Every year in this country, there are 40,000 new HIV cases
and 1.4 million new cancer diagnoses.
Whether a person is immunocompromised or not, the diseases that thrive
today have many common factors. For those living with heart disease, HIV,
cancer, hepatitis, herpes or other conditions, the first place to start is to
consider how lifestyle changes can impact your health. This includes eating a proper diet and
developing good exercise habits.
Most important of all is the consistency with which you implement any
changes into your daily life. To promote good health, changes must be made with
the long term in mind.
What to do about the toxic burden
It’s a fact of modern life that a toxic burden (an accumulation
of toxins in our bodies) impacts all of us. The degree to which we deal with
this toxic burden can have a profound impact on our health. This is not just about limiting the
intake of toxins, but about increasing the ability of our body to get rid of
toxins. Different kinds of
toxicity can cause different kinds of cancer and a whole host of other
complications as well. For
instance, we know that smoking causes cancer, but add the burden of breathing
polluted air, and the incidence of lung cancer rises dramatically. When we stop smoking, we remove
exposure to those chemicals and the toxic burden is reduced. If we exercise and increase our
cardiovascular health, then we’re better able to rid ourselves of the toxins in
our lungs. The increase in circulation nourishes the lungs with nutrients. It also carries toxins away from our
lungs to our liver and kidneys, where they can be neutralized and then excreted
from our bodies. Called “Phase 1 and 2 detoxification,” this process happens
all the time in all of us. That’s
why supporting these pathways is as important as limiting the toxins
themselves. Of course,
prevention of cancer is far easier than treating it so we should all keep that
in mind as we are contemplating the paths we take in life.
How to Get the Most Out of Food
Eating a healthy diet can lower your risk of cancers in the
breast, prostate, stomach, colon and rectum. Diet should be the primary source
of healthful vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which help strengthen
the immune system.
Eat as organically as you can
afford. Why? You
reduce the risk of toxic exposure by limiting your intake of fruits, vegetables
and grains that have been grown using pesticides. It’s also best to eat any animal products that are hormone
and antibiotic free, and organically raised if possible. This will limit the
bad kinds of estrogen that come from these sources. If you can’t afford organic
food, then wash all produce carefully with either a vegetable/fruit spray or an
abrasive nylon pad and dish soap.
Limit sugar and other simple
carbohydrates. These are the number one “bad foods” for
cancer. Since cancer cells grow
and spread rapidly, their need for energy is twice that of other cells in the
body. Depriving them of sugar can
help limit cancer.
Eat
Fruits and vegetables 5 to 7 times a day.
Blueberries, and to some degree all berries, have the highest antioxidant
content of any fruits. Eat
seasonally to get the most nutrition from your food. Out of season fruits and
vegetables often have much reduced nutrient content. Vegetables like broccoli,
cauliflower and brussel sprouts contain substances that can alter ratios of bad
estrogen in your diet.
Eat
whole grains. Instead of eating foods made with processed flour, try to
limit your choices to whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice and beans. If gluten is a problem, gluten free
alternatives like Ezekiel bread can be found in supermarkets.
Consume
enough protein – Lean meats like chicken,
turkey and fish, as well as low-fat dairy products, can be a good source of
protein. Consuming adequate amounts of protein is important for providing the
amino acids that the body uses to repair itself.
Integrate
good fats into your diet. Cook with canola oil or olive oil. By making good fats a part of your
diet, you can provide your body with energy without spiking insulin the way
that sugars and processed flour do. Also, limit you intake of animal fats.
Why Supplements Are Needed
When diet alone is not providing adequate nutrition, it’s
advisable to use supplements. Quite simply, our farmland is being depleted of
essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K through
big farming practices. In my private practice, I check blood levels of vitamin
D all the time because I think there’s a strong anti-cancer link with adequate
vitamin D. I also believe the RDA (recommended daily requirement) for many
vitamins can be too low. There are certain nutrients that are difficult to find
in food in adequate quantities.
That’s why supplements can be helpful.
1)
Multivitamin and minerals – Whether you use a basic multiple vitamin or one with lots of extras,
it’s best when the daily dose be split into at least two tablets. That way you can take some in the
morning and then repeat the dose later in the day to replenish the water
soluble fractions that get depleted in 4 to 6 hours. It’s important to insure
that you get the B vitamins necessary for the body, as well as the trace
minerals that make all the functions in the body work better.
2)
Omega 3 fatty acids –
Few people today have access to good quality sources of Essential Fatty
Acids. Unless you’re an avid
cold-water fisherman, you should get these fats supplementally. The fish oil
supplements that are available today are easy to take and digest, and have been
distilled to remove the toxins.
Omega 3’s also help boost the immune system.
3)
Probiotics – These
are the healthy bacteria and yeast that thrive in the gut when conditions are
optimal, but often are lacking in people with stomach or gastrointestinal
issues like chronic diarrhea, heartburn, or constipation. These good bacteria
help maintain the proper acid balance throughout the gastrointestinal system,
killing “bad” bacteria before they spread and controlling the formation of a
proper stool. Probiotics, which
can be found in good quality yogurts, increase the natural killer cells that
strengthen the body’s immune function.
However, to produce enough of the friendly bacteria to displace an
overgrowth of pathogenic organisms like yeast or parasites, probiotic
supplements are often needed.
