By Suzzanne Jocson-Bangsil

Cancer. Once you hear someone diagnosed with this terrifying disease, it immediately conjures up images of  your loved one lying in a lacquered coffin, or struggling for breath as he gives you instructions for his last speech before he passes out, or a bald head wrapped in a cap or turban, old and wrinkled, weary and just waiting for the grim reaper to take him away. In short, when you hear the word cancer, it is equivalent to a death sentence. 

Cancer is the general term for abnormal growth of cells. When the abnormal cell reproduces, it has the ability to invade or metastasize to other parts of the body, and cause havoc. It interferes with the jobs of regular cells, confuses other organs and can be compared to a terrorist hijacking organs and other cells. Since cancer cells are living cells, it is in their nature to continue to live, grow, change, mutate and eat.

If a cancer cell can manage these four basic functions, it will live, and will experience this in the form of a tumor. If any of the functions is stopped, the cancer will die. Medical treatments therefore attempt to interfere with these four functions. The usual treatments administered to cancer patients are chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. It has been proven that if you don’t die  from the cancer diagnosis or cancer psychosis, you will surely die sooner from the medical treatments. Chemotherapy kills the bad cells but includes the good cells as well. It renders you vulnerable to other diseases, because the chemicals used, weaken your immune system making you susceptible to the most common virus  even from a cough or a cold. Besides the fact that treatment will wipe your bank account out due to its cost, you might as well wish you  were dead tomorrow. It will end up cheaper for you in the long run.

That is why the answer to Cancer is never giving it a chance to even start. Stopping Cancer at the source. Primary prevention is when we stop a disease at its origins.We change the behavior that causes the disease or eliminate the carcinogen responsible for the disease. It is not God’s fault that people get sick of cancer. It is the long term consequence of abusing our bodies and not honoring what it needs to function properly.

This is the battle-cry of complementary and alternative medicine. Prevention is  definitely
far better than scrambling desperately for the cure. This is not widely disseminated to the
public because sad to say, cancer has become a big business and even a political issue but that is another story. Meanwhile, the “holy trinity” for cancer prevention are Health enhancement, Risk avoidance and Risk reduction.

1.    Health Enhancement- This entails eating well and staying physically active, practicing proper hygiene and safe sex.

2.    Risk avoidance- This means avoiding bad things, or known carcinogens, such as tobacco, alcohol abuse, junk foods with empty calories and no nutrients.

3.    Risk Reduction- This means lowering your exposure to something you can’t help. Being exposed to like occupational toxins, pesticide laden produce, contaminated water to name a few.

Here’s a list of what to avoid to decrease your risks of getting the Big C.

1.    Lose the tobacco.  43 carcinogenic agents found. No ifs and buts. Or save up for your lung cancer bill. Also environmental tobacco smoke ( ETS), or second hand smoke.

2.  Avoid alcohol. If not possible. You may only have 2 drinks of alcohol a day max, up to 14 drinks a week only.

3. Shun illegal drugs

4. You are what you eat and drink. The more fat on your body, the more estrogen you make. Estrogen-dependent cancers include breast, ovarian, uterine, colon and prostrate cancers. So easy on the birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and red meat.

4.    Stop consuming large amounts of dietary fat and meat (beef and pork especially). Saturated fat is linked to a higher rate of colon, ovarian and prostate cancer. Red meat with colon and advanced prostrate cancer. Why? It is because red meat is laced with antibiotics,
and growth hormones that cattle producers inject to guarantee a higher yield and faster growth for their return of investment. Parents bug their children to eat meat to grow taller. It is a myth. It is not the protein that makes them taller. It is the hormone.

5.    Consume fresh fruits and vegetables daily. You need live food with live enzymes to keep your body healthy. Eat foods that are alive than those with eyes. Choose fish and chicken over beef and pork .

6.    Achieve and maintain healthy body weight by enjoying regular physical aerobic activity. Exercise daily so that your inner body doesn’t rust. Oxygenate your body. Detox daily.

7.    Avoid salted foods, leftovers, charred or barbequed food, cured and smoked meats Sodium nitrite is carcinogenic. Goodbye hotdogs, bacon, tocino, ham etc.

8.    Reduce sun exposure from 11am to 4pm to avoid skin cancer. Use sunscreen with SPF 15 and higher.

  AVOID :

Asbestos, Benzene from Gasoline, Diesel exhaust, air pollution , smoke fumes from cooking oil, computer equipment emissions, fumes from carpets, pesticides, cleaners, fungicides, perc vapor from your dry cleaned clothes, chemicals inhaled from beauty salon treatments, printing and photocopying fumes, dioxin from plastic products like microwave plastic wraps, microwave ovens, mineral oils, methylene chloride , newly painted room fumes, cleaning products and disinfectants, adhesives, toners used in printers ,permanent ink markers containing acetone, correction fluid, synthetic carpets, saccharin, aspartame, formaldehyde, solvents, smoked food, salted fish, perfumes and the list goes on .

Some people may say that if this is the case then they might as well stop living if they are
to avoid almost everything.  Cancer was an extremely rare disease in the ancient world.

Alas, this is the price we pay for our industrial revolution. You want your cars, computers, cell phones, processed foods with preservatives for longer shelf life,mouth watering embalmed pork roasts drizzling with burned caramel, 8 tsps. of sugar in every soft drink, caffeine laced brews in every corner, highlighted hair wreacking with chemicals, irradiated food for the sake of wanting everything instantly, like noodles in styrofoam cups, then prepare to pay with your health, money and life. You may eat, drink and be merry .

You may have all the carcinogens  you want, but do not act clueless on the day you’re
diagnosed with Cancer, because it doesn’t come to you causeless. It is your choice. Choose wisely.

Reference:

Stopping Cancer at the Source
M. Sara Rosenthal ,Pd.D
Your Health Press, Trafford Publishing,2001

Suzanne Bangsil  is a Natural Health Doctoral Candidate, Holistic Wellness Consultant, Freelance Fashion Stylist and Businesswoman.

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