I read that September was Cancer awareness month, and we all know that October is Breast Cancer awareness month. I don't know about you, but I think we are all well aware of cancer. The statistics now are that 50% of men, and 42% of women in this country will die of cancer. We aren't exactly hearing that in the news. We are experiencing it in our lives, however, as we watch family and friends get diagnosed and sometimes lose their lives.
Our Western medical model talks a lot about cancer prevention. Unfortunately most tests that are recommended may detect cancer sooner, but they do not prevent cancer. So why do we get cancer and how can we prevent it? That's the 100 billion dollar question isn't it!
Cancer does not have one cause, or we would have figured it out by now. It also does not have one pill -- nutritional or pharmaceutical that cures it. The magic recipe seems to be:
1. Have a genetic predisposition to a cancer,
2. Eat a diet lacking nutritional value for quite a while,
3. Consume large amounts of toxins,
4. Stuff any emotions that are not positive,
5. Live a life of continual stress where there is never enough time or rest
6. God's Plan?
So, in honor of cancer awareness month, I thought we could talk about a few things that you could start doing to actively decrease your cancer risk.
1. Eat a diet rich in anti-oxidants. This is important because oxidants that we are exposed to (from either a by-product of our own metabolism or the environment) cause damage to our DNA. DNA directs appropriate cell division. Cancer cells forget to die -- they just keep on dividing. Oxidants and toxins also cause all kinds of disruption of our cell membranes, cell communication, and overall cellular activity. Our cells cannot do their jobs efficiently. We then get weakened and specifically our immune system can't keep up with its job.
Anti-oxidants protect our cells from free-radicals (oxidants) as well as provide raw material for our cells. Examples of power foods include: broccoli and broccoli sprouts, arugula, beets, sweet potatoes, collard greens, cabbage, cauliflower, blueberries, asparagus, carrots, and essentially all vegetables with the exception of corn, iceberg lettuce, and canned green beans. The fruits are full of anti-oxidants also, but are higher in sugar content so it is better to err on the side of GREENS, and other vegetables. The more color the better. By the way -- at least 5 servings of vegetables and 2 fruits PER DAY. (hard to do, huh) (that's ok -- we can help you!)
You can take anti-oxidants in pill form, however this works best with a background of a healthy diet. Some examples of these include: Vitamin C, Betacarotene, resveratrol, CoQ10, alpha lipoid acid, milk thistle, and there are many more.
2. Eat food with good amounts of the amino acid cysteine. Cysteine is a precursor for a very important anti-oxidant called glutathione. Glutathione puts out fires better than the best of them. It is the warrior King of anti-oxidants. It also protects the brain, kidneys, and liver. Examples of foods which contain cysteine includes oatmeal, bison (especially the rump) and whey protein.
3. Eat raw nuts and seeds (not roasted). Pumpkin seeds are extremely anti-cancer. They contain Vitamin B15. (they are also good for the male prostate gland) Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts.
4. Have an oil change. That's right. Eliminate free-radical damaging fats such as partially hydrogenated oils, and poorly processed oils such as canola oil. Eliminate fried foods (and keep char-broiled foods to a minimum). Do not use "Crisco", " Smart Balance", or "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter" products. Try to eliminate foods you buy from a box because the fats are solid at room temperature and usually highly processed. (crackers, cookies)
**** Do use coconut oil, olive oil, and butter (organic). Enjoy!
5. Minimize your sugar intake. Sugar suppresses immune response and robs your body of minerals, especially zinc which is very important for the function of your white blood cells.
6. Try to eat organic as much as possible to diminish your daily exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
7. Exercise, breathe, sleep, rest, laugh, cry, get angry, and remember to love others and YOURSELF. Practice forgiveness on yourself. If you made a mistake, and find that you are beating yourself up over and over again, just stop. STOP! Self flagellation, shame and guilt serve no higher purpose. Just stop and talk to yourself like you would to a little child who made a mistake. You have a little child inside of you, too.
