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If you have prostate cancer or want to avoid it, read this... I've told you in the past about cancer's connection to omega-6 fatty acids. The connection with prostate cancer is so strong you can greatly reduce your risk simply by cutting back on these fats. And a recent study from Jamaica proves this connection - and shows another great way to fight the disease. In this study, researchers followed men with proven prostate cancer. They biopsied each of the participants to confirm the presence of cancer. Then they did a fatty acid analysis of their blood cells. And here's what they found: There is a highly significant correlation of prostate cancer to high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. High levels of omega-6 means there is more than four times as many omega-6 fats compared to omega-3s. Most Americans have 20 times as many! The Jamaicans are even worse. This country has the highest incidence of prostate cancer of any country in the world. I've been to Jamaica. Their diet is full of fried foods. It's much like what I saw in India, where the incidence of cancer and vascular disease is skyrocketing. The culprit is dietary oil. Specifically, any oil that's full of omega-6 fatty acids. These include most vegetable oils, such as Wesson oil. Instead, use oils that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as coconut, macadamia nut, sesame, and olive oils. And keep their heat exposure to a minimum, as it damages the oil. Because most people have way too many omega-6s, I also recommend you take omega-3 supplements to compensate for the omega-6 overload. Stick to a good essential fatty acid product like the one that comes with Healthy Resolve's Max Plus. Yours for better health and medical freedom, J Urol, 2007; 177(1): 97-101. (Also, see the Cancer Protocol pages regarding all types of cancers). For an enlarged prostate problem that makes it difficult to urinate, the following supplements are often helpful: Beta Sitosterol (Source Naturals 375mg) One tablet just before or with meals (not after). Good for BPH (iherb online encyc). It's one of the active ingredients in saw palemetto, stinging nettle, etc. Source Naturals 1/2 tablet: 187.5mg beta, 93.5mg campesterol, 70mg stigmasterol. [Cat: 75mg; + 0.5] Calcium d-Glucarate (Swanson 250mg; was Natrol) 200-400mg/d Dr Murray web article, (decreases estrogen, helps prevent prostate & breast cancers (http://www.Doctormurray.com/Qarchive.htm, VitaminShoppe.com article, LEF product description. [eat more onions, garlic, apples, cruciferous vegetables, yogurt - lactobacillus acidolphilus & bifobacterium bifidum - p65-6,86,288 Murray HTP&TCwNM] www.swansonvitamins.com (qty60, 250mg, $10.79, SWU123, Calcium d-Glucarate) DIM (Dindolymethane), Source Naturals, 100 mg, 60 Tablets [p4 Dr Wright Dec02 N&H newsletter 60mg x3; p11,13 Dr. Wright Defeating Out-of-Control Cell Growth re I3C indole-3-carbinol; 3,3'-dindolylmethane & ascorbigen - inc good estrogen (2-hydroxyestrone) & dec bad estrogen (16-alpha-hydroxyestrone), kills cervical & maybe prostate cancer cells. The increased good estrogen displaces testosterone that was bound in the prostate, raising free testosterone levels.] Take with oils. http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/dim.html] (Dr Wms DIM bklt: 2-4mg per pound of body weight. Prevents cervical, prostate, ovarian, breast and other cancers, preferentially converts harmful estrogen to good estrogen.) Flaxseed, Organic Golden (2 Tbsps/d -- freshly grind them in Proctor-Silex coffee grinder; they go rancid in about 15 minutes), Lignans + oil (1tbs oil = 6tbs ground seed). [Flaxseeds are abundant sources of lignans. These fiber compounds bind to estrogen receptors [also binds DHT to prostate]. By doing so, they interfere with the cancer-promoting effects of estrogen on breast tissue. Lignans also work by stimulating production of sex hormone binding globulin, or SHBG. This protein attaches to molecules of hormone to escort it out of the body. The more SHBG you have, the less active estrogen will be, and the lower your risk of breast cancer (but the higher your risk of prostate or uterine/ cervical cancer. See http://www.health-n-energy.com/chrysin.htm#chrysin or other articles on Nettle, Saw Palmetto and SHBG from iherb] [blaylock_cholesterol_3:Flaxseed oil is also one of the good oils. It is composed of alpha-linolenic acid, which the body actually turns into EPA and DHA. But not all people can efficiently convert the oil — infants, small children (elderly, people eating too many bad fats) and the chronically ill are among those who have problems. And the stuff very easily becomes rancid. The test I mentioned in the last newsletter (Health Exams That Can Save Your Life, Dec. 2004), the Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acid Profile, will indicate whether or not you are converting the oil. That's why it's better to use seeds.] Iodine - Dr Wright's p4-5 N&H Dec02 (& Nov02) newsletter 3-8 drops/d SSKI (Dr can help you adjust dosage) if you need more iodine. Helps decrease bad estrogen (16-dihydroxestrone). See Rowen's Oct2004 & Nov2004 Second Opinion newsletters: avg Japanese intake is 13.8mg/d & little prostate or breast cancer; optimum may be 5-10mg/d.(see http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/archives/premiums/600CR0046.pdf re Iodine) http://www.tahomadispensary.com/istar.asp?a=29&search=tri-quench (http://www.tahomadispensary.