May 8, 2013
10 Simple Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Cancer
So, I’m sitting with a friend today while he is getting chemotherapy, and everyone “plugged in” starts dream-talking about eating ice cream, and talking about how after a round of chemo, eating cold foods makes your throat close-up so they are all bumming that they have to wait a week before they can eat some again. I’m doing all I can to not start lecturing about our diets play an important role in our overall health. The “Nutrition After Chemotherapy and Cancer” booklet that they give all patients is a disgrace, with no useful information about what kinds of foods actually feed cancer cells. In fact, it encourages eating sugar-filled foods, which are cancer-cells best friends. Ugh. Since I’ve become a cancer survivor myself, I’ve read a bunch about how to better care for this body that is on loan to me for this time, and here are some easy things anyone can do to prevent this deadly disease from taking over.
1.) Spend 15-20 minutes daily in the sun to create Vitamin D. Most cancer patients are Vitamin D deficient. This plays an important role on our immune system’s ability to work properly.
2.) Avoid sugar like it is a toxic drug. We all have cancer cells in our bodies, but not everyone will feed them to grow out of control. Sugar does this, and it is added in just about EVERYTHING you buy to consume, even loaves of bread. Read labels on all foods, and make smarter choices, once you learn what foods are “cleaner”, this is a simple thing to do.
3.) Reduce or eliminate animal protein from your diet. Animals (yes, even eggs, milk and cheese come from animals) are not treated well these days for consumption. We pump them full of antibiotics, hormones, feed them the wrong foods to plump up, and these chemicals are absorbed into our bodies as well. 90% of toxins in your body come from animal protein (meat, eggs and dairy). (Dr. David Servan-Schreiber – AntiCancer) We don’t need as much protein in our diets as we Americans consume. Great vegan sources of high-protein foods are: avocados, nuts, seeds, quinoa, most vegetables, many soy-protein meat substitutes. There are excellent vegan cookbooks out there now geared toward meat-eating habits. (Vegan Cooking for Carnivores is excellent)
4.) Change household cleaning supplies to cleaner products. We touch and breath in these toxic chemicals. Let’s choose not to. Vinegar, baking soda, borax are all excellent options. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, and there are many brands of products now that are without toxicity (I like Seventh Generation brand for all dish and laundry soaps).
5.) Change body/beauty products to toxic-free. Again, your skin is your largest organ and it absorbs these chemicals. Stay clear from: Parabens, all Phthalates, SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate, Mercury, Lead, Antibacterials, 1, 4 Dioxane, Nano particles, Hydroquinone, Musks, and Formaldehyde. Deodorant with aluminum has been linked to breast cancer. Tom’s brand is clean, it may just take your body a couple of weeks to adjust so give it an honest try. Just switch brands, when you know better, you do better.
6.) Ditch your scratched non-stick cookware. At least 6 toxic chemicals are released into your food and into the air when heated. These have been linked to cancer.
7.) Ditch your microwave. Remember when we didn’t have this option? Use your stove or toaster oven to re-heat foods. Less toxic. Less disease.
8.) Eat ONLY organic produce, and lots of it. Our typical veggies and fruits from the supermarket are loaded with pesticides and chemicals to make it stay “fresher” longer. They cannot be washed out, they are absorbed into the food. Our bodies are flooded with these toxins! Food should spoil in a few days. That’s why we have refrigerators. Grow your own, buy from local organic farms, only purchase from the organic section in stores or see if there is a local organic produce delivery service in your area. If you don’t already buy organic because it is a little more expensive…try pricing out cancer. It’s well worth a few extra bucks for your life.
9.) Avoid canned foods. The lining of canned foods are now being made with plastic, which has harmful BPA, which has been linked to cancer, other endocrine disruptive diseases and fetal development issues. Also to avoid BPA, never heat food in plastic of any kind. Change to glass or ceramic food-storage containers.
10.) Exercise regularly. Cancer cells cannot survive in an environment with high levels of oxygen, and loves an environment filled with mental stress. Exercise helps to improve both of these, making cancer less comfy in your body. Try Yoga, try biking, make the gym a priority, make being healthy a priority. Your life is important to those who love you!
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