8. Minimize your exposure to toxins, radiation, and other cancer causing substances. That means slowly start buying safer detergents, make-up, clothing, bedding, and cleaning agents for the home. We have a very safe high quality make-up, Jane Iredale, in our office.
Reconsider medical tests which expose you to radiation. Having multiple tests can add up. No one really talks about this as a risk factor, but it can be a big one. If you need the test, take lots of anti-oxidants a few days before the tests, and a few days after. Don't be afraid to take big doses for a short time (too much Vitamin C will cause gas and diarrhea). Consider other options such as thermography. This is different than a mammogram in several ways, the most important of which is that there is no radiation exposure.
9. Speaking of toxins, we had better talk about our environment, our IMMEDIATE environment. Do you have mold in your house? Did you know that it will still effect you even if it's only in a small corner in your home? It will still put off mold spores EVEN AFTER IT DRIES.
Why is this a big deal? Because chronic mold exposure can weaken your immune system, cause an actual infection in your sinuses and lungs, and provide a continual toxic load to the body, not to mention a constant barrage of allergy symptoms. This is no small subject, and I consider this very important to consider. For more information about this check out the website, www.fungalsinusitus.com. This website is written by a friend of mine, Dr. Donald Dennis. He is an ENT doctor who specialized in this because the mold problem was so great in and around Atlanta, GA where he lives.
By the way, having an over-growth of candida yeast in your body is also a substantial stress on the body. Candida yeast overgrowth can cause a myriad of symptoms, but for the scope of this discussion, know that it is a huge stressor to our immune system. The immune system gets bogged down with the candida and then cannot adequately fight abnormal cancer cells. You see, our immune system is responsible for our body's defense against cancer, so we want it to be very strong.
There are many other possible toxins in our immediate environment, in our air and our water. Just remember to consider these and determine your particular risk and need for intervention.
10. A few supplements not already mentioned that are helpful include:
Vitamin D3, iodine (for breast cancer), melatonin, curcumin, garlic, lycopene, ellagic acid, green tea, and indole-3-carbinol.
Have a beautiful life experience and enjoy the fall!
Dr. Patricia Ryan
Monday, September 26, 2011
Farmer's Market Options during the winter
HEALTHY MEAT PRODUCERS: Grass fed beef and more. Winter Schedules
RANGE WEST GRASS FED BEEF
MARQUETTE, NE 68854
PH. 402-854-3104
EMAIL: JACOBSENLU@YAHOO.COM
Comes to Omaha once a month - call to order.
THISTLES AND CLOVER MEATS
DANBURY, IA 51019
712-371-9861
E-MAIL: thistlesandclover@gmail.com
Comes to Omaha once every 2 week- call to order.
PAWNEE PRIDE MEATS
STEINHAUER, NE. 68441
402-869-22396
WWW.Pawneepride.com
E-MAIL: Pawneepridemeats@windstream.com
Call to order and they will arrange delivery.
CHISHOLM FAMILY FARM
ELMWOOD, NE 68349
402-440-9409
EMAIL- Laura@chisholmfamilyfarm.com
Grass-fed meat, dairy, eggs - Call to order
KVAM FAMILY FARM
WEST POINT, NE. 68788
402-685-5263
EMAIL: Info@kvamfamilyfarm.com
Grass fed beef, pastured poultry, eggs, milk
Chickens will be at Jane’s Market in Benson during the winter months
Comes to Omaha once a month for delivery. Call to order.
TOMATO-TOMATO -OMAHA’S YEAR ROUND INDOOR FARMERS MARKET
2645 S. 156 CIRCLE
OMAHA, NE 68130
402-933-0893
Open Monday thru Saturday 9am to 6 pm, closed Sundays
TALL GRASS BISON
PROMISE CITY, IA 52583
641-874-5794 h/w
641-895-6309 cell
EMAIL: tgbison@iowatelecom.net
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