WHO- 85% of Adult Cancers are Preventable: Beyond Celiac

We are so busy every day we often forget that we are what we eat and other lifestyle habits. Simple ( but not necessarily easy) changes make a very large difference in our future health.

If you eat inflammatory foods like grains, and you have inflammatory lifestyle habits like smoking or a sedentary life, you will encourage inflammatory responses in your body which include, but is not exclusive of, cancer. 

The Cytokine Research Laboratory published an article entitled "Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes" which can be summarized by saying reduce inflammation/cytokines with lifestyle changes.  

The WHO has put out a paper declaring 85% of adult cancers of preventable and known risk factors are overweight, obesity, malnutrition and infection, all of which are higher in gluten sensitive persons. Here is an excerpt. 

The role of diet in the etiology of the major cancers

Cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus. In developed countries the main risk factors for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus are alcohol and tobacco, and up to 75% of such cancers are

attributable to these two lifestyle factors (5). Overweight and obesity are established risk factors specifically for adenocarcinoma (but not squamous cell carcinoma) of the oesophagus (6--8). In developing countries, around 60% of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus are thought to be a result of micronutrient deficiencies related to a restricted diet that is low in fruits and vegetables and animal products (5, 9). 

A colleague and a health advocate writes Beyond Celiac and she has some real pearls in it. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that 85 per cent of adult cancers are entirely avoidable and, of these, around half are related to nutritional deficiencies in the Western diet. A recent government report showed how nearly 70,000 premature deaths could be prevented each year by simply improving the UK's diet.

Another study carried out by Brigham Young University professor Steven Aldana, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, March, 2005, found that a combination of 30 minutes of cardio exercise a day along with a switch to a healthier diet dropped the participants’ health risks for diabetes, cancer, and heart disease dramatically in just 6 weeks.

Let us all be mindful when we choose our food for the day. Planning our lunches that we take to work or making food on Sunday in preparation for the week goes a long way to being healthier.

Walking is great exercise and with a few sprints added in for the cardio and you will help keep the blood flowing rather than stagnating.

Choose your food wisely. More to come on this topic.

Besides eliminating inflammatory foods and lifestyle habits, how can reverse inflammation and encourage anti inflammation?

-Keeping our microbiota healthy by eating and drinking fermented foods (like water Kefir) and supplementing with good probiotics. 

-Eating fish three times a week, and supplementing with fish oils to keep our omega 3 levels as high as possible. 

-avoiding grains and seed oils and other sources of omega 6's, because the average persons levels are too high. 

-Keeping serum homocysteine levels below 8 with B vitamins and Betaine

-Keeping ones serum high sensitivity CRP ( a blood test ordered by your doctor) below 2. 

-flossing your teeth and seeing a biological dentist for assessment and care.

-moderate exercise, slightly more if you need to lose weight.

-keeping your waist/hip ratio below .75 for women and below 1.0 for men and 

-keeping the waist measurement below 30 inches for women and below 35 inches for men.

-keeping your vitamin D blood level between 100-200 nmol/l, (40 - 60 ng/ml)

To Year Health

Dr. Barbara