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Cancer Prevention
I believe there is no sure-fire answer to avoiding cancer. BUT, I do believe there are many risks we take unwittingly, because we have not been educated. You can not avoid all known cancer-causing agents. You have to pick a plan, be aware but not obsessed, and follow that plan as much as possible.
Breast and prostate cancer are among the more common cancers that have taken a big jump in the last century. Why? There are many opinions, and here are mine based on reading and observation.
1. Our personal care products, food, water, and air are loaded with hormone disruptors. Hormones are not just the testosterone and estrogen we commonly think of in regards to hormones. Hormones are a very important part of the body's messenger system. They are chemical triggers for many body functions essential to life. When we consume a lot of "estrogenic", or estrogen-mimicing chemicals, we throw off the balance of our thyroid gland, pituitary gland, and many other hormone system components. High levels of synthetic estrogen, as recently shown with HRT (hormone replacement therapy), are linked with cancer. Men are just as susceptible to high estrogen level risks as women. However, their prostate gland is what commonly takes the hit. Fluoride is a known toxin. Dr. Samuel Epstein believes it is a carcinogen, but it is now known with certainty to increase the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth, cause tooth damage, damage muscles, and damage the lining of the esophagus and stomach. There is a warning on the label to call a poison control center if more than is needed to brush the teeth is swallowed. A 4 ounce tube of toothpaste will kill a 4 year old child. This is nuts! Click here to get your dental products free of harmful ingredients.
2. Pesticide, herbicide, and larvacide residue is everywhere. I'm not against growing crops economically, but you need to know there is almost NO research done on these products by anyone except the manufacturer. Additionally, there is no research to determine the safety of combining these products on the same plant. We have found RoundUp residual in animals of the polar caps. Entire streets near agricultural fields have had children dying of various kinds of cancer. See this link. If that doesn't convince you, try this one. There are safer ways to do this, we just need to get motivated to find them.
Here is the updated list of the "Dirty Dozen 2010" created by the Environmental Working Group. These are the fruits and vegetables they consider too contaminated to be eaten when grown on conventional farms:
Celery
Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals (64 of them!) that are used on crops.
Peaches
Multiple pesticides (as many as 62 of them) are regularly applied to these fruits to make them large and insect free.
Strawberries
If you buy strawberries, especially out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that have less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. 59 pesticides have been detected in residue on strawberries. (That said, even Mexico has refused to accept our USDA meat because of heavy metal contamination that failed to meet their standards.) US strawberries aren't much better.
Apples
Like peaches, apples are typically grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Tests have found 42 different pesticides as residue on apples. Scrubbing and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Waxing of fruit, commonly done to keep them fresh longer, seals in the residue.
Blueberries
New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market. Probably due to the increased demand of blueberries after they were named a superfood for their antioxidant content. Farms are increasing production and yield at the expense of safety for the consumer.
Nectarines
With 33 different types of pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit.
Bell peppers
Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with insecticides. (Tests have found 49 different pesticides on sweet bell peppers.)
Spinach
New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable. I buy mine at Costco- organic for a decent price. While I'm fairly certain its not totally "safe", it has to be better than conventionally grown.
Kale
Traditionally, kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Grow your own! This vegetable loves winter.
Cherries
Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Government testing has found 42 different pesticides on cherries. This is despicable! But, I'll tell you more later after I see what kind of a crop survives on my trees this year.
Potatoes
America's popular spud reappears on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. America's favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides.
Grapes
Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin. Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides.
3. Radiation causes cancer. We know that. People who have had radiation treatments for cancer have an increased risk of other cancers. We know that too. What are environmental sources of radiation we can avoid? For one, unnecessary x-rays. I refused to have annual dental x-rays when I haven't had a cavity in 40 years, and the local dentists I talked to would not take me as a patient. I travel 350 miles to see my dentist in California. I had to sign a form stating I was taking on the risks, and that was fine. Do not allow doctors to do a CT scan for no clear reason. Each CT scan (or sometimes called a CAT scan, short for computerized axial tomography) exposes the person to the equivalent of 440 conventional chest x-rays. Mammograms also expose a woman to radiation. Recently, data has come to light that mammograms cause more harm than good. Be very suspicious of irradiated food as well. It's another source of radiation.
4. Electromagnetic fields from high tension power lines is a concern for many. Even though the government insists this is not a safety concern, studies have shown long term exposure is a risk. Even sleeping in a room with a lot of electrical devices plugged in can disrupt sleep and increase cancer risk.