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=110067!162), 19mg/drop, 1250drops/bottle, $22.64, Tri-Quench (SSKI) potassium iodide. Free shipping >$95 if placed online, Tahoma Clinic, 801 Southwest 16th Street, Suite 125, Renton, WA 98057 [Tri-Quench, made by Scientific Botanicals, Seattle, WA 98103, 888-893-6878] Lycopene (10mg) [15-30mg/d for prostate - p91,288 Murray HTP&TCwNM] [Dr. Blaylock Prostate Cancer rept: 20-30mg taken with I3C(DIM) can dramatically shrink a swollen prostate and greatly reduce risk of prostate cancer] Pollen extract - (120mg Graminex G60 water-soluble pollen extract concentrate + 6 GFX fat soluble pollen extract concentrate - 1 cap/d; 2 caps/d if symptoms temporarily more severe) Rye pollen is known in Europe as Cernilton. (inhibits growth of prostate cells) Flower Pollen affects the metabolism of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) and prohibits the production. (Graminex recommends not taking them all at once; take each a half hour before eating.) Pumpkin Seeds (160mgX3 extract with meals - GNC online Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia article) [balanced source of Zn & Mg, contain EFA's (precursors to prostaglandins which inhibit testosterone from binding to the prostate)] Pygeum, Swanson 100mg 6.5% phytosterols bark extract + 400mg bark powder, 100-200mg/day divided doses) 50-100mgX2 13% extract - GNC online. [Bark is best, not leaves or root - from ad brochure] www.swansonvitamins.com SWH097, qty120 caps, 100mg 6.5% phytosterols extract from bark + 400mg pygeum bark powder, $4.99, [Need to take 3/d of these: 1,0,2] [100mg 6.5% + 400mg, qty60 caps, $2.79, SWH056] (extract is from bark, acc to Swanson Cust Svc) Saw Palmetto (NSI 85-95% 160mg with 160mg Pumpkin Seed Oil same price at VitaCost $6.95/qty60) Stinging Nettles (Urtica Dioica) - Nature's Herbs Nettle Root Power 300mg (300-600mg/day ENMp761-2) for BPH (150mgX2 Whit H&H) 120mgX2 extract - GNC online. [Roots have more sterols & lignans. Roots used for prostate; leaves used to help allergies] [LEF Male Hormone Modulation Protocol: 250mg/d Nettle root] LEF says it reduces the aromatization (conversion) of testosterone to estrogen. http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/pwrnettleroot.html Nature's Herbs Nettle Root Power 300mg, NHB-01221, $10.39, qty60 Standardized to 5% total amino acids, with Rosemary oil & Vit E preservatives, better absorbed (liquid cap) Zinc - Nutricology Zinc Citrate, 25mg, qty60caps - (30mg/d. Subtract any in multi from 30mg/day total with 1-2mg Copper total from all sources, including any tap water from copper pipes) ENM p762 45-60mg/d for BPH (TNM p1151 50mg/d max of 6 mos, monitor Cu status) iherb encyc says no more than 40mg/d with 1-3mg Cu. Dr Wright's Prostate re dosage: 80-90mg/d w/2mgCu initially, taper down slowly as symptoms recede - p433 LEF, p171 LEF Catalog acts as aromatase inhibitor for some men)[30mg/d usual rec'd dosage. Up to 50mg/d considered safe; >50mg not rec'd and could have adverse effect on health - Dr Douglass' Real Health Miracles For Real Men & Women bklt p7] (excessive Zn intake can lead to Cu deficiency and cause Cardiac Arrhythmia - VS Health Guide on Cardiac Arrhythmia - atrial) [Blaylock's Nat Strat for Cancer Pts bk p254: if taken at the same time, Zn & Cu compete for absorption by the same mechanism in the gut. Taking Zn in high doses every day will produce a Cu deficiency, and vice versa. Instead, take 50mg Zn twice a week.] (Dr. Rowen: Dr. Prasad believes that the majority of those over 55 will benefit from zinc supplementation. I agree. However, I don't think 15 mg is enough. I typically recommend 30-45 mg of zinc daily. And I also suggest you take 1-2 mg (from all sources) of copper with the zinc. Theoretically, zinc supplementation can reduce your absorption of copper, another essential trace mineral.) Chrysin - 500mg qty60 (from Passionflower - inhibits Estrogen production from DHEA for Prostate - Dr. Johnathan Wright's online article Defeating Out-of-Control Cell Growth: http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/estrogen2.shtml) Don't take with MAO inhibitors(?) Increases effects of alcohol & tranquilizers. Is poorly absorbed; more soluble combined with phosphatidylcholine or liposomes/oils [or Bioperine/piperine - iherb bioperine product info & LEF Chrysin MiraForte info] - TNP pp382-3. Take with oils. [can increase testosterone, but check PSA first to rule out prostate cancer; inc testosterone won't cause prostate cancer, but can accelerate already existing prostate cancer.] [inc testosterone - PFHH p395, p106-7] [LEF Male Hormone Modulation Protocol: 1500mg/d] LEF says it blocks aromatization (conversion) of testosterone to estrogen, and boosts levels of free T naturally: 73% of subjects had 40% inc in free T. Zyflamend, New Chapter 120 hexane-Free Softgel Capsules [prevents & kills prostate cancer. http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=6168 or http://www.youngagain.com/zyflamend1.html]. Take one softgel two times daily. Take in the middle of a larger meal with an 8 oz glass of water. [See LEF Magazine Dec2004 re inhibition of COX-2 without inhibiting 5-LO inc heart attacks,strokes & cancer -- similar to Vioxx arthritis Rx -- Ginger is only ingredient that also inhibits 5-LO in this. Take with Boswellia, another 5-LO inhibitor] http://www.vitacost.com/New-Chapter-Zyflamend ($32.87, qty120, CH 040541) Boswellia Extract (Boswellic Acid) [5-LO or 5-Loxin inhibitor] Carotenoid Complex - Swanson Carotenoid Complex