Top 10 Tips to Reduce Risk of Cancer

In 2008, an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer, including over 700,000 new cases in men and nearly the same number of new cases in women. There were also over 650,000 cancer deaths last year, which ranks cancer second only to heart disease as a leading cause of death

Cancer is caused by changes in genes that control the growth and death of cells. The disease develops when cells continue to grow and divide instead of dying off when they get older as they would normally do. As cancer cells multiply, they can damage nearby tissues and can also spread to other parts of the body and develop into new tumors. While improvements in detection, diagnosis, and treatment have increased the survival rate for many types of cancer, we also encourage doing all you can do to prevent the disease as a core strategy of your prescription for optimal health.

With prevention in mind, here are 10 things we can all do to reduce the risk of developing cancer:

1. Avoid tobacco products and second-hand smoke

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for both men and women. Ironically, it’s also the most preventable type of cancer. Some 87-percent of lung cancer deaths are attributable to exposure to tobacco smoke including roughly 3,000 deaths each year in non-smokers due to second-hand smoke. Of the 45 million Americans who still smoke in 2007, 30-percent of male and 21-percent of female high school students reported using some form of tobacco in the prior month. If you smoke, take the necessary steps to quit for the health of you and your loved ones.

2. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight increases your chance of developing certain types of cancer, including cancer of the esophagus, colon and rectum, and pancreas. Obesity also increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women by roughly 50-percent, and endometrial cancer by about three fold. And carrying too much extra body weight is believed to account for up to 30-percent of kidney cancers in both men and women. Make smart food choices, control portion sizes, and fill up on fruits and vegetables to help manage your healthy weight and reduce your risk of cancer.

3. Get moving

The American Cancer Society recommends regular exercise as a way to prevent cancer. Regular exercise burns calories and can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Pick something that gets and keeps you moving like walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, team sports, and even dancing. Consider biking or walking to work, or take a walk during your lunch break. Be sure to gradually work up to 30-45 minutes of exercise a day for five or more days per week.

4. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Fruits and vegetables are naturally rich in dietary antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and a whole family of carotenoids that may help to protect your healthy genes from oxidative damage. Recent research suggests that eating tomatoes may help to protect against developing prostate cancer, while eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts may help to protect against bladder cancer. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber which can speed the transit of food through the digestive system and may reduce the absorption of cancer-causing chemicals. So eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables may be the best way to ensure broad spectrum protection.

5. Fresh is best

Until about 20 years ago, stomach cancer was the most common cancer worldwide, perhaps due to cultural preferences for eating large amounts of salt-preserved foods such as cured meats and pickled vegetables. This finding underscores the point that when it comes to eating most foods, it’s generally best to eat fresh rather than salted, cured, or pickled. In general, the less processed the food, the healthier it will be for you.

6. Limit alcohol intake

Excess alcohol consumption is associated with increased risks of cancers of the oral cavity, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast, and possibly the colon and rectum. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women, and aside from carrying too much body weight, alcohol intake is the only other established risk factor for this disease. It’s recommended that men who drink alcohol should limit their intake to no more than 2 drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to no more than 1 drink daily.

7. Practice sun safety and check for changes in your skin

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is damaging to your skin. The genetic damage it can cause to skin cells can lead to skin cancer, a disease that is increasingly common, especially among young people. Be aware that the sun’s peak time is between 10 am and 3 pm and that sunlight exposure can be intensified by up to 50-percent when reflected from sand, water, snow, ice, and concrete. When outdoors, cover up exposed areas and wear sun screen with an SPF of 15 or more. Know your skin and be aware of the location, size, and shape of moles and skin spots, and report any changes promptly to your physician.

8. Reduce your exposure to potential carcinogens

There are many substances in the environment with the potential to put you at higher risk for developing cancer. On the job, minimize your exposure to fumes, dust, solvents, and chemicals. Try to reduce your everyday exposure to potentially-toxic environmental chemicals in the home and…

* Dust and vacuum regularly to rid your home of toxins attracted to dust
* Open windows and use fresh air to freshen and minimize indoor pollution
* Filter your drinking water to remove pollutants
* Switch to green cleaning products that are safe but still powerful

9. Know your family history and get screened

Some 5-10-percent of cancers are due to a genetic predisposition to cancer. Family history is a risk factor for common types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate cancer. If you have a family history of cancer your physician may recommend genetic testing to see if you have the type of gene that can increase your chance of developing cancer. For individuals with an average risk of cancer, the following cancer screening guidelines are recommended:

* Breast cancer: Women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40 and conduct regular breast self exams starting in the 20’s.
* Colon and rectal cancer: Men and women should have one or more screening tests including a colonoscopy starting at age 50.
* Cervical cancer: All women should begin cervical cancer screening no later than 21 years of age.
* Prostate cancer: Men should have the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination annually beginning at age 50.