5. A diet low in antioxidants and high in processed food, meat, dairy, and unhealthy fats increases the likelihood that if a cancer does start, as it does throughout every day, your body will not have the resources to fight it off. Free radicals are atoms missing one electron- they aren't balanced. They will rob a neighboring atom of its electron, creating a cascade of cellular damage. Antioxidants are nature's antidote to this process- they donate electrons. Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables. Your body requires frequent servings, and daily is optimal, of red, yellow, green, and purple vegetables. Raw vegetables are best, with a few cooked now and then. We were not meant to eat meat and starches only. I eat a very healthy diet, but I still cover all my bases with a basic supplement protocol. Click here to see what I use. If you take nothing else, take an excellent antioxidant product like this.
6. Cooking with light oils such as olive oil, corn oil, canola oil, and other vegetable oils creates free radicals. Heat destroys these oils and they quickly become rancid and produce rogue atoms. Heavier oils such as peanut, sesame, and organic coconut oils are best for cooking. Do NOT use non-organic coconut oil. The process used to extract the oil causes more problems than the oil can save. Don't deep fry anything.
7. If you live in a densely populated area with air pollution problems, then exercising outside in bad air quality is a big risk. The most harmful air pollutants are those you can't see. Also, burning candles scented with "fragrance" produce hormone disruptors. These products are derived from coal tar and make the air inside your home dangerous. (To make a scented candle, start with an unscented soy candle, and add a few drops of oil at the wick junction BEFORE you light the candle.)
8. Personal care products, according to Dr. Samuel Epstein, are the number one source of avoidable carcinogens in daily life. Ingredients such as TEA (triethanolamine), DEA (diethanolamine), propylene glycol, sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate, PEG (polyethylene glycol or ethoxhlates), phthalate, formaldehyde, sodium fluoride, talc, alcohol, and hydroquinone are all controversial ingredients linked to cancer and other problems. They are found in shampoo, soap of all kinds, toothpaste, mouthwash, body lotions, make-up (lipstick often contains lead), bubble bath, hair conditioner, perfume, and face care. See the Everyday Toxins tab for more information.
9. Unhealthy choices like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, drug use (including excessive, unnecessary pharmaceuticals), and excessive, unprotected sun exposure.
So much for the bad news. Here's some things you can do to reduce your cancer risk.
1. Do a detoxification program once or twice a year.
2. Use progesterone cream. I recommend this brand because its based on Dr. Lee's work, and because its triple tested for purity. For more information on why, read Dr. John R. Lee's books on hormones and how to offset environmental estrogenic substances (also called xenoestrogens- pronounced "zeno-estrogens").
3. Improve your diet gradually- adopt only one change a week, or even a month. Eat less sugar- read labels and avoid foods having more than 7 grams of sugar per serving. Read serving sizes- they can be very deceiving.
4. Change the personal care products you use. I recommend these.
5. Get in touch with yourself. It has been proven that areas with high levels of electromagnetic radiation cause a feeling of anxiety, even "creepiness". Unplug devices in your bedroom that you don't use. Move your alarm clock away from the head of the bed. Don't discount how you feel after a meal- it can tell you much about food sensitivities. We have a lot of innate information that we tend to ignore in the busyness of the day.
6. Get regular exercise, but don't kill yourself. A program that combines aerobic exercise and strength training is most balanced and will produce the most benefit. Exercising does increase free radical production, so eating a good diet goes hand in hand with that strategy.
7. The Environmental Working Group does research and reports on known sources of carcinogens in the environment. They have also put together a list they call the Dirty Dozen. It's 12 fruits and vegetables that should be eaten organically grown only.
8. Read labels religiously. Tell manufacturers why you won't buy their product. Change to personal care products that do not contain questionable ingredients. The risk is too great, especially for your kids.
9. Avoid fluoride in toothpaste and oral care products. Aside from not preventing cavities exactly as well as you've been told, fluoride has been shown to be a carcinogen, and has been associated with periodontal disease. Europe is very cautious about fluoride, and some countries are downright phobic about it. Here's the toothpaste I recommend. Here's the mouthwash I recommend.
10. Stop smoking, drink very moderately. Get help for drug addictions. Seek another medical opinion about pharmaceutical use. Consult with a naturopath if possible.
11. Do what you can. Let the rest go. Enjoy your life.
