Cancer Prevention
Amazingly, 2 out of 3 cancer deaths are preventable by diet and lifestyle changes alone!
This Expert Review article says:
Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and 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. Therefore, cancer prevention requires smoking cessation, increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables, moderate use of alcohol, caloric restriction, exercise, avoidance of direct exposure to sunlight, minimal meat consumption, use of whole grains…
15 ways to prevent cancer:
1. DO NOT SMOKE
– smoking causes 30% of all cancer deaths
This study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that one third of all cancers were caused by smoking.
- 90% of Lung cancers are caused by smoking
- 50% of all smokers will die from smoking related diseases
- Smokers have an increased risk of cancers, heart disease, strokes, and many other diseases
How to Quit
This 2018 study, published in the British Medical Journal shows that people trying to quit smoking will be much more successful if they use Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking rather than the Irish Government initiative Quit.ie
If you quit smoking right now…
• After 5 years: Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Your risk of cervical cancer and stroke return to normal after 5 years.
• After 10 years: You are half as likely to die from lung cancer. Your risk of larynx or pancreatic cancer decreases.
Source: Be Tobacco Free
Cutting out bad habits is far more effective than cutting out organs.
Herbert M. Shelton
2. EAT A HEALTHY DIET
– bad diet causes 30% to 35% of all cancer deaths
Reduce Cancer Risk with Plant-Based Foods
According to Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, plant-based eaters that consume a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans are at the lowest risk for cancer compared with those who eat meat. Results from The China Study showed that individuals living in larger cities where the food tends to be richer and higher in animal fat have higher cancer rates than their counterparts living in more rural areas where plant-based foods are the center of the plate.
Instead of meat, dairy, and high fat foods, choose plant foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and colors. The more naturally colorful your diet is, the more likely it is to have an abundance of cancer-fighting compounds. The pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors—like beta-carotene in sweet potatoes or lycopene in tomatoes—help you fight cancer.
Red and Processed meat
The American Cancer Society says eating red and processed meat is linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer. These meats may also increase the risk of breast, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach cancer…
Be careful how you cook your food
• Studies have shown that exposure to chemicals in food cooked at high temperature can cause cancer in animals.
• High consumption of well-done, fried, or barbecued meats was associated with increased risks of cancer.
• Some studies suggest microwaving your food can potentially expose you to carcinogenic toxins.
Source: National Cancer Institute
Did you know?
People who eat a regular diet of highly salted food double their risk of stomach cancer, according to a report published in the British Journal of Cancer.
Alcohol consumption
According to the National Cancer Institute, clear patterns have emerged between alcohol consumption and the development of the following types of cancer:
• Head and neck cancer: Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for certain head and neck cancers, particularly cancers of the oral cavity (excluding the lips), pharynx (throat), and larynx (voice box)
• Breast cancer: More than 100 epidemiologic studies have looked at the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer in women. These studies have consistently found an increased risk of breast cancer associated with increasing alcohol intake.
• Liver cancer: Alcohol consumption is an independent risk factor for, and a primary cause of, liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) (6). (Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are the other major causes of liver cancer.)
3. PREVENT INFECTIONS
– infections cause 15% to 20% of all cancer deaths
Avvording to the World Health Organisation
•Human papilloma virus can cause serious health problems, including genital warts and certain cancers.
•Helicobacter pylori infection is a major cause of gastric (stomach) cancer.
•15%–25% of people with chronic Hepatitis B develop liver cancer.
•Chronic Hepatitis C is a long-term illness that can lead to serious liver problems, including cancer.
•People infected with HIV have a substantially higher risk of some types of cancer.
In some countries the parasitic infection schistosomiasis increases the risk of bladder cancer and in other countries the liver fluke increases the risk of cholangiocarcinoma of the bile ducts. Preventive measures include vaccination and prevention of infection and infestation.