10. Choose your dietary supplements wisely

Whether it’s vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, the antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and the carotenoids, fiber, or emerging phytochemicals, nutrition surveys have made it clear that your diet is unlikely to be providing all the essential nutrients and other dietary factors you need to be at your healthiest. And dietary supplement studies have yielded compelling evidence that supplements can help to reduce the chance of developing cancer in undernourished individuals.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington published a study in Nutrition and Cancer1 that evaluated the association between dietary and supplemental zinc and prostate cancer in 35,242 men participating in the VITAL cohort, a study specifically designed to evaluate the impact of dietary supplements on cancer risk. In this study, long-term supplemental zinc intake was in fact associated with reduced risk of clinically relevant advanced disease.

And as reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine2, National Cancer Institute researchers found that among postmenopausal women, the greater their total calcium intake from dietary supplements and food up to about 1,300 mg per day, the lower was their risk of developing cancer. For men and women, a diet rich in calcium from supplements and food was associated with a lower risk of developing cancers of the digestive system such as colon cancer. These findings are consistent with randomized clinical trials which have shown that calcium supplementation reduces the recurrence of colon polyps, which are precursors to colon cancer

Clearly, dietary supplements play a key role in making up the nutrient shortfalls in your diet, and they provide a means of achieving optimal nutrient levels needed to achieve and maintain the best of health.

1Zinc intake from supplements and diet and prostate cancer. Gonzalez A, Peters U, Lampe JW, White E. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(2):206-15

2Dairy food, calcium, and risk of cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Park Y, Leitzmann MF, Subar AF, Hollenbeck A, Schatzkin A. Arch Intern Med. 2009169(4):391-401

Healthy Organic Shopping

This weekend's trip to Country Market & Whole Foods didn't bring us as much joy since I missed last week's paper. However, I still managed to save pretty good for mostly organic and my meet-eating hubby :)

Country Market

Simply Orange Juice 2/$6
Organic Valley Milk @ $3.75- coupon save $1 on two.
Newman's Own Alfredo Sauce @ 2/$5 plus coupon save $1 on two.
Green Giant Boxed Veggies @ $1.75 plus coupon save $.60 on two.
Al Dente Spinach Pasta @ $2.95
Wolfgang Soups 2/$4
Organic Ground Turkey @ $2.89
Angus Organic Ground Sirloin @ $3.95
Double Fiber Bread @ $2.25 plus coupon ( from Detroit News 2 weeks ago) save $.55
Stoneyfield Farms Organic Yogurt @ $1.10 plus coupon save $1 on three.

Total spent= $27.69 plus tax

Whole Foods
Asparagus @ $1.99
Red Seedless Grapes @ $4.84
Santa Cruz Kiwi-Strawberry Juice @ $3.69 plus coupon save $.75
Odwalla organic drinks @ 2/$5 plus coupon save $1 on two
Organic Bananas @ $.99
StoneyField Farms Soy Yogurt 6-pk @ $3 plus coupon save $.50.
Plus when you bring in your own bags you receive $.10 discount for each bag -$.20

Total spent = $17.06 plus tax

Enjoy your week!

Avoid getting sick- Your Immune System

Preventive Health- Save your money!
To avoid getting sick is so much more than having a good immune system. You may be asking yourself, how do I get a good immune system? Before I get started I would highly recommend the book "Your Personal Guide to Wellness- What your Doctor Doesn't have time to tell you" by Jamie McManus, M.D.

1. Your Digestive Track- you're immune system is linked to your digestive track. If you are having problems with this area, mostly likely you are also having problems with your immune system. Most importantly your intestines because this is where you absorb nutrients from food. Intestines also have good and back bacteria and is also the beginning of most illnesses.
A. To keep your digestive track in good shape make sure you area eating foods
enriched for your blood type Each one of us have a unique body which requires
different things.
B. Use a good pro-biotic which delivers live bacteria to your small intestines. So when
antibiotic or dangerous foods attack your body is ready to defend. Make sure this
supplement is specially coated to reach the small intestines as many supplements don't
make it past the stomach due to the acid. I have recommendations if you are interested.


2. Avoid Sugar & Artificial Sweeteners. These not only breakdown your immune system, but they are also cancer causing and other nasty diseases. Too much sugar can increase your body's natural insulin levels. These increased levels suppress the immune system and creates acid in the system- which cancer cells love & so do viruses! Just one tsp of sugar decreases your white blood cells by 30%. Avoid all soda pop & other high sugar items, before you reach for sugar reach for honey or other natural forms of sugar:) Artificial Sweeteners- Besides they fact that they are very very bad for you, they are the number one cause of brain tumors and often mimics MS & Lupus. The use of Aspartame alone (which is in almost everything also named PKU- Phenylketonuria) . This contains sugar alcohols which cross the blood/brain barrier allowing these chemicals to reach the brain. This causes legions on the brain and then brain can only repair these when you stop using these sweeteners and use nutritional supplements specially designed for brain repairing- like Lecithin- again be careful in choosing a supplement. When your brain is not working correctly it cannot tell the immune system to fight things off.