mixed carotenoids. (Nature's Way Multi-Carotene needs Lycopene, Lutein, Astaxanthin, etc. added.) TNMp840 (25,000IU/day) (>=20mg beta carotene with or w/o Vit E increases Coronary Heart Disease TNMp842)[Swanson: mixed carotenoids + lycopene 20mg; lutein 6mg; alpha carotene 4mg; Astaxanthin 4mg; Zeaxanthin 2mg; Gamma Carotene 200mcg; Cryptoxanthin 100mcg] Multivitamin/mutimineral - Jarrow Multi Easy [Jarrow dosage: one 18cc scoop or 3 3/5 teaspoons (11g) per day; servings per 330g container: 30] Prostate Cancer Success Story (HP8) This next Success Story is from one of our contributors and most avid fans. So, since I've followed his healing and sent him to a variety of sites to order In June of 2004, his doctors found a lump in Bill's prostate. His doctor referred him to another doctor, but Bill wrote to me telling me that he had a lump in is HP8 Proprietary Herbs Blend: Suggested Use for HP8 Prostate Support Formula HP8 herbal formula selectively inhibits prostate cancer cell line proliferation by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest. Flowers A, Banbury L, Leach D and Waterman P. Centre for Phytochemistry and Pharmacology, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Abstract: Analysis by flow cytometry determined that cell division was arrested at the G2/M phase of the mitosis cycle resulting in apoptosis within 24 hours. Significantly lower rates of G2/M arrest and apoptosis in the nonprostate cancer cell lines demonstrated that HP8’s inhibitory effects were selective toward prostate cancer cell lines. At the highest dose tested, 0.32 mg/mL, considered a physiologically relevant level, HP8 caused G2/M cell cycle arrest in 98.22% of the PC-3 cells in culture and in 77% of LNCap cells, but only 14.86% of HepG2 cells, and 52.68% HL60. The results lead us to speculate that a potential mode of action of HP8 may be similar to that of Taxol which exerts its effects by disrupting mitotic spindle function thus inducing cell cycle arrest. HP8 selectively inhibits the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and as such it has the potential for use as an anti-cancer agent in treatment of this disease. HP8 is a breakthrough proprietary formulation offering a natural and effective way to maximize healthy prostate function. HP8 is manufactured to stringent pharmaceutical industry standards at an Australian Government GMP licensed facility ensuring quality, potency, and purity. Each ingredient is carefully selected and tested to ensure batch-to-batch consistency and... More effectiveness. In addition, HP8 contains free fatty acids and provides a daily dose of 200 mcg of Selenium, essential for the maintenance of healthy prostate function. HP8 is a specialty herbal complex designed by one of the great minds in natural medicine, Dr. Peter Waterman of The Center for Phytochemistry at Southern Cross University in Lismore, New South Wales. This product was featured in a popular newsletter written by a well respected doctor and researcher . The researchers designed this product to have the biological activity of PC-SPES, a now discontinued product for prostate cancer, without the side effects seen with the use of PC-SPES. One small pilot study (14 patients) demonstrated this product to be effective in 70 percent of the people who used it. Plans are being made for more extensive research to be completed on this product. Until such time, an author and medical researcher believes this to be the best and safest replacement for the PC-SPES. Avemar, HP8 Prostate Formula, ImmPower (AHCC): The Vitamin You Need to Prevent Prostate Cancer Increased intake of vitamin K2 may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent, according to the results of European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The potential benefits of K2 were most pronounced for advanced prostate cancer. Vitamin K1 intake did not offer any prostate benefits. The findings were based on data from more than 11,000 men taking part in the EPIC Heidelberg cohort. It adds to a small but ever-growing body of science supporting the potential health benefits of vitamin K for bone, blood, skin, and now prostate health. Sources: For Bladder Infections/ UTI (Urinary Tract Infections): D-Mannose (for bladder infections) - www.swansonvitamins.com SW913, 1.75oz/50g, $14.99 For UTI (Urinary Tract Infection): cranberry juice extract, uva ursi, marshmallow root -- Baseline Nutritionals (Jon Baron) Oct mailing re kidney detox, stones. Also see d-Mannose above. www.swansonvitamins.com SW786, qty180, $2.29 Cranberry Uva Ursi (leaf) http://chetday.com/prostategland.htm If you're male and over the age of 20, the best time to get serious about taking care of your prostate gland is now. Conventional medical guidelines recommend annual digital (finger) rectal examinations to screen for prostate enlargement and cancer, beginning in your 41st year. In recent years, I've observed an increasing number of men in their 20s and 30s exhibiting symptoms of prostate gland dysfunction. The three most common types of prostate gland dysfunction are prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and prostate cancer. What follows are descriptions of each of these health challenges and their most common symptoms. 1. Prostatitis Prostatitis is inflammation of your prostate gland that may be due to an infection or any other factor that is irritating your prostate. Signs and Symptoms of Prostatitis: Pain in your perineal region (area between your rectum and scrotum) Acute Bacterial Prostatitis Acute bacterial prostatitis is typically caused by an infection by bacteria found in the urinary tract or colon. Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis Chronic bacterial prostatitis is similar to the acute form, but its symptoms are typically less severe and develop more slowly. Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis is similar to chronic bacterial prostatitis; the major difference is that in the nonbacterial form, while symptoms are present, there is no evidence of bacteria in your urine or in the fluid in your prostate gland. 2. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Noncancerous enlargement your prostate gland is called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Signs and Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Difficulty with starting urine flow Prostate cancer isn't likely to kill you; you're more likely to die with prostate cancer than you are to die of it. Prostate cancer is troublesome because it can cause you to suffer with a number of uncomfortable symptoms for many years. Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer Blood in your urine Don't overeat. Without exception, all of the people that I have worked with on cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia have experienced improvement in their symptoms by reducing total food and water intake. Overeating on a regular basis promotes unhealthy weight gain and excess production of a number of hormones - both are known risk factors for a variety of cancers. To optimally care for your prostate gland, avoid creating unnecessary mechanical or chemical stress for your prostate gland. Every time you urinate, your prostate faces mechanical stress. Eating more food and drinking more water than you need promotes frequent urination. For more information on why drinking too much water can be bad for your health, view: Problems with Drinking Too Much Water (Note: if you have cancer, your need to detoxify requires lots of pure water; this article is about forcing yourself to drink too much water when you're healthy.) Eat a variety of antioxidant-rich plant foods. A number of studies in the medical literature indicate that eating antioxidants found in pomegranates, tomatoes, and broccoli may be helpful in preventing the development of prostate cancer. Please remember that everything that you put into your body directly or indirectly affects every organ in your body, including your prostate gland. Your body is not a collection of disjointed compartments; it is a gathering of dozens of organs that are intricately connected in structure and function. Eat a variety of antioxidant-rich foods - including pomegranates, tomatoes, and broccoli - to optimally nourish your prostate gland. To view a list of healthy antioxidant-rich foods, view: Foods that are Abundant in Naturally Occurring Antioxidants Regularly eat foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. A number of studies in the medical literature indicate that regular intake of foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce your risk of developing a wide variety of cancers, including prostate cancer. To discover which foods are abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, view: Making Sense of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Avoid large portions of protein-dense animal foods. There are several studies in the medical literature which indicate that eating fatty foods may increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. I agree that regular consumption of damaged fats can contribute to any health challenge, including prostate gland dysfunction. But my experience has been that reducing consumption of protein-dense animal foods is more effective for preventing and addressing prostate gland dysfunction than adopting a low-fat diet. Your body, including your prostate gland, needs a steady stream of healthy dietary fats and cholesterol to function optimally. For some people, I have found that taking this step alone - reducing intake of protein-dense animal foods - can result in dramatic improvement in prostate function. To learn about damaged and healthy fats, view: Ensure optimal vitamin D status. A number of studies, including one out of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University's School of Public Health, indicate that adequate vitamin D status may lower prostate cancer risk. For more information on how to ensure adequate vitamin D status, and to see a list of some foods that are rich in vitamin D, view: Encourage healthy blood circulation in your pelvic region. Consider acupressure sessions for Spleen-12, Spleen-13, Bladder-27, and Bladder-34; applying pressure to these four points can increase blood circulation to your prostate gland. Pictures of how to apply pressure to these points can be found on page 129 of Acupressure's Potent Points: a Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments Reserve sexual activity for a mutually monogamous relationship and/or masturbation, and do not engage in anal intercourse. These measures significantly decrease your risk of experiencing prostatitis. Experiencing a penile erection and sexual activity in the context mentioned above promotes healthy blood flow to your prostate gland. Over time, having chronic, noncancerous prostate health challenges may increase your risk of developing of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in industrialized countries. It's estimated that by age 50, about 25 