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Reducing
the Risk of Breast Cancer
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by:
Kim Beardsmore
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We hear it all the time…lose weight for your health. Few people
however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical
well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association
featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life
expectancy, especially among young adults. The researchers compared
Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between
premature death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male,
5’10” weighing 288 pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated
to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.Jamie McManus,
M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of “Your Personal Guide to Wellness” notes
that while this study referenced extreme levels of obesity, there are
still millions of overweight people in developed countries with a life
expectancy rate that is three to five years less than their
healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000
obesity related deaths each year in America.
Just how does obesity shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question
is complex, yet there is a clear link between obesity and the
development of cancer. An extensive study conducted by the American
Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that obesity
significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following
organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and
gallbladder.
Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and surveillance
research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason obesity
may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen
called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing
chances of a random genetic error while cells are replicating, which
can lead to cancer. In addition, fat centered around the abdomen may
increase insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood, which
may increase cancer risk.
"Women who are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of
breast cancer," notes Thun, "and obese men have a 40% higher relative
risk of colon cancer…. Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are
five times higher for obese individuals”.There is evidence that cancer
rates in developed countries are increasing at 5 to 15 times faster
than developing countries. A major contributor to this alarming reality
has proven to be diet. In populations where the diet consists mostly of
fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains – in contrast to the
typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and sugars –
the risk of cancer is much lower.
The interaction of diet and the development of cancer is an active
field of research and Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of “What
Color is Your Diet”, says “It appears that diet has its most
significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to
inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer”. At the risk of
oversimplifying a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet
that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of
cancer cells.It is never too late to improve your health through
healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are
simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your
health and vitality.
1. Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine
if weight has become health risk. According to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of Americans are overweight,
defined as having a BMI (a ratio of height to weight) over 25. Of
those, nearly half (27%) qualify as obese, with a body mass index of 30
or more. In 1980, just 15% of Americans were considered obese. You can
check your BMI at the website below.
2. Match your diet to your body’s requirements. If
you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on
weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes
leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how
to snack with healthful choices.
3. Color your diet with a large variety of
colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables. There are
seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by
choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and
vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other
disease) fighting nutrients.
4. Eat lean protein with every meal.
Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer
sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to
controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain
your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes
with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as
shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may
prefer soy based meat substitutes.
5. Rev up your metabolism with activity. If
you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key
ingredient. Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and physical
activity for the American Cancer Society (ACS), says adults should do
something for 30 minutes each day that takes as much effort as a brisk
walk. Children should be active for an hour each day. We are more
likely to develop habits around things we enjoy, so seek activities
which you enjoy doing. It is also helpful to build physical activity
into your daily routine: use the stairs instead of the escalator or
lift at work, park your car in the parking bay furthest from the super
marketing and don’t use the remote control to change TV channels.
6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful
eating plan and reach your goal weight. Whilst a small
percentage of people possess the discipline to lose weight, many obese
people have developed strong thoughts and habits concerning the food
they eat. In order to establish new habits, most people respond well to
some form of consistent encouragement and coaching. A study, “Effects
of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of
Type 2 Diabetes” shows that participants who had the support of weight
loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn’t. The study
concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly
improve weight loss results.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the
most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight
losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it’s never
to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be
concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more
healthy weight.
(c)Kim Beardsmore
About the Author
Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose
business operates across 60 countries. This world renowned, medically
approved program will give you results you'll love and all the support
you need! Estimate your body fat percentage and register for our weight
loss ezine at http://leanmachine.org/?refid=bc-27546
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