Infection prevention
This study says: Interestingly, the majority of the viral infections that tend to chronicize and to be associated with cancer, such as HBV [ hepatitis B virus], HCV [hepatitis C virus], HPV [human papillomavirus], HHV8, HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections, involve parenteral and sexual transmission routes.
Thus, sexual transmission is a major route for virus-related cancers.
Other factors account for 10-15% of cancer deaths:
4. GET DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE
Physical Activity and Cancer
The National Cancer Institute says here is convincing evidence that physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of cancers of the colon and breast. Several studies also have reported links between physical activity and a reduced risk of cancers of the prostate, lung, and lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer).
How much physical activity do adults need?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that adults “engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week,” or “engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three or more days of the week”
See Physical Exercise
Regular physical activity and the maintenance of a healthy body weight, along with a healthy diet, will considerably reduce cancer risk.
World Health Organisation
5. DON’T BE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE
The National Cancer Institute says that compared with people of normal weight, those who are overweight or obese are at greater risk for many diseases, including cancers. Extreme or severe obesity is also associated with cancer.
Colorectal cancer: People who are obese are slightly (about 30%) more likely to develop colorectal cancer than normal-weight people.
Breast cancer: Many studies have shown that, in postmenopausal women, a higher BMI is associated with a modest increase in risk of breast cancer.
Pancreatic cancer: People who are overweight or obese are about 1.5 times as likely to develop pancreatic cancer as normal-weight people.
Liver cancer: People who are overweight or obese are up to twice as likely as normal-weight people to develop liver cancer.
6. HEAL YOUR GUT – KILL PARASITES
The term ’parasites’ can include parasites themselves (these do not have to be a meter long but can be microbial), viruses, bacteria and yeasts. About 17 per cent of cancers are known to be caused by parasites, the real figure could be even higher, while in some cancers, yeasts are recognized to be a potential problem during modern orthodox treatments. (source: Canceractive.com).
Healing your gut involves four steps – heal the gut wall, kill the bad; add trillions of good; build a new gut lining. You can usually complete this in less than 20 weeks.
See full details at Heal Your Gut
7. EKIMINATE CHEMICALS & TOXINS
Get your home tested for Radon Gas
The World Health Organisation says: Residential exposure to radon gas from soil and building materials is estimated to cause between 3% and 14% of all lung cancers, making it the second cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Ionizing radiation can induce leukaemia and a number of solid tumours, with higher risks at young age at exposure. Radon levels in homes can be reduced by improving the ventilation and sealing floors and walls.
Get your home tested for Geopathic Stress
Geopathic stress is a natural phenomenon which affects certain places and can be damaging to human health. Geopathic stress can also arise from a geological fault line that is, a deep crack in the bedrock which allows radiation from deep within the earth to come up to the surface. If people sleep on such stress zones, they are susceptible to various diseases like cancer. See more at Geopathic Stress
Personal Care Products
Low doses of chemical preservatives widely used in cosmetics, shampoos, skin lotions and other personal care products may be linked to breast cancer, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, reports the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
There are safer alternatives.
Here’s the EWG guide to safer personal care products
Chemicals
Today, almost every business uses chemicals.Even in the cleanest, most modern office,employees are exposed routinely to inks, toners and adhesives not to mention a wide range of materials used in cleaning and maintenance. Exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause many different types of harm, ranging from mild irritations to cancer.
Some common examples of the effects of hazardous chemicals include: Skin irritation, dermatitis or skin cancer from frequent contact with oils.