percent of the male population have cancerous cells in their prostate glands. This percentage jumps to 50 percent by age 80. By adopting some or all of the suggestions provided above, you may be able to significantly reduce your risk of suffering with prostate health challenges. How to make lycopene fight prostate problems even better One of the biggest issues I deal with among men is prostate problems. Whether it's benign enlargement (BPH) or cancer, every male patient I see either has one of these problems or wants to prevent it. That's because the former causes urinary obstruction. The latter can kill and hits about 1 in 7 American men. The good news is there are easy ways to prevent both of them. You probably already know that the plant nutrient lycopene is great for your prostate. But you can help it fight prostate problems even better. By itself, lycopene can reduce PSA scores in men with BPH. But if you eat lots of onions and garlic along with the lycopene, you'll dramatically lower your risk of developing BPH in the first place. In a recent study, researchers found that those eating the most onions and garlic had a significantly reduced risk of BPH. Compared to those who didn't eat any onions or garlic, those who ate them regularly saw their risk go down by 59% and 28%, respectively. The researchers found that eating the two together frequently will lower your risk by 35%. These are two of my favorite foods. Feel free to eat as much as you want. And regarding cancer, a lab study found that adding lutein to lycopene (two colorful carotenoids) makes it an even better cancer preventive. The researchers incubated cancer cells with lycopene and lutein. They discovered the combination inhibited the growth of the cells. These carotenoids have the combined ability to reduce the incidence of BPH and slow cancer growth. If you don't like tomatoes, a prominent source of lycopene, then you can take the supplement Lyc-O-Mato. It's available at most health food stores and on the Internet. And you can take lutein and garlic in capsule form (available everywhere). But the best way to get all of these nutrients is to eat a diet heavy in fruits and veggies. Start now before the trouble hits. Yours for better health and medical freedom, Ref: Urology, 2007; 70(4 Urology, 2007; 70(4); Nutrition and Cancer, 2007; 58(2); J Nutr, 2007; 138(1). http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/10/06/red-wine-cancer-part-one.aspx How Does Resveratrol Help Control Cancer Development? Because it is an antioxidant, it has the ability to clear dangerous cancer-inducing radicals from the body Its anti-inflammatory properties prevent certain enzymes from forming that trigger tumor development It cuts down cell reproduction, which helps reduce the number of cell divisions that could contribute to the progression of cancer cell growth May play a similar role to estrogen by its ability to reduce testosterone levels, which promote the cancer growth The study involved interviewing two groups of men: 753 recently diagnosed prostate cancer patients and 703 healthy patients, who acted as the control group. The goal of the study was to evaluate the possible benefits of drinking red wine. The participant's ages ranged from 40-64, with the majority under the age of 60. This youthful range was considered one of the strong aspects of the study due to the fact the risks of prostate cancer are lower in younger age groups. This factor also allowed researchers to hone in on specific environmental factors of cancer risk such as wine consumption. Future studies are being planned to further research the relationship between resveratrol and prostate cancer. Science Blog September 22, 2004 Dr. Mercola's Comments: It now seems my suspicions were confirmed with research that found drinking a glass of red wine a day may cut a man's risk of prostate cancer in half. Moreover, the protective effect appears to be strongest against the most aggressive forms of the disease. Resveratrol should be added to the list of tools to fight prostate cancer. These include: Optimized vitamin D levels Vitamin E While red wine is shown to provide some great health benefits, I do not advocate drinking red wine at all as I am convinced that the alcohol itself is actually a poison and will unbalance your hormones. I am looking into using grape pomace. Grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking and is loaded with resveratrol and many other polyphenolic bioflavanoids and antioxidants. To the best of my knowledge it is not commercially available. If you insist on drinking red wine you also need to check on the growing conditions of the grapes and how the wine is made. If the wine isn't made with organic grapes, it may contain no resveratrol at all. You also need to be aware that consuming large amounts of wine or grapes, which have a lower concentration of antioxidants than wine, will increase insulin levels and eventually have a negative impact on your health. It may be beneficial to consume whole grape skins and pass up the meat of the grape, which has no resveratrol but a lot of extra fructose. How Exercise Reduces Your Risk of Prostate Cancer Broccoli Sprouts for Prostate & Breast Cancer How Exercise Reduces Your Risk of Prostate Cancer A New Understanding of Cancer Let's not forget the primary cause of most all cancers: unresolved So if you want to know how to nip cancer in the bud -- before it ever begins -- pay close attention to these 12 lifestyle changes that can VIRTUALLY