Changes I Have Made to Reduce My Risk of Cancer
While many people brush off recommendations about their health, cancer is one word that seems to get everyone’s attention. Cheeseburgers with a heart condition, no problem! Supersize sodas with diabetes, it’s fine! But when the threat of cancer comes into play, they are willing to listen.
Why? Most of us have known and loved someone who has suffered the devastating effects of cancer and its treatments. I actually became a holistic cancer coach to learn more to protect myself, my family, and my clients, and to have resources if they do get a cancer diagnosis. While I already have an extensive background in functional medicine thanks to my education and experience as a health coach, I thought learning the specifics of cancer would be useful.
What I learned from the Susan Silberstein Center for Advancement in Cancer Education program surprised even me. While a lot of the training coincided nicely with the functional medicine approach to health, some points directly contradicted what I had already learned. But many suggestions made sense, and I have begun to incorporate them into my own life as well as my coaching practice.
What changes have I made in the name of cancer prevention?
I am eating more fruits and vegetables. I have always tried to mix them in, but I am now making a concerted effort to increase the volume of fruits and vegetables I’m eating daily. Veggies with carotenes (i.e. carrots, sweet potatoes) are potent antioxidants and can activate T-cells, natural killer cells and macrophages, which boost the immune system. Green vegetables have several nutrients and help boost detoxification, blood flow and DNA. Cruciferous vegetables support the liver, which helps to neutralize hormones and carcinogens. Fruits have phytonutrients and Vitamin C. All fruits and vegetables have fiber, which supports digestion and helps absorb and move toxins out of the body. While “eating the rainbow” is a theme of functional medicine, consuming a high-protein, low-carb diet is encouraged. At the practice where I worked as a coach, fruits and grains were relegated to “condiments” while eating proteins was highly recommended. So I have definitely welcomed adding them back in as a means of cancer prevention. The biggest issue with fruits and vegetables is cleaning and cutting them, as well as the fact that they are perishable. Sometimes I will buy them pre-cut, which is more expensive but worth it if I will actually eat them. Frozen fruits and vegetables are another option, as they last indefinitely.
I am trying to eat more alkaline foods. Cancer thrives in an acidic environment, and alkalinity helps promote healing. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline; animal proteins, fats, grains and sugars are acidic. The ideal ratio is 80% alkaline, 20% acidic, which is hard to achieve eating typical foods such as cereal, sandwiches and pasta.
I have reduced my meat consumption and moved to a more plant-based diet. I have never been a big fan of meat personally, but tried to eat more of it based on functional medicine nutrition recommendations. Meat does offer several vitamins, iron and amino acids, but may also include toxins, unhealthy fats and antibiotics.
I have tried to reduce sugar. I was horrified to learn that patients are given sugar before PET scans to detect cancer, since cancer cells gravitate to the sugar as a source of food. That’s all I needed to hear, no more convincing necessary. But there are a lot more studies to back up the fact that sugar feeds cancer.
I am paying more attention to toxins. We have all heard of the connection between toxins and cancer…but I’m not going to lie, the constant flow of contradicting information can get exhausting. Guidance like “Do not go in the sun without sunscreen, you will get cancer” pivots to “Cancer has been linked to chemicals in sunscreen” seemingly daily. So what are we supposed to do? I truthfully cannot keep up with the clickbait headlines, so I follow my gut. I try to eat clean food…the fewer ingredients I can’t pronounce on the label, the better. If something has a strong odor of chemicals, I avoid putting it on my body or using it in my home. Instead of air fresheners, I use essential oils. And I use soaps and lotions I buy from farmers markets, instead of mass produced items. We always have air cleaners running. But I am not delusional…there have been 80,000 new chemicals introduced since World War II, and we are exposed to many of them daily without even knowing it. And the large-scale events we are aware of, such as in East Palestine, are only a drop in the bucket compared to what is released into our air, water and soil all the time. Fortunately, our bodies have built-in detoxification systems such as sweat and digestion that help remove toxins. If you have impaired detoxification genes, like I do, you can boost them with N-Acetyl Cysteine, Glutathione, and Vitamin C and Chlorophyll.
I am prioritizing mental health. Silberstein has worked with cancer patients for over 40 years, and has identified emotional issues as a main factor in whether or not you will get cancer. As someone who has started therapy myself, and seen a huge change in my physical health, her correlation does not surprise me at all. She has many documented links of specific traumas to certain types of cancer, as well as positive outcomes from therapy or reduction of stress. Stress plays a major role in inflammation, which creates a welcoming environment for cancer.
While I am not 100% compliant, these tweaks to my daily routine have not been difficult or unpleasant. I am better off eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing toxins, and addressing my mental health. As I see it, there’s no downside. And if it reduces the chances of getting cancer, even better.
To learn more about holistic cancer coaching, click here.
