One of the cancers that may be most easily prevented with diet and lifestyle changes is colorectal cancer-cancer of the large intestine and rectum.
This is the fifth most common type of cancer and the third leading cause of death in the United States.
When you consider the number of people who are constipated, and the Frankenstein foods that people eat, this may not be so surprising.
Cancer is a systemic disease, which means that the whole system is over-burdened and toxic to the point that rogue cells take hold and develop their own “entity” within the body. Your food and your blood are hijacked to feed the new entity or tumor. Of course, the host eventually dies, and so does the new colony. It is one of the oddities of Nature, considering that survival is the usual operating modality.
Unburdening your toxic load is one of your best defenses against this, and any other type, of cancer. Studies indicate that eliminating highly processed meats, refined sugars and commercial grains such as wheat, corn, rice, and soy may lower risk. Maintaining a healthy weight is a factor, and eliminating refined starches and sugars would help with weight control.
In recent years red meat has been considered a risk factor, but a review of the history of human health and nutrition did not correlate, since humans have eaten higher meat diets in the past, with little historical evidence of cancer. Studies show that it is the preparation of meat that is a factor. Meat that is heavily browned on the surface and over-cooked increases risk. When meat is over-cooked the proteins and amino acids are broken down and can no longer be utilized in the body for repair and nutrition.
High protein intake over-all was not associated with risk, but even seemed protective in some studies.[i] Consumption of fish and poultry as alternatives to red meat showed some protection. Fish Oil supplementation seemed to decrease risk in women, but also decreased inflammation in both sexes, and therefore may be generally helpful.
Intake of fiber from fresh vegetables and whole fruits appear to be protective of other gastrointestinal issues such as constipation and diverticulitis. However, the high fiber supplementation theory for cancer protection has not borne out. However, diets high in fruits and vegetables were associated with slightly lowered risk of colorectal cancer. Since certain vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts have sulfur compounds, which are necessary for PhaseII Liver detoxification, these vegetables may have potential in cancer prevention for all types of cancer. Phase II liver detoxification is the stage when toxins are fully broken down by enzymes so that waste products can be eliminated rather than stored in the body. Stored toxins cause cellular damage and clog the matrix between the cells, trapping waste and preventing nutrients from reaching the individual cells. Since organic food lowers the exposure to pesticide contamination, buying organic may contribute to lowered cancer risk.
Inflammation appears to be an issue in cancer and intake of B vitamins that decrease inflammation such as folate are associated with lower risk. Naturally occurring folate is not the same as synthetic folic acid, and folate is what was found to lower cancer risk. Organic eggs are a good source, as well as dark green veggies such as kale, spinach and broccoli. Look for unfortified Brewer’s Yeast, too. Brewers Yeast is also a good source of selenium, which was associated with a 50% reduction in colon cancer in one study.
Note that red meat contains natural B vitamins, particularly the organ meat of the animal. Liver is very nutrient dense. The fact that we no longer consume the most nutritious parts of the animal may be one reason we see more colon cancer now than we did in past times when people did not avoid any eatable part of the animal. Organ meat was often preferred for its nutrient value.
Alcohol is a risk, but the amount is not determined. High consumption is definitely a factor, and alcohol metabolism will burn folate and other B vitamins. Whether two or less drinks per day are a risk is undetermined.
Evidence suggests that a high level of physical activity lowers risk, even when weight is not managed in normal ranges.
So, we can conclude that lifestyle and dietary changes can lower the risk of developing colon and rectal cancer, and may lower it significantly. Basic and common sense changes towards organic whole foods bring about generally improved health and vitality. The same smart choices are the key to colon health.
If your colon is not functioning well, see your health practitioner. A colonoscopy may check for risks, but it will not prevent problems that could develop into cancer. We blame our intestine for bloat and indigestion. But any problems are just a reflection of what we are eating and our degree of toxic exposures. Colon cancer may be almost completely preventable. It was virtually unknown in cultures where people ate all natural diets of unprocessed foods. Next time I will tell your more about how to undo the damage already done. It takes guts to have a long and healthy life.