3. Why eat Organic?
I guess the question is more why not eat organic. Organic foods do not contain chemicals which could cross into the blood/brain barrier. They are often less sugar and use a more natural form of sugar. Organic foods have higher nutritional value because they have not been genetically altered. Have you ever asked yourself why you eat so much? It is because your food has less nutrients in it. When you eat organic you will find that you will eat less, feel better, and have more energy. Not to mention you will not get as sick as often because your body is absorbing good nutrients rather than chemicals. In addition to organic, make sure you are eating as raw as possible. This means raw fruits & veggies are better than cooked or frozen because when under these conditions they begin to lose important nutrients. If you are a fish lover and can find a good organic sushi this would be good for you as well because when you cook any meat you lose proteins.

4. Nutritional Supplements- Make sure you do your research and don't just buy something because it is cheaper or at the health food store. You are probably doing more harm to your body than good. In 2007 the FDA released a list of vitamins containing harmful levels of lead. This list even had some vitamins made "organic" from health food stores and also cheaper well-known vitamins. Please note that the control group in this study in men's vitamins so if you see your brand guys, then it probably also contains lead. Here is the link. You want to find a supplement that is not only organic, natural, but also made from raw materials. Also make sure it has been quality tested and tested several several times to ensure you are getting the absolute best. You have to be careful with supplements because just because they say it is organic, doesn't mean it is completely organic. (US law- only has to be 95% organic to be printed on label. And only have to be 4% natural to print "Natural" on label). True organic is defined as not only being grown organic- with out chemicals or genetically altered seeds/DNA, but is also mean it was shipped, packaged, etc in environments where nothing harmful could come in contact with it. It also means that even after shipment from the farm to the company it was tested again. From my research, I only have found one company to do all this.

5. Avoid Anti-biotics- I'm sure lots of you trust your doctors, but I'm telling you that the medical arena is a multi-billion dollar industry and when you use artificial anti-biotics you are doing more harm than good. There is a time and place for these drugs, absolutely. For instance if you have a severe illness anti-biotics should be used. But I would avoid them when it comes to the common cold & flu bugs because what anti-biotics do is kill everything in your system- good and bad. It also takes over your immune system so your body can't recognize when something bad enters because the anti-biotic killed it last time, not your immune system. There are several homeopathic remedies out there which as so much better for you than anti-biotics. Besides if you do the above mentioned things you will also find you won't get as sick as often anyways.

Okay well if you have any questions, concerns, comments, etc I'm sure I can answer them or find the answer. Best of luck. God Bless your health!

Freebies and Other deals

Dairy Queen (sign up)- Buy one Blizzard get one free

Quiznos (sign up)- FREE Sammie coupon will come via email.

Ruby Tuesday - printable coupon- buy one entree get one free

Legg's Nylons- save $1 coupon

Stay Free Pads- Very simple , just fill in the info that is requested , and you can print a $1 off coupon instantly for stayfree products

Target- several printable savings coupons
New target grocery coupons added , print coupons for :
- $1.00 coupon archer farms cereal
- $1.00 savings on Renuzit air care product
- $0.50 discount on chex mix snack mix
- $1.00 coupon for $Kashi ( cookies, crackers, or granola bars )
- $1.00 discount on Market Pantry cheeses
- $1.00 coupon for Pepperidge Farm crackers
- $1.00 savings on Tropicana orange juice
- $1.00 discount on Vlasic pickles
- $1.00 coupons for fresh vegetables

Victoria Secret- Free Panty & $10 off bra

Enjoy this weeks deals! Have a great week

Savings for the two week shopper

This week's grocery trip was a little more expensive, although I live with a man who eats mostly red meat, sweets, and dairy :) being blood type O and all. With that said, I was very happy with our savings for groceries for the next two weeks using of course sales & coupons. All shopping was done within a 2 mile stretch of our house. Starting with the furtherest and working our way in.

Country Market
Eggland Organic Eggs @ 3.99
Simply Orange Juice 2/6
Horizon Organic Milk 2/6 plus save $.55 coupon
Uncle Ben's Rice 2/2
Organic Carrots @ $.99
Whole Grain Pop-tarts 2/3 plus save $1 coupon
Reynolds Foil @3.96 plus save $1 coupon
Total: $23.59


Busch's
A brief note about Busch's- they double manf coupons up to $.50!
Jello Pudding pack 1/$2.50 plus $.60 coupon
Yoplait Yogurt 10/$6 plus save $1 coupon when purchase 8.
Cascadian Organic frozen broccoli @ 3.75 plus save $1 coupon
Frozen pepperoni pizza @ 6.49 plus save $1 coupon
Garden of Eatin multi grain sea salt chips 2/$2.89
Kenny's Juicy Twist @ 1.59
Ghirdelli squares @ $3
Oscar Meyer Bacon @ 3.99
USDA stewing beef @ 2.62
Idaho potatoes @ 1.48
Dried cherries @ 6.99
Total: 38.59

CVS
*we haven't shopped here in a while, I'm hoping for some good extra care bucks soon:)
Vitamin Water 2/$3
Bounty Basic 8pk @ 5.88 plus save $1 coupon
Soy Joy bars 2 @ 1.29 with buy one get one free coupon
Optifree Contact Solution @ 9.19 plus save $1 coupon
Total: $18.85

I was pretty impressed being that usually without coupons and sales we use to spend over $75 for one week's worth of groceries!