Cancer is now the leading cause of death among teens and young adults after accidents in England. Among this 13 to 24-year-old age group, cancer rates have been increasing at a rate of 1.2 percent per year for the past two decades. The researchers mention genetic factors, lifestyle changes and exposure to toxins before birth as possible causes for the increase, but there are many more possibilities for the steady increase. Environmental Toxins Most human research in cancer risk from exposure to toxins begins after the cancer is diagnosed. However, as chemicals and other toxins are increasingly saturating our environment, researchers are beginning to look at the effect of these environmental toxins, such as pesticides and PCBs, on an unborn child. For instance, several human studies have found a link between fetal exposure to contaminants and cancer in children and young adults. Studies reviewed include occupational exposures of parents and brain cancers in children; pesticides, paints, paint thinners and solvents and leukemia; and cigarette smoke and childhood cancer. An embryo and fetus develop at a much faster rate than adults. While this development occurs, cell division and growth is rapid. These rapid changes provide many opportunities for mistakes to occur. If a baby is exposed to several toxic compounds in utero, changes may occur that either directly cause cancer, or lengthen the period of sensitivity to carcinogens, therefore making the child more susceptible to cancer later in life. Polio Vaccines The polio vaccine seems ever more linked to cancers, especially in children. The evidence seems quite clear yet most continue to go down the path of blindly trusting the traditional paradigm to “save” them from disease through the use of vaccinations. This should outrage nearly anyone that reads this. We trusted these experts to provide us with protection from polio and instead they planted the seeds of a deadly cancer that would kill over 20,000 a year in the United States. This is particularly troublesome as polio can be prevented in most people simply by eliminating sugar from their diet. If you were one of those people who received the vaccine you can do something positive to enhance your immune system. Increasing your amount of omega-3 fats and decreasing the omega-6 fats will be a potent step toward suppressing these types of cancers. Consuming high-quality fish oil or cod liver oil is an excellent way to obtain the outstanding health benefits of omega-3. Inadequate Prenatal Nutrition What a woman eats while pregnant can have a profound effect on the future health of her child. Researchers have discovered that a mother's diet can even alter her child's gene functions without changing the DNA sequence, which plays a large role in the child's susceptibility to diseases like cancer, stroke, diabetes, schizophrenia and others. I am convinced that the single most important dietary influence for prenatal nutrition is adequate omega-3 fats. As I mentioned above, the ideal way to obtain them is through fish oil or cod liver oil. Optimizing your omega-3 fats will virtually guarantee that the baby is full term as well. Pressure-Treated Wooden Playground Equipment Some 90 percent of all outdoor wooden structures in the United States are made with pressure-treated wood. The preservative used to treat the wood contains arsenic--a known human carcinogen--that rubs off when the wood is touched. Children tend to put their hands in their mouth about 16 times an hour while playing, and those who have arsenic on their hands are at an increased risk of developing lung and bladder cancer. Some woods like redwood and cedar do not require this arsenic-containing preservative and are therefore not a concern. Plastic and metal equipment should pose no risk. Electricity Power Lines Children who live near electricity power lines are at an increased risk of developing leukemia. One theory to why this occurs is that the high voltage lines emit charged particles called ions, which may then be inhaled. CT Scans CT scans are high in potentially dangerous radiation, and pose a significant threat to children. CT scans, and traditional X-rays, have been associated with cancer and heart disease. I recommend you avoid CT scans unless your or your child's life depends upon it. MRIs are typically safer than CT scans.
CANCERThe entire human body is made up of cells, each of which contains its own genetic material, or DNA – a long string of molecules that tells the cell what to do. In a healthy body, cells divide at a controlled rate so as to grow and repair damaged tissues and replace dying cells. This predetermined rate of cell division is what keeps our bodies healthy. If cells keep multiplying when new ones are not necessary, a mass of tissue called a growth, or tumour, is formed.
A tumour can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumours are not cancerous. The can occur anywhere in the body and generally do not pose a threat to health, do not metastasise (spread to other parts of the body), and do not grow back if removed. Malignant tumours are cancerous. They are usually serious and can be life-threatening. Malignant tumours grow uncontrollably, interfere with normal metabolic and organ functioning, and have the ability to metastasize and invade other tissues.