Warmly;
Anne
Signs and Symptoms that Your Stress is Caused by Exhausted Adrenals
When you are more tired than you should be, feeling overwhelmed or sick too often, does your partner tell you it is just stress? And you kind of know that is true, but you aren’t sure what to do about it.
You could say that everything is stress because that is the only thing that causes anything to go wrong in the body. It is how the stress hits us, and how the body responds, that makes the difference and creates the symptoms. If you are in perfect health, with very little demand of any kind on the body, you will have plenty of energy and feel fine. Except that you might be bored, and that can also produce stress!
But in today’s world hardly anyone is in perfect health. We have a very compromised food supply, so that even the organic vegetables don’t have the nutrition they had 50-75 years ago. We have staggering amounts of environmental toxins that over-burden our detoxification organs. We have to process too much information, and we sit in traffic too long trying to get somewhere we need to be, which takes up too much time, leaving us feeling that life is moving too fast.
The ability of the body to adapt to all that we experience in life is moderated, to a great extent, by those little glands on top of our kidneys called adrenals. The walnut sized adrenals produce four different hormones, but these have a powerful influence on the body. The adrenals get depleted when they run out of the materials needed to make hormones.
Because of our high-stress lives, the adrenals over produce cortisol. The circulating cortisol signals the body to eat more, to stay alert at night rather than sleep, and to store fat. Or you may be so sluggish that you can’t stay awake when you want to. And you are hungry, gaining weight, but you don’t seem to get the benefit of your food even when you eat well.
Let’s look at how the body views stress. If you are standing at the top of a black diamond (very difficult) ski run, and you are an excellent skier, you are pumped and excited about the run. Your body gets primed because you know you are going to ski fast, and your knees are going to be pumping to keep you gliding over the bumps, and your heart is going to be working over-time to keep the blood circulating to your muscles. That is all physical stress on the body, as well as the emotional stress of the anticipation and exhilaration.
If you are a novice skier and you ended up at the top of the black diamond run by mistake, you look down the steep bumps with fear or even terror. You wonder if you will make it down in one piece, or if the ski patrol will have to bring you down on a stretcher. Your mouth goes dry, your arms and legs get stiff, and your heart pounds with anxiety. You may also be a bit embarrassed that you are going to have to slide and scrape down the hill, instead of gliding gracefully like the pros. (I can personally testify to this!)
Our bodies don’t really know the difference between the two experiences. Both create a demand that exceeds the norm, and that produces extra stress.
Here are the symptoms of weak and exhausted adrenals:
Gains weight easily or can’t lose weight. When severe, can’t gain weight.
Thin and wispy hair, dry, falls out easily, may become straighter or straw-like
Exhausted or easily fatigued
Chronic fatigue
Wakes between 3-4 pm and cannot return to sleep
Gets sick easily and stays weak afterwards
Racing heart or palpitations
Panic and anxiety
Asthma or allergies, seasonal or food
Pain and inflammation
Dizziness, or gets dizzy when standing suddenly
Constipation, diarrhea, IBS or other bowel disorders
Auto-immune disease such as Lupus, Hashimoto’s, Celiac
Hot flashes
Mental sluggishness
Headaches
Sparse hair on legs and arms
Dry skin
Eyes sunken
Poor circulation
Swollen ankles
Craves salt
High blood pressure
Pallor-very pale skin that is not natural looking
Frequent urination, especially at night
“Double jointed” or lax ligaments
Can’t hold Chiropractic adjustments
Vitiligo or white patches on skin
You may be asking yourself why your medical doctor does not recognize these symptoms and have you tested. Pharmaceutical does not have any answers for adrenal issues, except psychiatric medication when the anxiety and panic are a problem. They have inhalers and allergy medication, and sleep drugs.
These drugs may treat the symptoms, but they do not heal and repair the adrenal glands themselves. So, millions of people are trying to operate their bodies with depleted adrenals and suffering the effects, or they are suffering the side-effects of drugs that never get to the underlying issue.
