Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Shocking Myths About Cancer

Cancer is just bad luck
WRONG ! We have cell mutations occurring all the time. It's the job of our immune system to recognize mutant cells and destroy them! But if your immune system is not functioning at its full potential, those mutations can take hold and grow. You'll be more susceptible to sickness in general, including getting a cancer diagnosis. But you can give you immune system a boost with the right nutrition, activity and lifestyle! How you live plays a deciding role for most adult cancers!
Cancer is genetic
Again, false! A majority, about 65% to 75% of cancers come from your lifestyle and environment; genetics accounts for only 5 to 10% of cancers. Important lifestyle factors that can increase your risk include:
  • Smoking
  • High sugar/carb consumption (most people consume way too much sugar)!
  • Eating too much red and processed meat.
  • Consuming too many fried foods and omega-6 vegetable oils.
  • Having more than 2 drinks of alcohol per day.
  • Too little activity/excess weight.
  • Exposure to chemicals and toxic substances.
Genetics is often more of a possibility than a certainty. You can still use your lifestyle to minimize any risk. Research into epigenetics (how lifestyle and environment effects genes and their function), has shown that a healthy lifestyle can literally turn on good genes whereas an unhealthy lifestyle, which most people have, turns on disease genes. How you live can really tip the balance!
Cancer means chemo and radiation
Although many people try these treatments, there are other helpful approaches, so again, false!
Many health experts recommended that you improve your lifestyle too! For example: 
  • If you smoke, stop. Get support if you need it!
  • Improve your nutrition (less sugar, more lean proteins/fish, veggies, nuts, fruits, vitamins, etc.).
  • Lower inflammation with diet and exercise.
  • Include supplements like vitamin D and fish oil for inflammation.
  • Become more active 3-4 times a week if you are not.
  • Learn to manage stress to keep streee hormones low.
  • Trim excess pounds, a source of inflammation and hormonal imbalances!
  • Get a hs-CRP for inflammation and a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test to check your levels 
All of these lifestyle approaches are within your grasp and control, and they can help to minimize the risk of getting cancer or help with healing from it!

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