Twelve Changes That Will Cut Your Cancer Risk in Half Quitting smoking In 2005, over 1.3 million Americans will learn they have cancer, and of the expected 570, 280 cancer deaths it's estimated that more than 168,000 of those will be caused by tobacco use and one-third will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, being overweight or obese or other lifestyle factors. That makes up 62 percent of all cancer deaths. To show how an American could, in reality, reduce their death risk from cancer, one expert pointed out that quitting smoking would eliminate about 50 percent of cancer deaths, while maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising would eliminate another 10 percent. Another fraction would be reduced by regular cancer screenings, as some cancers, such as breast, colon and prostate cancers, are easily treated if caught early on before they spread. According to researchers, if all women between the ages of 50 and 79 got mammograms every year, breast cancer deaths would go down by nearly 40 percent. The easiest way to prevent cancer, according to the report, is to stop all use of tobacco. Education, excise taxes on cigarettes and clean air laws have all helped to get the nation's smoking rate down to below 25 percent, however, another major cancer risk, obesity, appears to be harder to slow down. Experts say making healthy food more easily accessible and increasing physical activity is a step in the right direction to tackling obesity, along with getting schools to remove sodas and other junk foods from their vending machines. Adult Cancer Risks More than one in four men and more than one in five women still smoke cigarettes. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight. That includes the 30 percent of us who are obese. Not quite half of U.S. adults get enough exercise. Only about one in four U.S. adults eats five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. American Cancer Society March 31, 2005 Dr. Mercola's Comments: Based on studies of human remains ranging from 5300 B.C. to the mid-19th century, we know that cancer used to be quite rare. Cancer is becoming a far more common problem in our culture. Earlier this year cancer passed heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. We are now up to 175 people EVERY HOUR being diagnosed with cancer and another 65 that are actually dying from cancer. Considering how important this issue is for nearly everyone you know, it might be a good one to forward to your friends and relatives. You can easily do this by using the E-mail to a friend button in the upper right hand section of this page, just under the search box. You can make a larger impact if you write them a personal message in the e-mail as to why they should seriously consider the advice--and why they may want to subscribe to the newsletter. What innovative medicines, technologies and strategies are suggested by the Cancer Society to slow the spread of cancer by an amazing 62 percent? Doing nothing more than making some simple lifestyle changes. Eat healthier foods (ideally based on your body's unique metabolic type). Incorporate more exercise in your daily routine. Stop smoking today. Schedule periodic cancer screenings. The American Cancer Society is as traditional as medical organizations come. It is reassuring that even their conservative researchers now suggest a 62 percent reduction with simple lifestyle changes. One of the skills my father drilled into me from early childhood was to never settle for second best. For the most part I haven't, and I would encourage you to follow that advice when it comes to cancer prevention. Why would you settle for a meager 62 percent reduction? I believe you can VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE your cancer risk if you follow risk reduction strategies that have not been formally "proven" yet by conservative researchers. Why do you want to wait another 20 or 30 years for these to be proven and risk falling into the group of 175 Americans that are being diagnosed with cancer every hour? In 25 years another 15 million will die from cancer. I suggest you get with the program now and save you and your family a cancer diagnosis. So what can you do to virtually eliminate your cancer risk? There are a number of simple, yet very powerful, steps you can take to radically lower your risk of cancer in the future. Some of the most important ones are as follows: Control your fasting insulin and leptin levels. This is the end result, and can be easily monitored with the use of simple and relatively inexpensive blood tests. Make certain that you limit your intake of processed foods, grain carbohydrate and sugars as much as possible. Yes, this is even true for whole unprocessed organic grains as they tend to rapidly break down and drive your insulin and leptin levels up, which is the last thing you need to have happening if you are seeking to resolve a cancer. Get appropriate amounts of animal-based omega-3 fats and make sure you use cod liver oil (but not too much -- see Vitamin D article links below) if you don't have regular access to sun exposure. Normalize your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats by taking a high-quality krill oil or fish oil and reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils. Get regular and appropriate exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks. Normalize your vitamin D levels and vitamin A levels with safe amounts of sunlight exposure and consider careful