Preventing Cancer

Causes of cancer can include genetics, environmental toxins and lifestyle choices.  The only cause outside of your control is genetics.

Normal cells in the body divide between 50 and 60 times and then die.  Damaged cells or rogue cells are removed from the body by a natural process called apoptosis.  A damaged cell that survives apoptosis does not begin to grow uncontrollably until something aggravates it into action.  If you could prevent a cell from doing that you would definitely give it your best shot.

Approximately 40% of all cancers can be prevented.  Unfortunately, a lot more money is spent on new treatments and finding the cure.  The amount of money being spent on prevention is minuscule.  However, we can do a lot ourselves to help prevent cancer.  Here are a few ideas that can get you started.

1.    Purchase personal care products with fewer toxins. 
2.    Eat a healthy diet with foods that help fight cancer.
3.    Do not purchase cleaning products with toxins
4.    Do not purchase cases of bottled water. Most of these ends up in land fill sites.  Purchase a reusable bottle.
5.    Use reusable shopping bags – Each year an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide!
6.    Do not use plastic in the microwave
7.    Do not purchase Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as they contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen
8.    Avoid using disposable items especially Styrofoam plates and cups.
9.    Do not use mothballs they are carcinogenic.
10.    Look for paints with low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
11.    Never use pesticides and insecticides.  These are deadly and not only cause cancer but many other diseases.

One of the first booklets I purchased was the CancerSmart Consumer Guide, a worthwhile investment for only about $10.00.  You can purchase it at www.leas.ca or www.toxicfreecanda.ca.  The guide will help you to get started on making changes to your lifestyle.   

The only way to stop my cancer was to expose myself to deadly chemicals.  Chemicals that can cause cancer, however it was a risk I had to take.  After some 70 years of research we are still using known toxic agents.  Chemotherapy treatments originated back in the early 1900’s after World War I.  Thousands were killed from the toxins from chlorine and mustard gas, however through research they used these same toxins to treat cancer.

We need to move away from some of this treatment and put more emphasis on prevention.  It is going to take each and every one of us to help make that happen, but I believe we can do it!