently battling this disease right now.
But there is good news amongst all of this fear.
The good news is that we can do something about it. We can take steps each and every day that will prevent this disease from occurring!!
We can fight it and take away all of the support that cancer typically finds in the average Western way of life.
Excess.
One of the best books I have ever read is called ‘Foods That Fight Cancer’ by Drs. Belliveau and Gingras. I think this book is often overlooked by many because people think that you need to have cancer to warrant the purchase and utility of the book. But that is so far from the truth.
In the last chapter of the book, Drs. Belliveau and Gingras write a guide on fighting cancer. Steps that you can take in your day to day life that will make a huge impact on your health and decrease the odds that you will ever get stricken by this disease.
To me, this is so fascinating. To have the power to influence the course of illness or health is truly within our power to a large degree. We don’t need to be powerless any longer!
The Doctors make it clear in the beginning of this chapter that what we eat, while very important, is still only part of the ‘larger’ picture of our overall health. As I mentioned above things like stress and our environment make up a large part of our health and it is important to address a multitude of issues.
So now let’s talk about steps you can take in your life- TODAY!
1) QUIT SMOKING
One third of all cancers are directly related to tobacco use so you can see why the authors listed this as number one!!
If you smoke, you may have the following risk factors:
- 30-fold increase in the risk of lung cancer
- increase in the risk of mouth, pancreas, larynx, bladder
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic fatigue
- Loss of taste and smell
Smoking is NOT something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. It is these two emotions that prevent many people from seeking professional help. Nicotine is one of the most powerful drugs in nature, yet many people feel ashamed to seek help for it. Which is quite silly if you think about it. Ask for professional help if you are having trouble quitting- your health will thank you for it!
2) LOWER YOUR CALORIE INTAKE
As a preface, this message is intended for people who follow the SAD (Standard American Diet)- too much sugar, too much fat, too much processed foods. They suggest to avoid buying processed foods, cook more and reclaim control in your kitchen, and also start viewing foods such as hamburgers, fries, chips, and soft drinks as occasional ‘treats’ instead of foods that can be eaten on a daily basis.
3) REDUCE RED MEAT CONSUMPTION
A diet rich in red meat hugely increases the risk of colon cancer. It also increases the chances that you will gain weight as a large amount of the calories in red meat come from fat (unhealthy fat!). The authors suggest to select leaner cuts of meats like chicken or fish and replacing one (or more) servings of meat each day with another source of protein like legumes. We can also ‘reframe’ the way we view meat- it does not need to be front and centre of each dish. I don’t know about you guys, but in my house growing up, meat WAS the centre stage. If there was no meat, we didn’t have a real dinner! That is such an old school way of thought to me now (sorry dad!). :)
4) AVOID FOODS CONTAINING POTENTIAL CANCER-CAUSING SUBSTANCES
- Smoked meats
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Ham
- Delicatessen meats
- etc…
These foods contain preservatives such as nitrites which increase the risk of certain cancers. Nitrites transform into carcinogenic substances in the body. Sadly, Barbequing is another supporter of cancer. When meat is cooked over a flame drippings that fall and catch fire produce toxic substances known as aromatic hydrocarbons. These may rise to the surface of meat and act as carcinogens. Marinating the meat in acids like lemon juice may reduce the risk of these harmful substances. The authors also suggest to avoid salted or pickled foods. In countries where a large amount of these foods are consumed (Portugal, Japan, China, etc) there is a high incidence of stomach cancer.
5) EXERCISE REGULARLY!!!!!
Just when you thought that you didn’t have any motivation to workout today! ;)
Regular exercise reduces the risk of certain cancers such as breast and colon cancer. Exercise reduces obesity which is an important factor that increases the chance of cancer. I’d also like to add that regular exercise reduces stress and increases well-being, which as we all know, impacts our overall health in such a fabulous way!
++++++++++
Today’s question: Do you give much thought about how your lifestyle impacts illness in your life? Do you think about your overall health and desire to prevent illness when you carry out healthy behaviours? Do you already practice some of the above in your life?
See you this afternoon for Part 2:
- I will be talking about SPECIFIC foods (and amounts) that the doctors suggest you eat EACH DAY to prevent cancer!
It is so so interesting and exciting to have these tools in our own hands!!!! I can’t wait to talk about it!!!! :D
I definitely eat and exercise with my health in mind. I tend to have a fairly fatalistic approach towards cancer. I was a chemistry major in college and a biomolecular engineering major in grad school- plus I spent a lot of time in the sun growing up- so I have been exposed to more carcinogens than your average person. Not that that means I’m going to get cancer (I practiced very safe lab habits), but I wouldn’t be all that surprised either. However, being very healthy now certainly doesn’t hurt and my goal is to have a good quality of life for as long as I live.