Source: Health & Safety Authority
Toxins in the Air
People exposed to toxic air pollutants at sufficient concentrations and durations may have an increased chance of getting cancer or experiencing other serious health effects. Most air toxics originate from human-made sources, including mobile sources (e.g., cars, trucks, buses) and stationary sources (e.g., factories, refineries, power plants), as well as indoor sources (e.g., some building materials and cleaning solvents). Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency
Toxins in Water
Fluoride is known to cause different types of genetic damage in mammalian cells, especially chromosomal aberrations (Zeiger 1993). Genetic toxicity of fluoride and its ability to stimulate active, uncontrolled division of bone cells have been long considered as potential contributors to carcinogenicity effects (NRC 2006). Three human epidemiological studies and two long-term animal studies found a link between fluoride and bone cancer. Source: Environmental Working Group
8. TEST FOR INHERITED GENETIC DEFECTS
It is generally recommended that people with certain personal or family medical histories that suggest the possibility of a hereditary cancer syndrome consult with their doctor or a genetic counselor to see if genetic testing might be appropriate for them. Features that suggest the possibility of a hereditary genetic syndrome include:
- Family member with a known inherited harmful genetic change that increases cancer risk
- Cancer was diagnosed at a young age (for example, colon cancer diagnosed before age 50)
- Several different types of cancer occurred in the same person
- Cancer was diagnosed in multiple family members, particularly with patterns such as
- several first-degree relatives (the parents, siblings, or children of an individual) with the same type of cancer
- family members with breast or ovarian cancer
- family members with colon cancer and endometrial cancer.
Read full article on National Cancer Institute website.
9. CONSIDER CANCER SCREENING
Cancer screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms.
Screening tests can help find cancer at an early stage, before symptoms appear. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat or cure. By the time symptoms appear, the cancer may have grown and spread. This can make the cancer harder to treat or cure. Source: National Cancer Institute
See Cancer Screening
10. GET ADEQUATE SUNSHINE & VITAMIN D
Source: CANCERactive
Consider these research-based facts:
* Sunshine on your skin causes vitamin D to be produced from the cholesterol levels beneath.
* When part of your immune system (a T-cell) finds a rogue cell in your body, the first thing it looks for is a vitamin D molecule to ´activate´ it.
* A deficiency of vitamin D is linked to higher levels of many cancers, and also to other diseases from simple colds to osteoporosis. Vitamin D is a cancer preventer.
* There are several studies which show that over 90 per cent of people with melanoma are deficient in vitamin D. Not surprisingly they have weaker immune systems too. The fact is they haven´t had ENOUGH sun!
Sunlight. Safe exposure to sunlight for a few hours each day.
Vitamin D If you cannot get sunshine you’ll need to supplement.
Many experts including Professor Michael Holick of Boston Medical School and John Cannell, M.D., director of the nonprofit Vitamin D Council, recommends that adults take 5,000 IU daily.
See Vitamin D
Paradoxically, outdoor workers have a decreased risk of melanoma compared with indoor workers, suggesting that chronic sunlight exposure can have a protective effect.
The Lancet
11. DETOX YOUR BODY
Cancer-causing chemicals can lurk in almost any everyday product you can imagine: candy, toys, clothes, hair dyes, pet food and more. Reducing your exposure to items that have potentially harmful ingredients is a great way to safeguard your health, says the Environmental Working Group.
They list 5 contributors to cancer risk:
- Toxic “forever chemicals” in consumer products such as PFAS (contaminating everything from drinking water to food, food packaging and personal care products)
- Contaminants in your tap water such as Arsenic, a naturally occurring element in the earth but also from mining and burning of fossil fuels that contaminate groundwater.
- Artificial food colors. One of these chemicals, titanium dioxide, makes foods a brighter white, and it may also increase the risk of cancer. . It’s found in popular candy, as well as coffee creamer, sauces and dressings.
- Pesticides in produce. Nearly three-quarters of produce sold in the U.S. contains residue of potentially harmful pesticides.
- Hair colorants and relaxers Some ingredients that have been or still are used in hair dyes are considered “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens,” according to the National Toxicology Program.
Read the article on the Environmental Working Group. website
How to detox:
The main methods of detoxification are Strenuous Exercise / Sweating and Safe removal of root canals and amalgams. The latter is crucial if you have cancer.