If a portion of a cell's DNA is damaged, the cell can become abnormal. When the abnormal cell divides, it forms new cells that contain a photocopy of the damaged genetic material. This an ongoing process occurring constantly within our bodies. Most of the time, our bodies have the ability to destroy these abnormal cells and maintain a sort of cellular equilibrium.
If a crucial portion of the DNA is destroyed, however, and the abnormal cells cannot be controlled any longer, cancer forms. All cancer cells have two things in common: they grow uncontrollably and they have the ability to metastasise. They can spread through the lymphatic system, the bloodstream, or avenues such as the cerebrospinal fluid (the watery cushion that protects the brain and spinal chord).
It is not known exactly what causes the cell damage(chemicals) that initiates the cancer process. The chain of events that leads to cancer is very complex, and each individual body reacts differently. A combination of genetic, behavioural, environmental, and lifestyle factors are believed to be involved in turning normal cells into abnormal cells, and abnormal cells into cancer.
There are also factors called inhibitors (such as certain vitamins and nutrients found in fruits and vegetables) that are believed to slow the process, while other factors, called promoters (such as smoking or eating a high fat diet), can speed up the process. Possible contributors to the development and growth of cancer can be divided into three categories – external, internal, and lifestyle.
External factors include unhealthy workplace environments and exposure to air and water pollution, chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. Internal factors include both genetics and infections. Lifestyle factors are those we personally can most readily control. These are also the factors scientists believe account for the largest proportion of cancers.
A diet that is high in fat and low in fiber is associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer and is factor in breast and prostate cancer as well. According to a study released by the Harvard University School of Public Health, poor diet, lack of exercise, and unhealthy lifestyle elements are responsible for about 65 percent of cancer deaths. The following is a breakdown of the overall percentages of cancers many researchers and health care professionals attribute to different lifestyle factors:
Poor diet and obesity 30% Viruses 5% Smoking 30% Alcohol 3% Genetics 10% Reproductive factors 3% Carcinogens in the workplace 5% Socio economic status 2% Family history 5% Environmental pollution 2% Lack of exercise 5%
Many experts believe that what these risk factors have in common is that they increase the body's exposure to free radicals. They theorize that damage from free radicals is an important facto in causing the uncontrolled cellular growth that is characteristic of cancer (see Free Radicals on page 54). Others believe that factors such as cigarette smoking and poor dietary habits increase the risk of cancer because they impair the immune system.
While most researchers do not think stress brings on cancer directly, they do believe that it weakens the immune system, impairing the body's ability to destroy precancerous cells before they developing to cancer. By making ourselves aware of all of the factors that may promote or inhibit the development and growth of cancer, and by taking appropriate action, we can reduce our cancer risk.
There are more than 100 different varieties of cancer. They have different causes, cause different symptoms, and vary in aggressiveness (the sped at which they spread). However, most types of cancer fall into one of four broad categories:
THE SEVEN classic early warning signs of cancer, which can be remembered by the acronym CAUTION, are the following:
According to the American Cancer Society, 50 percent of all men and 33 percent of all women in the United States will develop some form of cancer at some point in their lives. The good news is that with the increasing information and treatment methods available today, millions of people are either living with, or have been cured of, cancer, and the risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
The nutritional program and other recommendations outlined in this section are designed for persons who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as for those who wish to enhance their chances of avoiding this disease. Vitamins should be taken in injection form whenever possible. If you must use oral supplements, take them daily with meals (except for vitamin E, which should be taken before meals). Use only natural vitamin supplements.
Unless otherwise specified, the doses recommended here are for persons over the age of eighteen. For a child between twelve and seventeen years old, reduce the dose to three-quarters the recommended amount. For a child between six and twelve, use on-half the recommended dose, and for a child under six years old, use one-quarter the recommended amount. SELF TESTSBreast Cancer Self-TestSee under BREAST CANCER in Part Two. Colon Cancer Self-TestA test kit can be purchased at most drugstores for detecting blood in the stool (an early sign of colon cancer). In one test, you simply drop a strip of chemically treated paper into the commode after a bowel movement. The paper will change to the colour blue if blood is present in the stool. If your test result is positive, take a second test in three days. If the second test is also positive, see your physician immediately. The presence of blood in the stool does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. The consumption of red meat or the presence of diverticulosis, haemorrhoids, polyps, ulcers, or an inflamed colon can cause a positive test result. Only about 10 percent of those who test positive for blood in the stool have cancer. |