My mom’s best friend’s brother died of a stroke at 72 a couple of weeks ago. Mom said that it was a huge shock because he had a very healthy diet and walked 3 miles a day. Everyone expected him to live for at least another decade.
I pointed out that I would love to be walking 3 miles a day when I’m 72! I would like to live to a ripe old age, but I think the real triumph will be being able to get around and have a good quality of life when I’m older. My parents started having problems with aches and pains and sleep apnea all all those issues directly connected to being overweight in their early 40’s. I don’t want to let that happen to me!
Hi Angela,
I think there is definitely some merit to this post, but I also think it is harmful to say that most cancers are the result of lifestyle choices. While some cancers are the result of lifestyle choices, others are not, and placing blame on those with cancer is not productive or helpful. Yes, it is good for your health to make smart food choices (I tend towards the primal/paleo diet myself), exercise regularly, get enough sleep, etc, but not all cancers can be prevented.
Sally, my intention is not to place blame on anyone for cancer! My goodness!!! I thought I stated that not all cancers can be prevented. Sorry if you misinterpreted my message. ~A
PS Have you ever seen the website Mark’s Daily Apple at marksdailyapple dot com? He promotes a primal lifestyle and backs up his claims with some solid science. I’d be interested to hear your take on it.
This is something I think about every, single day. Not because of cancer but because of heart disease. I began my quest for a healthier life because of my high blood pressure and cholesterol (I am 30), unfortunately for me much of this is genetic and lifestyle alone won’t take it away.
However we all have examples of people with uber-healthy lifestyles that tragically have a heart attack or cancer, so I think ultimately you have to find the balance between being paranoid and just living your life. It goes back to keeping your life in moderation, for me that is having that slice of birthday cake if I want it.
After seeing Kris Carr on Oprah a few years ago, she really showed me how much we can all do to prevent this disease. I have read ‘Foods that Fight Cancer’ and many other books related to the link between cancer and lifestyle. However, the best book I have read yet on this topic is ‘Anticancer’ written by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D. (WOW!!!). He is a neuropsychiatrist who discovered his own brain tumour by mistake. He then goes on to describe how he healed himself with a balance of western and natural medicine (food, exercise, etc)…it is an AMAZING book!
My comment isn’t really to do with this post.. just wanted to say I tried your skinny mini glo-buns recently and even my cinnamon hating boyfriend loved the smell so much he asked me to make him some gluten free, soy free sugar ones so I modified your recipe, both versions were fab! I did a post on my blog about it if you want to know more, thanks for a great recipe!
I honestly don’t believe that we can prevent cancer … thought we might think we can. There are thousands of things that doctors say can cause/prevent cancer, things that we cannot control. I don’t believe the doctors really know much about Cancer which is sad since they’ve been doing research for so long. Almost everyone I’ve lost (7 people) has been to cancer … some of the people lead unhealthy lifestyles, while others were the healthiest people I know. If people want to believe that they can prevent themselves from having cancer by just eating certain foods, exercising and staying positive … then so be it, they might get a rude awakening down the road though!
Crystal- you bring up a great point about perceived self control and self efficacy that I will be addressing in a post!
I can’t wait to read part 2. I wish everyone could and would do all of these things, and we would all be living healthier more active lives. You do such great things for us Ange, I will try to help spread the word!
Hey Angela!
Did you know that 30% of women who get breast cancer never actually show any of the risk factors you write about above? (But – to clarify – these are all really great tips: it never hurts to get healthy and try to ward off cancer!)
This is near to my heart, but The Dr. Susan Love Foundation and Avon have created the Army of Women – a group where healthy women can choose to participate in studies or questionnaires that are trying to uncover the most important risk factors that cause breast and other forms of cancer.
I’m not actually associated with the program but I think it’s a great cause. I even made my mom, aunts and friends sign up! Check it out at armyofwomen.org
This is a great and so very interesting topic! It’s amazing to me how prevalent cancer is that there hasn’t been a better cure discovered for it. My grandpa has had prostate, lung, throat, and colon cancer, but amazingly he is still going strong. It really wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t for my grandma who is an RN and an amazing cook for him. So much of this also depends on our state of mind. It is also amazing to me how truly powerful our minds are and how we can manifest our lives by our thoughts, good or bad. My grandma always talks about how no one ever got sick or cancer back in her day, even though they drank whole milk, ate organic beef and farm-raised veggies. Everything back then was pure, wholesome and not full of artificial and processed junk. I think that makes a huge difference too. I really don’t know how my grandma is still going, but she is 74 and has smoked since she was 15. So many pieces of the puzzle, but my grandma (she’s adopted) must have good genes!
