About Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, the different ways to prevent cancer include avoiding carcinogens (cancer causing agents), regular check-ups for early detection of pre-cancerous cells, eating right and staying fit. Prevention for different types of cancer vary.

As one example, some people focus on diet, and try to avoid "cancer causing foods" and eat ones that help stave it off. Among the most cited cancer causing foods are those that are cooked at high temperatures and create a by-product known as acrylamide. Common foods that contain acrylamide due to the way they are cooked include: french fries, potato chips, cereals, and processed bread products.

However, experts are still uncertain whether acrylamide containing foods really do cause cancer, with some claiming to avoid them, and some saying they don't pose any harm. In our opinion, it's better to be safe than sorry: limit your amount of acrylamide containing foods.

Cancer is caused by abnormalities in a cell's DNA. These abnormalities may be inherited, caused by exposure to carcinogens or the result of long term inflammation.

On a regular basis the American Cancer Society publishes guidelines on the different ways to prevent cancer. The most recent guidelines focus more on diet and exercise than previous versions.

Excess weight is not something that people typically associate with cancer, but according to the new study, 14-20% of all cancer deaths in the United States are believed to be associated with excess weight.

Although not currently identified as cancer causing foods, avoiding red meat is one of the recommendations from the nutritionists at the American Cancer Society. The list of ways to prevent cancer of the colon, prostrate, endometrium (uterus), gallbladder, kidney and breast include avoiding obesity.

When identifying cancer causing foods or other substances that may cause cancer, scientists first use cell lines in laboratory settings. If a possible carcinogen affects a group of cells, then studies may progress to animals. If the substance causes cancer in the animal, then more studies are done to determine the carcinogenic risk to humans.

However, there are millions of different substances in the world and scientists have not been able to evaluate all of them. Typically there is some reason to believe that a substance might be carcinogenic to humans before scientists begin to investigate it.

Of the 900 substances studied thus far, 90 have been categorized as substances that cause cancer in humans. Some of the ways to prevent cancer focus on these substances. Some are environmental, some are occupational and some are lifestyle choices.

The American Cancer Society typically focuses on lifestyle choices when recommending ways to prevent cancer. These are considered those types of cancer that are most preventable. The most obvious of which is lung cancer caused by smoking cigarettes and mouth or throat cancer caused by smokeless or chewing tobacco. Cigar smokers are no safer from cancer than cigarette smokers. Cigar smoking is just as dangerous to you and those around you as cigarette smoking.

Just because your parents or grandparents had some form of cancer does not necessarily mean that you will develop the disease. Certain risk factors have changed over the years. Sixty years ago the risk of developing stomach cancer was dramatically higher than it is today. Refrigeration has reduced the number of cancer causing foods by reducing the need for salting, pickling and smoking.

Today, when we choose to eat fresh foods, rather than processed foods, we improve our chances of going through life, without developing cancer of the stomach.

Another advantage that we have over our ancestors is our knowledge of nutrition and the use of high quality dietary supplements to maintain optimal health.

Those people who use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on a regular basis to control conditions such as arthritis have a lower risk of developing stomach cancer, but these drugs can cause serious gastrointestinal bleeding and are not recommended for use as ways to prevent cancer. Natural anti-inflammatories, like those found in the mangosteen fruit, may provide the same health benefits of anti-inflammatory drugs, without the risk.

Components of the rind of the mangosteen have been studied for their possible use as cancer preventatives and potential use as cancer treatments. The anti-oxidants found in this fruit are some of the most powerful known to man and the anti-inflammatory components inhibit COX-2 enzymes, which cause inflammation, without inhibiting COX-1 enzymes, which protect the lining of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.

In conclusion, it may not be possible to avoid all of the cancer causing foods and other carcinogens. Some, like radon gas, which is odorless and only detectable with the use of a radon gas detector, may be in the air we breathe at home or work.

But, if we try to focus on the different ways to prevent cancer and avoiding those carcinogens (like cigarette smoke) that we can detect, then we are doing all that we can to protect ourselves.