More details at Detox Your Body
12. GET ADEQUATE SLEEP
Melatonin and cancer
Several studies (e.g. The Boston Nurses Study, one on night-shift working) have shown that irregular sleeping habits and sleeping in synthetic light, lower the production of the hormone and are also associated with higher breast cancer levels.
Night shift working in men has been shown to triple the rate of prostate cancer, double the rate of bowel cancer, increase the rate of lung cancer by 79 per cent and increase rates of bladder cancer by 70 per cent. Source: CANCERactive
Ashwaganda
This study says ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb, has been proven to be safe and effective in combating stress and improving sleep quality.
13. ADDRESS IODINE DEFICIENCY
A deficiency of iodine has been found to influence the occurrence of many cancers. In Turkey (the country), gastric cancers are most common in areas where iodine deficiency is high. Increased iodine intake over the past several years has been strongly correlated with a reduction in stomach cancers.
Researchers have attributed the low rate of breast cancer in Japan to high dietary iodine (and selenium). Breast cancer cells need iodine to facilitate cell death and suppress tumor growth.
Source: The Truth About Cancer
This study concluded:
dietary iodine insufficiency represents a plausible explanation for the increasing incidence of breast cancer in young women with distant metastasis.
Iodine is available in a seaweed powder form.
Iodine is also available in dietary supplements, usually in the form of potassium iodide or sodium iodide. Many multivitamin-mineral supplements contain iodine. Dietary supplements of iodine-containing kelp (a seaweed) are also available. Source: Office of Dietary Supplements
See more at Iodine Deficiency
14. WOMEN ONLY
Breast Feed your baby
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Most health professionals are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding. The AAP continues to support the unequivocal evidence that breastfeeding protects against a variety of diseases and conditions in the infant such as:
- late-onset sepsis in preterm infants
- type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- lymphoma, leukemia, and Hodgkins disease
There are also maternal health benefits to breastfeeding such as:
- decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers
Don’t wear i tight-fitting bra
Medical anthropologists Sydney Singer and Soma Grismaijer — authors of Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras — conducted a study of over 4,000 women, and found that women who do not wear bras have a much lower risk of breast cancer.[5]
Their findings included:
- Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer
- Women who wore bras more than 12 hour per day, but not to bed, had a 1 out of 7 risk
- Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 52 risk
- Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer
The overall difference between women who wore their bras 24-hours a day and those who did not wear bras at all was a 125-fold difference. Based on the results of this study, the link between bras and breast cancer is about three times greater than the link between cigarette smoking and cancer.
Singer and Grismaijer also found that about 90 percent of fibrocystic patients improve when they quit wearing bras.
More details at Bras and Breast Cancer
15. Cancer Prevention in Children
Ultra-clean homes could trigger childhood leukaemia, major review suggests
Keeping children cocooned in ultra-clean homes away from other youngsters could trigger childhood leukaemia, a landmark study suggests.
A major new analysis by Britain’s leading leukaemia expert has concluded a deadly chain of events is set in motion when susceptible children are not exposed to enough bugs to prime their immune system at an early age.
Without sufficient immunity, if vulnerable youngsters catch even a relatively harmless virus like flu, the immune system malfunctions creating far more infection-fighting white blood cells than needed, causing leukaemia.
Read full article in The Telegraph
Childhood Cancer: More Evidence Points to Chemical Exposure
Source: Environmental working Group
Numerous studies have shown links between childhood cancers and exposure to chemicals such as pesticides, benzene and arsenic. EWG has found that not only are these substances widespread in a child’s living environment, they can also be passed on from mother to child during pregnancy and through breastfeeding. (Despite this, the health benefits of breastfeeding greatly exceed the risk of chemical exposure.) These prenatal and early life exposures occur during the most vulnerable period of a child’s development….
… there are steps that parents and all of us can take to reduce exposure to pesticides around the home and harmful chemicals in our personal care products and the household items we use. Read the full article at Environmental working Group
Page last updated January 2026