Once you understand that all of life is basically an adrenal challenge, you can plan to keep your adrenals up to the job. That means getting enough sleep, avoiding sugar, eating whole foods regularly and avoiding processed chemical foods. The adrenals need and store large quantities of Vitamin C, so they need fresh fruits and vegetables to operate well. And there are many adrenal supplements, both herbal and nutritional, that can restore burnt out adrenals quickly. If you have any kind of physical, emotional or psychological stress, you may need supplements and lifestyle changes to keep your adrenals strong.
“Adrenal glands produce hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, steroids, cortisol, and cortisone, and chemicals such as adrenalin (epinephrine), norepinephrine, and dopamine. When the glands produce more or less hormones than required by the body, disease conditions may occur.” Medline Plus[i]
At Well Body Clinic, we find the exact adrenal support that is right for your body. And we can address the other symptoms, such as anxiety, allergies, sleep, hair and skin issues, with a complete natural medicine approach. You don’t have to be sick and tired and, worse, wondering what is wrong with you. Functional medicine means finding out what part of your body needs support to function correctly, and removing any barriers that are preventing you from feeling good and being well. For real. Long term.
Call us to book your adrenal consultation. It usually only takes a few days to start noticing the difference in your symptoms. Life is a challenge, and you can make sure that your adrenals are helping you to keep up.
[i] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/8719.htm
The Sleep/Weight Loss Connection
Well, if it seems that everything these days makes you fat, you can add one more lifestyle factor. Too little sleep is associated with weight gain. That can mean that you don’t spend enough time in the sack, or it can mean that the time you spend is not giving you enough restful sleep.
I think of sleep as a way for the body to recharge its batteries and do some housecleaning. We know that the organs like liver detoxify in the middle of the night, and cortisol levels may rise as blood sugar drops. These behind-the-scenes functions can cause wakefulness if your adrenals are weak or your liver over-burdened, or your blood sugar is too high or low.
So, if you are waking up and not able to go back to sleep, consider that a sign that you need a sort out regarding your body.
If you are just burning the midnight oil, or unable to tear yourself away from some interesting activity, try setting an alarm clock to make yourself go to bed! Then follow the routine and get yourself to bed earlier for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. Don’t be surprised if you are less moody, less forgetful, look better and hear comments from family and friends that you seem in a better mood.
So many of us are sleep deprived, that we forget what it is like to really be rested. And the body needs plenty of sleep for adrenal function. So, sleep too little and your cortisol levels rise, which makes your body think there is danger around. It will then hold on to fat as a protective mechanism. In the past, danger often meant that food got scarce, so fat was a cushion against starvation. In these days of over-abundance of food for many, there is no danger, but our bodies have not caught up with our modern lifestyles.
So, to placate your ancestral heritage, go to bed before 11 pm or even earlier, if you must rise at dawn, and catch up on sleep whenever you miss a full night. Taking a beauty nap is also a weight loss nap. You might be able to sleep yourself thin, as long as you get plenty of moderate exercise when you are awake. Studies show that humans actually sleep nine hours, away from electric light stimulation. Keep your bedroom dark and that may help your hormones that influence sleep. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss?page=2
Don’t eat carbs or sweets after dinner, to keep your blood sugar from plummeting during the night. Try a little good fat like butter or nut butter, with some protein or veggies. There are many sleep aids, such as herbal preparations, which can calm the body to sleep. California Poppy, Valerian, Passion Flower, and Kava are a few of them. Adrenal supplements taken during the day may help, as well as a combination of calcium and magnesium for the nervous system. Get your thyroid checked if you have trouble sleeping and experience palpitations when you lie down to rest.
Children play hard and sleep hard. We can take a lesson. Good sleep is not a luxury. It is a necessity for health and longevity. And now you know the added bonus that it helps you to lose weight.
If sleep is a problem for you, don't walk around bleary-eyed. Let's fix it by finding out what is keeping you awake and using natural medicine to correct it. Email me or come in for a consultation. You can be better rested-and slimmer.
