Enter Knowledge, Exit Fear
It is undeniable that cancer is something most of us fear. In fact, six out of 10 Americans are afraid of getting cancer and believe it is not preventable.
I definitely fell into that category, as nearly every unusual symptom led my mind down a dark and winding path to the eventual destination of cancer. (WebMD did not help. I once had tingling in my foot, which WebMD suggested was caused by a tumor. It was actually caused by ill-fitting shoes.) Based on what I had seen personally, cancer equated with immediate surgery, followed up by punishing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. And sometimes, not always, it led to death.
So needless to say, I was a little nervous about enrolling in holistic cancer coaching certification classes with Dr. Susan Silberstein’s Center for Advancement in Cancer Education. I wondered if the subject was too scary and whether it would make me even more paranoid.
On the contrary, the class made me see cancer differently. While I thought it was like the Grim Reaper, a force that chose its victims randomly, I learned that we have more control than we think. Only 5-10% of cancers are caused by genes, while 90-95% are caused by lifestyle factors. This is illustrated by a fact that involves adoption. Researchers found that genes of biological parents who died of cancer before age 50 had no influence on their children; however, children whose adoptive parents died of cancer before age 50 had a 500% increased risk of cancer mortality.
So what are the environmental/lifestyle causes of cancer?
Diet. Diet. Diet. Processed food is one of the leading factors in disease, including cancer. And cancer loves sugar- it is used in PET scans to draw out the cancer, which naturally gravitates to it. White flour and sugar, chips, sodas, fast food, pastries…unfortunately, most of the things that are convenient and taste good.
Toxins. There are noted connections between toxins and cancer, i.e. 9-11 World Trade Center exposure, Chernobyl, cancer clusters from tainted water. But besides large-scale events, we are exposed to toxins everywhere, all the time. No joke. They are in our food (pesticides, preservatives), our air, skin and hair products, plastics, home items such as furniture and paint, cleaning supplies…the list goes on. (Since World War II, 80,000 new commercial synthetic chemicals have been released into the environment.) To boot, there are “natural” environmental toxins such as mold that can lead to major health problems. While some people can clear toxins effectively, others have genetic predispositions that make it more difficult for their bodies to process and remove them. And other factors, such as constipation, can hold toxins in the body for longer periods of time.
Stress and/or trauma. The stress response has an inflammatory cascade effect on the body, affecting the GI tract, the lungs, the heart and the brain. Chronic stress leads to constant inflammation, which creates an optimal environment for cancer. Diagnosis of cancer has been shown to increase after major life events, such as divorce, loss of a job or property, or death of a loved one. Slow-burning emotional issues such as childhood trauma, toxic family relationships, dissatisfaction with work or abusive relationships are present in nearly all cancer patients, according to Silberstein. She has found specific correlations, such as breast cancer patients having a lack of nurturing; lymphoma patients experiencing job or environment-related stress; and multiple myeloma patients experiencing deep, unresolved grief.
While many of these things are difficult to avoid, once identified they can be addressed. For example, a sensible, whole foods diet goes a long way. More fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains and organic meat; less alcohol and more green tea; and avoiding foods with multiple chemical ingredients.
You can reduce toxins by choosing cleaner products for your home and personal care, ideally recommended from a reliable source. Air cleaners are great to have in your home. (Ours will kick up when we clean the litter box, to catch the cloud of dust.) And your body has its own defenses, including sweating, to help eliminate toxins from the body. Supplemental glutathione, vitamin C and NAC can also help move toxins out.
Stress may be the most difficult factor to control. Some things, by their nature, are just difficult, such as the loss of a loved one. However, stressors that can be adjusted or removed should be addressed as soon as possible. These may include a stressful job, a bad marriage, or toxic relationships. Silberstein has documented cases where “cleaning house” led to cancer remission. In one particular case, a man was told his cancer was terminal and there was nothing more doctors could do. He booked a cruise, quit his job and filed for divorce. A short time later, he was declared cancer-free.
Silberstein looks at cancer as a time to take stock of your life and determine where changes need to be made, whether it be in what you eat, or, as she says, “what’s eating you.” The question is, why wait until you have a cancer diagnosis? What is there to lose by cleaning up your life now? You will live a healthier, cleaner life and hopefully avoid getting cancer altogether.
Becoming a cancer coach has led me to look at cancer in a completely different way. Knowledge, in this case, has helped reduce my fear and realize that there are things I can do to avoid a cancer diagnosis. And if God forbid I should get one, or a loved one does, I know that the “host” matters more than the tumors, and for some reason that changes everything. Because everyone is different, there is always hope.
