THE PLAGUE OF OUR AGE

SOME STEPS TO HELP PREVENT CANCER

Cancer – defining the plague

Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal, often inflamed, out of control cells divide unnecessarily and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells often spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.
There are many types of cancer. Most types of cancer are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start - for example, cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma; cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer.

The main types of cancer can be grouped into the following broader categories:

Ø  Lymphoma and Myeloma - cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system.

Ø  Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.

Ø  Central Nervous System - cancers that begins in the tissues of the spinal cord and brain.

Ø  Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the tissues that line or cover internal organs or in the skin.

Ø  Sarcoma - cancer that begins in muscle, bone, blood vessels, fat, cartilage, or other connective or supportive tissue.

Cancer – how it begins

To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells.
All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life.
Many different types of cells make up the human body. When the body is in a healthy state of existence, these cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed. When old or damaged cells die, they are replaced with new cells called stem cells.
When this orderly process goes wrong, cancer is often the result. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell becomes damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this occurs, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Tumors are not necessarily cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Ø  Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.

Ø  Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.

Ø  Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

Preventing Cancer
Many things in the environment, our lifestyle, our diets and our genes increase or decrease our risk of getting cancer.
Cancer is a cellular disease that commonly begins in cells that have been damaged by harmful substances introduced into the body in some way. Eliminating the damage to these cells and/or assisting these cells in naturally healing themselves will be a giant step forward in lowering your risk of developing some form of cancer.
Preventing a serious health condition is always preferable to trying to find a cure for a disease that has manifested itself in the body. Lowering your risks for cancer is definitely preferable to experiencing the trauma of cancer treatment of any kind. There are certain activities and circumstances that are known to increase the likelihood that you will have the very unpleasant experience of cancer in your life. Here are some of the most common:

Ø  Tobacco usage, in any form.

Ø  Over exposure to radiation, in most lifestyles this would be from the sun or tanning beds. However this could also be a factor stemming from a person’s employment or place of residence (Radon exposure and/or pollution).

Ø  Exposure to a variety of chemical toxins; either as a result of lifestyle and/or employment (working with or exposure to a variety of toxins in the workplace).

Ø  An unhealthy diet - A diet missing the vital nutrients found in green and yellow fruits and vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) may increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer. A diet lacking high fiber-rich fruits and vegetables may also increase your risk for some types of cancer.

Ø  Obesity increases the risk of cancers of the breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), colon, kidney, and esophagus

Ø  Chronic inflammation – research continues to show that chronic inflammation is a contributor in several types of deadly cancer. Certain dietary supplements have been scientifically shown to greatly reduce and/or eliminate chronic inflammation.

Research continues into cancer prevention, it is clear at this time that the above listed risks are real and that you can lower your risk for cancer by changing your lifestyle, if your activities include any of the high risk aspects listed above.
There is substantial evidence that certain high quality supplements can help with your cancer prevention program, especially as it relates to the reduction of chronic inflammation and detoxification of your body.
The link below will take you to a site that allows you to enter data that will help predict your risk of developing different types of cancer.
CANCER RISK FACTOR