“1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime”: Here’s why it’s not a flip of the coin…
“1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime” – a statistic we’ve all heard numerous times. This soundbite occurs in isolation, without context or explanation. Does this lead us to assume that there’s a 50% chance of each and every one of us getting cancer? That it’s a flip of the coin as to whether that dreaded fate is ours? How does it make us feel? I would expect that for the majority of people this elicits a degree of fear – a well-known tactic to manipulate people to take the action being suggested and “Donate Now”. But would people fear this statistic less if they were given more information? Instead of feeling powerless to the outcome of that dreaded coin flip, would they feel empowered to direct their fate towards one of health and vitality? My guess would be, probably.
Nature vs Nurture
According to research, only 5 – 10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to inherited genetic defects. Whereas 90 – 95% are directly attributable to diet, lifestyle and environmental factors.1
So, what are the diet and lifestyle risk factors? Well, of all cancer-related deaths, around 28% are due to tobacco smoking and around 40% can be linked to consumption of processed foods and alcohol. Foods that increase the risk of cancer include fried foods, burnt foods, processed meats, cured meats, smoked foods, artificial sweeteners, poor quality dairy products and refined carbohydrates and sugar. Being overweight or obese is directly linked to 6% of cancer cases in the UK – a figure that’s expected to rise along with the rates of obesity.2
Apart from diet, our bodies are exposed to many toxic chemicals from our environment - cosmetics, chemical sunscreens, toxic hand sanitizers, household cleaning products, vapes / e-cigarettes, fire-retardants in furniture, pesticides, air pollution, tap water, heavy metals and many more.3 These work in a number of ways to promote cancer-causing changes within the body, including causing direct damage to DNA and cell membranes, increasing free-radical production, displacing minerals, dysregulating enzyme systems and disrupting hormones.
Many products which are marketed in support of breast cancer awareness actually contain toxic chemicals which have been linked to the development of breast cancer. This is known as “pinkwashing” – when companies use the colour pink or the pink ribbon to market their products, but those products contain ingredients linked to cancer. The “search for a cure” is nothing more than an endless drive for revenue if we ignore the diet and lifestyle factors which are known to cause cancer. It’s always a good idea to have a look at where you could reduce your toxin exposure. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) have databases on a huge range of products, showing their toxicity and offering practical solutions on replacing them.4
Increases in cancer risk have also been linked to certain pharmaceutical products including hormonal birth control, overuse of antibiotics and bioaccumulation of toxic compounds in vaccines - including aluminium, mercury and formaldehyde, as well as human DNA fragments. Other lifestyle risk factors include leading a sedentary lifestyle with a lack of physical activity, chronic stress, and exposure to radiation - X-rays and other medical imaging such as CT scans and mammograms, cell phones and cell phone towers, 5G transmitters, close proximity to power lines, Wi-Fi and household Smart Meters.5
Many people have certain types of cancer that seem to run in the family and it is true that defective gene variants may pass down through generations. However, even when a person possesses a certain gene mutation associated with increased cancer risk, there is clear evidence that these genes can be altered “epigenetically” – by the environment. Possession of a “risk gene” does not guarantee that the disease will ever develop and research is now revealing the huge ways that your environment (starting from conception) can influence how your genes “behave”.
An example of this is with BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumour-suppressor genes. Possession of a damaged copy of either gene puts an individual at an increased risk of developing cancer (breast cancer in particular); however, there is now research to show that nutritional factors can modify the likelihood that these damaged gene variants will actually cause cancer to develop.6 “Nutrigenomics” is an expanding field of research which is shedding light on how various nutrients can affect gene expression, including “switching on” or “switching off” genes. Genes may load the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger.
Prevention is better than cure
According to a review published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, “Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes”.1
A colourful wholefood diet includes many compounds which have been shown to actively reduce the risk of cancer. Research shows that plant pigments, known as ‘flavonoids’ are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.7 Resveratrol (found in the skins of dark grapes and berries) can increase activity of genes which suppress tumours (including BRCA1) and reduce DNA strand damage, thereby reducing cancer risk.8 Curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) and quercetin (found in dark cherries, berries and apples) have also been found to have anticancer effects in breast cancer cells.9,10 Green tea contains an active compound ‘EGCG’ which directly inhibits the replication and spread of cancer cells, and Folate (found in leafy green vegetables and legumes) is involved with DNA stability and repair.11
A well-balanced, wholefood diet is the best way to ensure you’re getting a wide range of nutrients. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables, quality protein and clean water. Additionally, make sure you’re moving your body with a form of exercise that you enjoy (this can be as simple as dog walking or gardening), and make some time for stress-relieving activities such as yoga, meditation, warm baths, colouring or whatever relaxes you the most. There’s so much about our diet, lifestyle and environment that we can control, and all these little things add up – What small changes could you make?
