I love you… That’s what your cells would say if they could talk. Every day they restlessly fight and kill rebellious cells that want to grow uncontrollably, draining our life force for their selfish endeavors. These are called cancer cells.
Luckily, our immune system has an array of tools to keep us thriving and vibrant. But when these methods don’t work our bodies’ cell blueprints, known as DNA, break or change, and a cascade of unfortunate events is unleashed.
This results in malfunctioning instructions that fail to signal cells to cease growth or undergo natural death for our well-being, paving the way for cancer.
Such malfunctions can arise from random mutations or external substances like chemicals and radiation, known as carcinogens.
So, you might be thinking, what everyday items bear these sneaky carcinogens? Well, a quick Google search reveals some eye-opening headlines:
- Here’s How Sugar Might Fuel the Growth of Cancer — NBC
- Large-scale study explores genetic link between colorectal cancer and meat intake — Khek School of Medicine of USC
- Just a few sips of soda or juice daily may up cancer risk by 18%, study finds — USA TODAY
- Aspartame is a ‘possible’ cause of cancer. Which products in Europe contain the sweetener? — Euronews
Reading these headlines might make you want to steer clear of these products faster than a speeding bullet. But let’s not jump to conclusions just yet, and dig a little deeper into the subject.
First, correlation doesn’t necessarily equal causation. Just because product A is linked to cancer doesn’t mean it causes it. We have to be aware that cancer is a multifactorial disease meaning a variety of factors influence it.
This is the case of sugar. Although it is linked to cancer it doesn’t cause it. Instead, consuming it excessively can result in obesity, for which there is substantial evidence suggesting it increases the likelihood of cancer.
Now, take that 18% spike in cancer risk from daily soda sipping mentioned by USA TODAY. It doesn’t mean 18% more people will develop cancer. It means that IF the risk of getting cancer from daily consumption was 1% it is now 1.18%.
And let’s not forget the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of carcinogens. It categorizes substances based on evidence, but don’t panic unless it’s in group 1.
But hey, don’t go on a sugar or steak binge just yet! While the media loves sensationalizing, it’s wise to moderate our meat, sugar, soda, and aspartame intake. They might not be cancer in a can, but excess can’t be good either.
So, what’s the superhero strategy against cancer? Although there’s no such thing, watching your sugar intake, kicking that smoking habit, slapping on some sunscreen to dodge those UV rays, and going easy on the steak dinners are recommended. Oh, and don’t forget to break a sweat with some exercise — it’s a cancer-fighting champ!
Now, as for me, I’ll still have the occasional steak. After all, I believe life’s too short to pass up on the good stuff. But that’s just me. Some may stay away from anything on the WHO carcinogen list. Which is totally understandable!
What do you do to keep cancer away? What are some habits we should all follow to reduce cancer risk?
