Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/103434
NATUROPATHIC environmental factors that are beyond debate. AIR POLLUTION • TOBACCO Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, has been linked to almost every type of cancer, especially lung cancer. "Tobacco is by far the greatest cause of cancer cases and death," Dr. Wascher says. According to Shelly Smekens, ND, naturopathic resident at CTCA® in Zion, Illinois, the risk is high for both smokers and nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. • RADON Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that develops as a result of uranium decay. It is present in some level almost everywhere in the world, but some places have higher levels of radon, particularly areas with cold winters and in buildings with basements where the gas can accumulate. "After cigarette smoking, radon is the second-highest modifiable another is not, and then the two groups ferently to carcinogens. "In any discus- risk factor for lung cancer, which is still are compared. But environmental sion about environmental carcinogens the number one cause of cancer death exposure to potential carcinogens does and environmental cancer risk, you have in the United States," explains Smekens. not happen in a controlled environment to say something about the fact that not Dr. Wascher notes, "Radon gas exposure like that. all of us are going to respond in the same probably accounts for five to eight per- "With regard to a lot of environmental way," explains Dr. Wascher. "There ap- cent of all lung cancer cases." exposures, we don't have a natural pears to be an underlying genetic com- • AIR POLLUTION "Particulate air pol- control group because often everyone ponent involved in our individual risk of lution, especially exhaust from diesel is exposed to them," explains Connie actually developing cancer in response engines, has been linked to lung cancer," Engel, science and education manager to being exposed to many known car- Dr. Wascher says. "Individuals who live for the Breast Cancer Fund, a national cinogens. We're all different, and we in heavily polluted areas therefore appear nonprofit organization dedicated to all have a different genetic makeup." to have higher rates of lung cancer." • CHARRED FOOD Heterocyclic amines, preventing breast cancer by eliminating or HCAs, are carcinogenic chemical com- radiation linked to the disease. "We Confirmed Environmental Risk Factors can't control who is exposed, and we Scientists like data. Data provide great- temperature. Grilled and heavily charred certainly can't do a randomized study er certainty, and with greater certainty meats have been linked to colorectal, and randomly assign people to things we can make better recommendations. pancreatic, stomach, and breast cancers. that we think are hurting them." Identifying true carcinogens is poten- • DIETARY CHOICES "Diets rich in tially complicated, but there are some red meat and other animal products are exposure to toxic chemicals and What's more, individuals respond difcfthrive.com pounds created by cooking meat at a high spring 2013 | cancer fighters thrive 33