4)
Immune Boosting Supplements – If your immune system is compromised, you should
consider integrating one of the many immune boosting products available. I like
products that contain a family of immune enhancers called beta glucans, which
are commonly found in ancient mushrooms like shitake and reishi.
- Beta
glucan oat products are available that can be incorporatedinto foods like
oatmeal.
- Ginger is a wonderful aid for the quieting digestive
effects and the anti-inflammatory benefits.
- -Curcumin, also known as turmeric has numerous studies on it
and its effect on apoptosis, or the death of the cancer cells.
- -Essiac
is a tea that has helped many cancer
patients with energy and strength and may have anti-cancer benefits.
- -Alkylglycerols from Shark liver oil have wonderful immune boosting
properties and may be angiogenic in the way they can limit the growth of
tumors.
5)
Detoxification support – The liver and the kidneys are the most important detoxification organs
in the body. Supporting these
functions is an important factor in limiting cancer and even in treating cancer
– since many of the treatments are toxic themselves. Alpha lipoic acid, good
quality milk thistle and other herbs like dandelion, nettles, garlic and
cayenne may all be helpful. There are many combinations available containing a
broad base of these, but I tend to use alpha lipoic acid in high doses first.
Integrative
approaches to dealing with Cancer
The integrative approach to cancer includes everything
mentioned above, plus all the traditional treatments. Incorporating
mind-healing approaches like meditation and yoga can be wonderful. Chiropractic
care, acupuncture, and energy medicines can be tremendously helpful in
preventing and living with cancer. The number of alternatives available is
huge, but the number of effective treatments is quite limited. Do your
homework. The approach that works
for one person may not be appropriate for others. Make sure you surround
yourself with good people, positive thoughts and healthy relationships. The
link between the mind and the body is strong and needs to be nourished with the
rest of your body. Though the incidence of cancer is rising, deaths from cancer
have started to decline as we understand more about what needs to done in
dealing with cancer. Of course,
now matter what you choose to do, always consult with your healthcare
practitioner
How can you reduce your risk of getting cancer?
There are two main ways to reduce the risk of getting
cancer: a healthy lifestyle and early detection.
Detecting cancers early makes the treatment easier. If you find yourself with cancer, early treatment
is also the least toxic. Here are
things everyone should consider to help with detection:
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Women should have regular pap smears to detect cervical
cancer.
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Women and men (with risk factors) can have an anal pap
smear to detect anal cancer.
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All individuals should have a colorectal exam after the
age of 40. If colorectal cancer is
in the family, you should consider having the exam even earlier.
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All men over the age of 50 should have a prostate exam
that includes blood testing of the PSA or prostate specific antigen as well as
a DRE or digital rectal exam.
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Regular dental exams should be done at least twice a
year.
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Conduct a thorough self-examination of your body and
follow up with your physician if you find anything out of the ordinary (i.e.
sores that don’t heal, new skin growths, changes in the size, color, or shape
of moles or warts). A lump or
hardness detected in the breasts or in the testicles should also be brought to
the attention of your doctor.
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Any major changes in body function should also be
checked including abnormal loss of blood, changes in bowel or bladder function,
a cough that doesn’t go away or chronic heartburn or trouble swallowing.
5 Ways to Increase Healthy
Living
A healthier lifestyle not only reduces the risk of getting
cancer, but it can help prevent many other illnesses and substantially improve
the quality of your life. Here are
the five major ways you can increase healthy living:
1) STOP SMOKING. If you’re still smoking, it’s time to
quit. The effects of smoking are bad for smoker, those who live with you, and
the environment.
2) PRACTICE SAFE SEX. Everyone should practice safe sex. If you have HIV, HPV, herpes or
hepatitis, use condoms. Reducing exposure to these viruses and
taking the medicines that control them, limits particular cancers that show
strong ties to illnesses. Also, never share needles or other equipment that
comes into contact with blood.
3) EAT HEALTHY FOODS. Eating
a healthy diet can lower your risk of cancers in the breast, prostate, stomach,
colon and rectum. Diet should be the primary source of healthful vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants, all of which help strengthen the immune system.
4) EXERCISE AND MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT. Pick a form of exercise that you enjoy, one you have
the greatest chance at sticking with it. Start slowly and if the exercise
requires proper technique, seek out the help of a trainer. Good cardiovascular
exercise (i.e walking, jogging or biking) 4 or 5 times a week for 30 to 40
minutes is ideal.
5) USE SUNSCREEN. All of us require sunlight to make vitamin D
properly, but excessive sun can cause skin cancer. Limit your exposure through the use of sunscreens rated at
SPF 15 or higher, or cover exposed body areas.
By Scott Berliner
Scott Berliner received a BA in Biology from Brooklyn College, and a BS in Pharmacy from Brooklyn College of Pharmacy. He is a Registered Pharmacist, and he is certified in Basic, Sterile, and Veterinary Compounding. Scott is also a NaturaPharmacist and a Nutritional Educator. He is the owner and President of Life Science Pharmacy, Life Science Nutrition, and VetRx. Scott is a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Pharmacists Society of the State of New York State, and Professional Compounding Center of America.
Scott has lectured extensively about nutrition, anti-aging, natural hormone replacement therapy, AIDS, hepatitis, and cancer. He has extensive knowledge of homeopathic, naturopathic, and functional medicine. Scott is an expert at formulating new products, and developing new delivery systems to address health issues in more productive ways.