supplementation when this is not possible. This works primarily by optimizing your vitamin D level. If you have regular access to sun exposure then you should use fish oil, not cod liver oil, as your primary source of omega-3 fats. Ideally, it would be best to monitor your vitamin D levels. If you take oral vitamin D and have a cancer it would be very prudent to monitor your vitamin D blood levels regularly. Ideally, it would be best for all people to monitor their vitamin D levels. Only 25 percent of people eat enough vegetables, so by all means eat as many vegetables as your metabolic type allows. Ideally, they should be fresh and organic. However, please understand that, frequently, fresh conventionally grown vegetables are healthier than organic ones that are older and wilted in the grocery store. They are certainly better than no vegetables at all, so please don't use that as an excuse. If you are a carb metabolic type, you may need up to 300 percent more vegetables than a protein metabolic type. Eat according to your metabolic type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have. Make sure you are not in the two-thirds of the population who are overweight and maintain an ideal body weight. Limit your exposure and provide protection for yourself from information carrying radio waves produced by cell phone towers, base stations, phones and WiFi stations. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution. Have a tool to permanently reprogram the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. Energy psychology seems to be one of the best approaches and my particular favorite tool, as you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique. German New Medicine is another powerful tool. Boil, poach or steam your foods, rather than frying or charbroiling them. Get a good night's sleep. Consume flax seeds (organic only) that have been freshly ground in a coffee grinder. The water soluble fibers (lignans) are a simple nutritious solution to decrease the risk of breast cancer and nicely complement your omega-3 fats. Use broccoli sprouts as an adjunct to everything above. Eating sprouts is not the only course of action I recommend for preventing or treating breast and prostate cancer. Here are a few other guidelines: Lower iron levels by donating blood. Excess iron can be a major cause of many cancers. (IP6 and Artemisinin work by targeting the large amounts of iron in cancer cells). The bottom line: Eat nutritious (for your metabolic type) meals and get plenty of exercise if you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer. For starters, following the plan detailed in my Total Health Program will optimize your weight and familiarize you with the foods that ward off diseases. Additional guidelines to reduce breast cancer risks: Avoid sugar and grains Normalize your omega-3 and omega-6 fat ratios with fish oil Get plenty of exercise One of the newest things that I have learned to lower the risk of breast cancer is that you can improve the ability of your body to metabolize estrogen. It is well documented that excessive estrogen will increase the risk of breast cancer. One can actually measure the ratio of estrogen metabolites to determine how effectively a person is able to remove estrogen from their system. However, if the estrogen metabolite ratio is compromised there are several effective nutritional solutions to improve it. Consume omega-3 fats from cod liver and fish oil. Your Immune System Can Keep Cancer Dormant The One Simple Thing You Can do to Radically Lower Your Risk of Cancer Upwards of six hours of strenuous activity each week could reduce the risks of invasive breast cancer by as much as 23 percent. A recent survey of over 15,000 women shows that exercise has a lifelong protective effect against invasive breast cancer. The survey was of women between the ages of 20 and 69 living in Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. During structured telephone interviews, researchers questioned almost 8,000 women without breast cancer, more than 1,500 survivors of non-invasive breast cancer, and more than 6,000 survivors of invasive breast cancer. The women were asked about their physical activity, occupation, family history of breast cancer, menopausal status, and body mass index. A reduction in risk for women who exercised was apparent whether the physical activity took place early in life, in the postmenopausal years, or in the recent past. Sources: Dr. Mercola's Comments: Many don't realize my initial intention when I went to medical school was to help people use exercise to stay healthy. Virtually no one disagrees that it is essential to achieving health and treating illness. However, I have noticed that many physicians tend not to advocate exercise as much as they could. I suspect this is likely related in most cases to them personally not adopting exercise in their own life so it would be "hypocritical" of them to advise their patients to exercise when they aren't. This is certainly not true of all physicians but it is for a great many of them. This is a major pity. I really do believe one of the requirements for medical school should be personal disciplines that help the physicians achieve high levels of health and wellness so they can model it to their patients. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case nor will it likely happen in the near future. In the meantime you can "Take Control of Your Health" by understanding how you can use exercise to improve and optimize your own health. One of them is realizing that the most common cause of death for you and for nearly everyone reading this is actually cancer. So what can you do to prevent cancer? Exercise Not only does it treat and prevent heart disease but it is equally as effective in cancer -- most likely for similar reasons, improvement of insulin levels. Last night I learned that my brother-in-law, who is several years younger than me, had a heart attack and will be having bypass surgery. Even though I helped him stop smoking 20 years ago and he stopped his six cans of soda a day about 10 years ago there were many other elements of a healthy lifestyle he did not embrace. One of the things he had not embraced in his lifestyle changes was exercise. Not only would exercise have dramatically lowered his risk of a heart attack, it would have also radically lowered his cancer risk. This is a "hidden" benefit of exercise that most people are not at all aware of. Interestingly, both diseases are likely affected by the same mechanism, lowering insulin and leptin levels. Probably the most important aspect about using exercise to optimize your health: You must treat it like a drug, meaning it must be prescribed precisely to do the most for your body. There's no truer evidence than this recent study about exercise and its protective effect on invasive breast cancer. At least six hours of strenuous exercise every week -- a prescription for health -- cut a woman's risks of invasive breast cancer by 23 percent. Most importantly, a woman can receive the very same protection exercise affords her against breast cancer at any stage in her life, meaning it's never too late to start. If you need some help, you'll want to review my beginner's exercise page today. Please remember, though, that while exercise is a vital component of optimal health, restricting your health plan to exercise exclusively is a prescription for disaster. The evidence for this assertion becomes apparent when you examine elite endurance athletes who develop cancer. You can learn more about virtually eliminating your cancer risks by reviewing my major recommendations. On Vital Votes, Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach Josh Rubin from San Marcos, California adds: "I agree 100% that exercise is one piece to the healing and prevention puzzle. I have found as well that most of my clients that have breast cancer in their family, are worried or get it, are estrogen dominant. This can mean high levels, but as well normal levels of estrogens. Estrogen dominance means that one has low levels of progesterone in order to oppose estrogen. "Estrogen caused cell proliferation and cell growth. Estrogen dominance in this day and age in my opinion comes from many places, but the most common are: "1. Plastic water bottles and containers contain xenoestrogens. "2. Stress causes the body to steal pregnenolone (precursor to progesterone) from the metabolic pathways in order to keep up with the production of cortisol. This leads to adrenal issues and low progesterone levels. "3. Most hygiene products, perfumes, etc will cause estrogen levels to increase, as well as make a women's hormones go haywire. "4. The pill causes most women's hormones to go haywire. Most have synthetic estrogens in them, which cause adrenal stress, as well as add to estrogen dominance. "5. Soy, and this is a whole discussion topic in itself." Broccoli Sprouts for Prostate, Breast & Other Cancers Broccoli (Sprouts or Extract) May Halt Growth of Breast, Prostate & Colon Cancer Cells Absolutely not!!! My strong recommendation would be to get the entire family of beneficial nutrients. One way to do this would be to eat broccoli but the best way is to consume broccoli sprouts, which are hundreds of times more potent than regular broccoli. I first wrote about this in 1997 when I posted information on using broccoli sprouts. They are an inexpensive and more effective cancer-treating alternative to eating the whole vegetable. You can purchase organic broccoli seeds from Johnny's at (207) 861-3901. Reference item #148, four ounces are $9, or one pound is $26.15. For sprouting instructions call Jaffe Brothers at (619) 749-1133. Your local library or health food store may also have some instructions on sprouting seeds. Dr. Mercola's Comment: At the present time, broccoli sprouts are not being grown commercially. However you can grow them yourself quite easily. You can purchase organic brocolli seeds from Johnny's at 207-437-4301. Item number 148, four onces are $9.00 or a pound for $26.15. Non-organic seeds can probably be purchased through farm supply stores or other seed catalogs. You can also call Jaffe Brothers at 619-749-1133 for instructions on how to sprout. They also sell sprouting lids to apply to Ball jars which make the entire process quite convenient. The library or health food store may also have some instructions on sprouting seeds. A small amount of spouts go a long way. A pound of sprouts will probably make over ten pounds of sprouts which from the researchers calculations translates up to as much cancer protecting phytochemicals as 1000 pounds (half a ton) of broccoli! The other major benefit is that the sprouts don't smell as you don't have to cook them. They are eaten raw, usually as an addition to salad. I have already ordered my sprouts. I suspect that there are similar benefits for many of the other vegetables when eaten as sprouts. Sugar and Cancer |
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