Knowledge is power
So back to the “1 in 2 of us will get cancer” campaigns: Do you feel differently about these now? When you’re empowered about your health you’re likely to feel far less fearful in the face of those adverts. A fearful and powerless audience is very willing to donate their money (something that marketing and income-generation teams know very well), but how many donors know exactly what their money is being spent on and exactly what the impact will be?
Prevention of disease doesn’t generate any corporate income and so this is an area that is massively underfunded and underpromoted. But remember, prevention is better than cure – particularly in the case of cancer. If the fear campaigns were replaced with a massive push for education and guidance for cancer prevention, would people be more likely to spend their spare £10 on the first steps to become healthier – a gym session or some organic fruit and vegetables? Some natural cleaning products or some non-toxic sunscreen for their children? Possibly. These are the small changes that, at an individual level and a population level, will really make a difference. Do we really want a future with a 50% (and increasing) cancer rate? Because we absolutely have the power to stop this in its tracks and reverse it. The power is in our daily choices, our priorities, our habits. We are the directors of our fate.
Want to know more?
If you are already experiencing health issues, or you’re aware that your diet and lifestyle hasn’t been the cleanest, it may be that you could really benefit from some additional guidance to optimise your health and reduce your risk of disease. Working with a certified Health Coach is one of the ways to get ahead. We can help with detoxification, nutrition and diet, addressing inflammation, microbiome and gut health, hormone balancing, stress reduction, emotional wellbeing, physical fitness and so much more.
References:
Anand P, Kunnumakkara AB, Sundaram C, Harikumar KB, Tharakan ST, Lai OS, Sung B, Aggarwal BB. Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharm Res. 2008 Sep;25(9):2097-116. doi: 10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9. Epub 2008 Jul 15. Erratum in: Pharm Res. 2008 Sep;25(9):2200. Kunnumakara, Ajaikumar B. PMID: 18626751; PMCID: PMC2515569.
Cancer Research UK – Causes of Cancer (Accessed June 2024) https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer
Li L., Lin Y., Xia T., Zhu Y. Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on Indoor Air Quality and Health. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 2020;41:363–380. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094043.
Environmental Working Group – Skin Deep database (Accessed June 2024) https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Trower, B. 2013. Wi-Fi – A Thalidomide in the Making. Who Cares? https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/docs/emf_117.pdf
Hardy TM, Tollefsbol TO. Epigenetic diet: impact on the epigenome and cancer. Epigenomics. 2011 Aug;3(4):503-18. doi: 10.2217/epi.11.71. PMID: 22022340; PMCID: PMC3197720.
Selmin, O, Donovan, M, Stillwater, B, Neumayer, L, Romagnolo, D. Epigenetic Regulation and Dietary Control of Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00159
Papoutsis AJ, Lamore SD, Wondrak GT, Selmin OI, Romagnolo DF. Resveratrol prevents epigenetic silencing of BRCA-1 by the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor in human breast cancer cells. J Nutr. (2010) 140:1607–14. doi: 10.3945/jn.110.123422
Lv ZD, Liu XP, Zhao WJ, Dong Q, Li FN, Wang HB, et al. Curcumin induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. (2014) 7:2818–24.
Rupasinghe HP, Sekhon-Loodu S, Mantso T, Panayiotidis MI. Phytochemicals in regulating fatty acid beta-oxidation: potential underlying mechanisms and their involvement in obesity and weight loss. Pharmacol Ther. (2016) 165:153–63. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2016.06.005
Rudzińska A, Juchaniuk P, Oberda J, Wiśniewska J, Wojdan W, Szklener K, Mańdziuk S. Phytochemicals in Cancer Treatment and Cancer Prevention-Review on Epidemiological Data and Clinical Trials. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 14;15(8):1896. doi: 10.3390/nu15081896. PMID: 37111115; PMCID: PMC10144429.