What a timely post! I just started reading your blog yesterday and this hits super close to home to me.
I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when I was just 23. I lived a relatively healthy lifestyle, lots of physical activity, pretty healthy food choices. There was no reason for it, my doctors were shocked, through all the testing , even up to removal of half of my thyroid, they kept saying “It just can’t be cancer.
But it was. I’m genetically predisposed to it. My mom had breast cancer young, my grandmother just passed away from lung cancer. There was absolutely nothing I could have done to prevent it. Some cancers just happen.
That said, I think it is incumbent upon us, as, you know, the people who are stuck with these bodies, to take as good of care of them as we can. Does eating red meat increase your cancer risk? Probably? Then none for me, thanks. Since cancer can strike at any time, on any one, with no warning or reason, we must do everything we can to stem that tide. I’ve been cancer free for almost five years. While the surgeries and radiation I endured were nothing compared to the treatment some people live through, I have no desire to go through any of it again. I don’t want to suffer a recurrence, and be forced to wonder if I could have done anything to stop it.
Thanks for this great post. I’m really looking forward to Part 2.
This post hit really close to home. My dad has lymphoma and soon after he was diagnosed, he had to change his diet completely. Unfortunately it didn’t help much and he had to start Chemo. I think our lifestyle helps it to an extent, but not always. Even since he was diagnosed I completely changed my lifestyle. It is really hard seeing him go through everything. It was also really hard for me yesterday when I was at the doctor I had to put it down on the forms that ask abuot family history. I am so used to checking off “no” for everything and now I can’t. It reminded me that I am not immune to everything and I really need to work at it to be as healthy as I can be. Great Post!
Health and disease prevention/risk mitigation. Definitely.
But genetics play a huge role — and I think the more important one. Take, for instance, the research report that called into question the efficacy of low-fat diets for heart health (released in 2006). There were differntial health-effects. . . but the over-all thought that such a strategy would have a huge impact on heart-health was very much challenged. I think we will find the same for many other diseases (other than some direclty linked to smoking, where the body of research is so great as to be impossible to ignore).
In case you are interested in the 2006 study. Here is the NIH press release: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/feb2006/nhlbi-07.htm
Here is the NY Times article. I think you can track down the journal article through it, if you are interested.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/health/08fat.html
What a great post. Thanks for the tips! A lot of my motivation for eating healthy and exercising stems from my fear of cancer.
Hi Angela,
Please read this article. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/04/02/vegetarian-myths.aspx
(enter your e-mail address to read the article)
It is very informative and dispels the myth of the vegetarian diet being the healthiest one. It also cites numerous studies so it’s more legitimate than the one Karen posted. Please take some time to read it. I believe in knowing both sides of the story!
Great posting, I am definitely going to check that book out. I also have a recommendation for you. If you haven’t read the book “Eat to Live” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I really think you should. I read it and went on to lose 150lbs (half my body weight). I did not follow his program exactly, but it was definitely the starting point. He has GREAT information that completely changed my life. His entire message is that you can prevent disease through diet. And his recipe for “Anti-cancer soup” is very tasty!
Thanks for the post! I am happy to see I do majority of these things, though I am guilty of the deli meat. I try to buy nitrate free ones though – does that count?!
Crystal, I’m sorry to hear you’ve lost so many people in your life to cancer. However, there have been some major advancements in cancer treatment over the last few decades, particularly in childhood cancer. I just wanted to provide a counterpoint regarding cancer research.
How right you are in highlighting reduced meat consumption as an essential way to prevent the early onset of cancer. I intern with the non-profit Meatless Monday, a project of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which encourages cutting meat in order to reduce the risk of preventable diseases (and also lower our carbon footprint!) by committing to going meatless at least one day a week. The website provides the resources, from delicious recipes (like this Lemon Asparagus Penne: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/lemon-asparagus-penne/) to latest health news. Although raised a vegetarian, jazzing up Monday evenings with a fun new recipe that’s easy on the wallet and the heart is always a treat for my family and me! Check out the Youtube video for more on the history and science of the campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpnKeYmR1NM.