Is Cancer a Lifestyle Choice?

According to a recent study in the Pharmaceutical Research Journal, more than 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.

Could these cases have been prevented? Largely so, according to an impressive study in which scientists provide evidence that cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes.

It turns out that a mere 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, which means that the remaining 90–95% of cases have their roots in the environment and daily lifestyle habits.

The lifestyle factors that actively promote cancer development are:

• Cigarette smoking
• Red/processed meats, fried foods
• Alcohol
• Sun exposure
• Obesity
• Environmental pollutants
• Stress
• Physical inactivity

The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25–30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30–35% are linked to diet, about 15–20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc.

What’s especially fascinating is the evidence that inflammation is the link between the factors that cause cancer and those that prevent it. So, how can you use this information to create a cancer-prevention lifestyle plan? Start changing your habits from pro-cancer to anti-cancer. Effective cancer prevention requires:

• Smoking cessation
• A plant-centric menu rich in fresh fruits and veggies
• Delete red/processed meats from your plate
• Minimal alcohol intake. None is better.
• Restricting excessive calories, especially from inflammatory foods like sugary/refined/processed/junk foods.
• Regular exercise, which is a minimum of 30 minutes daily walking.
• Avoid direct sunlight, especially between 10AM-2PM. Keep a hat nearby.
• Emphasize whole/intact grains like oats, brown rice, wild rice and quinoa (the latter two are high-protein seeds).
• Get regular vaccinations/regular medical checkups