Understanding CANCER to Fight it OFF
Why Australians need to KNOW and act NOW
Cancer affects a large number of Australians, both directly and indirectly.
A recent media release by the Cancer Council Australia has estimated that the number of Australians living with cancer or survived a diagnosis has exceeded a staggering 1 million for the first time in the country’s history!
For a country with a population of 23 million, that is an alarming number of people facing health crisis!
A disease of the cells — the basic building blocks — in the body.
The body is made up from millions of tiny cells. Most types of cell in the body divide and multiply from time to time. As old cells wear out or become damaged, new cells are formed to replace the old ones.
In a healthy human body, these cells grow and multiply in a controlled way, however, if something causes a ‘damage or alteration to occur in the cells’ genetic blueprints’, this control can be lost.
These abnormal cells may then uncontrollably multiply and can potentially damage other tissues. If this group of cells gets bigger, it becomes a large clump of abnormal cells called a tumor.
Our bodies have certain mechanisms that may protect us from developing cancer. The immune system naturally has the potential to repair damaged cells and destroy some types of abnormal cells before they multiply into a tumor. While some toxins may only damage one gene, and two or more genes may need to be damaged or altered to trigger the cells to multiply out of control.
WHO’s at RISK?
Cancerous growth is a manifestation of a combination of factors such as genetic make-up, exposure to toxins, age, poor immune system, high stress levels, unhealthy diet, eating disorders and bad habits, to name a few main ones. They all play a part to trigger a cell to become abnormal.
Many cancers seem to develop for no apparent reason!
As people get older, they tend to accumulate toxins and damaged cells in the body over time. The body’s defenses and their ability to repair damaged cells may become less efficient with age. So, eventually one damaged cell may manage to survive and multiply out of control into a cancer.
So is WHY PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE??
Obviously it saves us a lot of mental stress and physical ailment, but apart from those,
Some cancers
- can grow more rapidly making the body weak physically and mentally
- are likely to spread to other parts of the body
- don’t respond much to treatment
- return even after removal
But The GOOD NEWS is…
While some people have a higher propensity or risk of acquiring cancer making it difficult to keep it at bay, studies show that almost 30% of all cancers can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices!
Here is how we can help ourselves to prevent this affliction,
AVOID
Smoking, overconsumption of sugars — cancer feeds on sugar; genetically modified, processed and fried foods;
LIMIT
Meat consumption, alcohol (dehydrating effect), mental stress, exposure to sunlight (especially UVA and UVB radiation) — stay sun smart; exposure to toxic and polluted environments;
MAINTAIN
a healthy diet and body weight; an active lifestyle — physical activity oxygenates the blood and helps lymphatic glands to eliminate toxins;
EAT
Plenty of green leafy vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants, foods rich in magnesium and iodine, fruits — especially berries, whole grains, herbs and spices — whether you like the bold, spicy flavors of turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon, or the more earthy flavours of rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano, these powerhouse herbs all have incredible anti-inflammatory properties; healthy fats — olive oil, avocados, and nut oils (rich in Omega 3 and other polysaturated fats);
DRINK
Water. Replace fizzy, carbonated drinks and even fruit juices whenever possible with water. Water has several benefits and is a ZERO calorie drink! So keep yourself hydrated at all times to have a good digestive system and help your kidneys flush out toxins.
Last but not least, know yourself, your body and your blood type. Know what works best for you and make judicious choices when it comes to your health and well being.
Think HEALTH think LIFE and keep on shining!
