Cancer: The Diagnosis that Nobody Wants
Nov 04, 2009 by Bill Rawls, M.D.
I’ve heard it said that cancer is cause for concern and everything else is just an inconvenience. To some extent this statement is very accurate. Cancer is the diagnosis that nobody wants.
Cancer is more threatening than any other disease process and despite all the money that has been poured into cancer research, the incidence of cancer is still on the rise. Early detection and better treatment protocols are improving survivability, but we are still not winning the war. We win the war only when no one gets cancer in the first place—prevention is the best strategy.
While a zero cancer rate may not presently be within our grasp, dramatically reducing our current cancer rate certainly is. The factors that initiate or induce cancer within the human body are well defined. Damage caused by free-radicals occurring as a byproduct of cellular energy production, toxins, poor nutrition with excessive glucose and abnormal fats, immune dysfunction related to chronic stress, microbes, basic wear and tear and radiation sum up all the causes in brief. Reduce or oppose these factors and cancer is less likely to occur.
Ironically, making better choices is not something that comes naturally. Instincts, honed over thousands of years of survival impel us to hoard all the sugar and fat we can get our hands on, eat as much as possible when food is available, store fat, rest whenever the opportunity presents, and react to all stress as if it was a saber-toothed tiger getting ready to pounce. Instinct has left us with no tools for dealing with unseen threats such as toxins or new strains of microbes. In essence, the world has changed so much in the past hundred years that our survival skills are outdated. In order to thrive in this new environment, new behavior must be learned.
Overcoming outdated instinct is not an insurmountable challenge and there are great rewards for making the effort. Turning the tide against cancer is just one of them. Trading off the dominant taste of sweet for real flavor in food truly adds spice to life. A more relaxed lifestyle and regular exercise offers the reward of feeling well every day and the security of knowing that your risk of cancer and other diseases has been dramatically reduced.
For guidance from Dr. Rawls on daily supplements for preventing cancer and other diseases, please refer to Step 1: Basic Essentials on the First Do No Harm Health Systems website.
Categories: Disease Prevention,
Tags(s): Cancer, Antioxidants,
Previous Comments
Sarah Foster- Nov 04, 2009
I have such a sweet tooth naturally, but with practice, have been able to satisfy my cravings by adding herbs and natural flavors instead of extra sugar. To anyone else working to better their diet-- keep at it! It WILL get easier and you will begin to enjoy healthy foods more and more!
Mark Hodges- Nov 04, 2009
Great article! I agree completely. So much money in this country is poured into finding a "cure" for cancer, yet the disease can be dramatically reduced if only people will take simple steps towards prevention.
