The Cancer Connection

At some point in everyone's life in this country, each and every person will be affected by cancer.  Either by having the undeniably terrible disease yourself, or someone close to you will suffer because of it.  Cancer can be a very scary disease; as humans the unknown, or what we cannot control, can be a frightening thought.  And cancer is just that - the unknown.  Will the chemotherapy work?  Should I do radiation therapy?  Should I do any therapeutic treatments?  What does this look like in my body?  What is it ACTUALLY doing?

But what about the undeniable connection between cancer and nutrition?  There is so much up and coming research being done right now about the powerful effects of certain nutrients and phytonutrients on the outcomes in cancer.  What if you could increase your chances of survival just by changing your lifestyle?  Would you do it?

A wonderful article was graciously sent to me by a woman named Jillian Mckee.  She has been researching and writing about how beneficial a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition is for someone going through the battle for cancer.  I would love to share this article with all of you:

The Undeniable Connection Between Cancer And Nutrition

Living with cancer requires an individual to make a number of very necessary lifestyle changes. Lifestyle does indeed impact how a person will respond to cancer treatment. Poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are both known to compound the ill effects of numerous health conditions, cancer not being the least of these. Following are several reasons why proper nutrition for mesothelioma patients and for others who live with cancer is very essential.

Eliminating Toxins
A toxic body is an unhealthy one and unfortunately, the modern individual comes in contact with many toxins simply by choosing the wrong foods. Food products that have an extensive of list of ingredients will generally include a number of chemicals for preserving the product, enhancing its flavor or heightening the visual appeal of the product in terms of color and fragrance. While the body can ultimately process and digest many of these edible, non-food additions, there are a number of food chemicals that the body is not so adept at processing and removing. These can negatively affect the digestive system, the immune system and even neurological functioning over time.

Sugars, Sodium And Fat
In addition to chemical food toxins, many convenient foods are also loaded with sugar, salt and fat. This is true even of processed selections that are marketed as healthy fare. In most instances, consumers will find that the food options with the greatest amounts of sugars, sodium and fat are those that come pre-packaged or ready-made. Food eaten on the go can be very detrimental to the body and will often have a very negative effect on the way that an individual feels. Too much of these things can result in fatigue and even depression among other things.

Fresh Is Better When Living With Or Fighting Cancer
Most foods that are known to have a positive effect on cancer patients are fresh, all-natural and neither expensive nor difficult to prepare. Leafy green vegetables that are served fresh or lightly steamed will provide a number of different benefits to the body, ranging from better digestion to the provision of vital nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals. Fresh berries, citrus fruits and other like selections will deliver an astounding amount of anti-oxidants, allowing people to look better and feel better even as war wages on the inside. For more information on developing a healthy eating plan while dealing with cancer please visit- The National Cancer Institute.

The research being done around the correlation between nutrition and cancer is evolving and growing all the time.  Each day new studies are being done and new connections are being made.  If you are interested in knowing more about what sort of research is being done in southern Wisconsin, I urge you to look into NuGensis Farms (http://nugenesisfarm.org/).  The farm is located in Pewaukee, WI, right off Interstate 94.  NuGenesis farm is a model that offers organic growing methods for farmers and gardeners, outdoor, hands-on learning for children and adults, local marketing ideas for produce farmers, training for FFA students to learn sustainable, organic growing techniques, healthy eating approaches that can be replicated around the world, and excellent volunteer opportunities to give back to loved ones and the community. 

At some point in every person's life, cancer will reel its ugly head and force some difficult decisions to be made.  Wouldn't you rather be prepared and understand what you can do to naturally have a better defense mechanism?  I know I would.