For as long as I can remember, I questioned the idea that we are victims to our genetics. When I was growing up and in the early years of working as an Exercise Physiologist in Cardiac Rehabilitation, people often said things like, 'high cholesterol runs in my family,' 'heart disease runs in my family,' 'my father, my uncle and my brother all died of a heart attack by the time they were 45 - what's the point of changing, I am going to die young too.' Intuitively, these statements never sat well with me, often they felt like a cop out and a way to divert responsibility for ones life. Over the years I often wondered if thought patterns/behaviors/beliefs/lifestyles/actions that were passed down from generation to generation were more responsible for the dis-ease process than the expression of their genes.
Today, we have the science of epigenetics which validates much of what I believed to be true many years ago. Research is now suggesting that even the likelihood of twins getting the same disease due to their genetic makeup is slim. I see this information as a gift on a silver platter that tells me, 'I am in control of my destiny, not my family's history.' Current research into the cause of disease is also suggesting that many diseases could actually be pathogenic in nature, including cancer. That may be true, but experience still tells me it is also true that thoughts, lifestyle choices, and behavior also play a huge role in dis-ease.With all of this in mind, what do we do to minimize our risk for cancer?
We all have cancer cells circulating in our systems all the time, that's a fact. But our immune system is responsible for managing these mutations as they occur. Each of us needs to make sure we have a strong enough immune system to manage these cells before they mutate exponentially to the point where the body can no longer handle the load. This is a multi-faceted approach that begins with the understanding that immunity begins in the gut and that lifestyle has a significant impact on health. A properly working immune system requires good quality sleep for approximately 8 hours or more every night. Regular exercise will not only boost your immune system, but helps the body manage glucose more efficiently. Sugar (glucose) is the favored food of cancer cells. Any diet high in simple and starchy carbohydrates and sugar is a feeding frenzy for cancer cells.
Our environment can also effect our health. Avoiding as many chemicals, toxins, and pollutants in our external environment as possible can help. While minimizing stress and maintaining a Ph balanced or slightly alkaline internal environment will also greatly help reduce the risk of an overgrowth of cancer cells in the body.
Research has also shown that a multitude of natural supplements have the potential to assist the body in repairing cells and preventing mutations from happening. Vitamin D is probably the most researched and accepted supplement out there. Vitamin D helps regulate gene expression, increases apoptosis of mutant cells, differentiates cells, and prevents blood cells from forming in already formed cancer cells.
Most importantly though, I believe cancer can be averted by the foods that we put into our bodies. Garbage in garbage out as they say....Bottom line, processed foods, sugar of all kinds including starches and soft drinks, red meat, and trans fats feed cancer. We'll have a fighting chance with a diet of fruits and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables, Omega 3 filled fish, nuts, seeds, beans, and a small amount of good quality whole grains, like quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth, and raw dairy products. Things like multi-greens, teas like kombucha, alkaline forming foods like sea vegetables, and coral calcium are also part of a diet that will support the body in preventing cancerous overgrowth.
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