My husband Barry asked me an incredibly profound question about a week before he passed away from cancer. Ironically, by that time he wasn’t making too much sense quite often. It was just the visiting nurse, Sarah and me in the room. He said-
“How did we get here?”
I sometimes think back to that question and wonder, did he mean literally, or metaphorically? I mean by that time, there were certainly moments when I wondered if he knew where he was. I answered the metaphorical…
“I have no idea.”
Tears in my eyes and for the first time my smile couldn’t hide the heaviness on my heart from sweet Sarah. Pretty sure a few tears rolled, as I quickly wiped them away, before turning to smile back at him.
How does anyone get cancer? What are the causes of cancer? Sometimes I wonder how anyone manages to avoid it, because our lifestyles these days don’t lend to health!
What did you eat for breakfast? How did you cook it? I mean really, is it any surprise at all that so many people are fighting this cancer fight?
Honesty Time! How did it make you feel to read my last couple paragraphs? My husband, the one who recently passed from cancer, was offended by the implication that a person may have a hand in the reason that they got cancer.
I GET IT!! I Promise! I’m 100% Not blaming anyone here! Not calling you out for eating a packet of oatmeal that you threw in the microwave, because that’s what your schedule allowed. Not saying that bad eating and cooking habits led to your cancer diagnosis….. but!
Are you willing to admit that it may have contributed?
We can’t change it if we don’t own it! It’s not all that different from the age old question of nature vs nurture, environment or genetics? If you took identical twins and they lived very different lifestyles, what would happen?
Can you admit that the twin who ate processed garbage and wore no sunscreen, living by a cell phone tower would increase their cancer risk? So where do we draw the line?
I certainly don’t have the answer to it all, but here’s the low down on what I do know.
WHY RISK IT?!
Maybe zero relevance, maybe a huge impact, but if it may be a contributing factor is it really that important to you?
Food For thought
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Causes of Cancer
In this blog I’ll get into some of the nitty gritty on this topic, but I have to be honest, if this interests you in the least, please consider my eCourse!! I’m dishing it all out!! I’m p!$$ed at cancer and this is my platform to begin kicking it’s butt one person at a time! The course is coming soon! If you sign up I’ll make sure to send you an email when it’s released and I’ll be able to send you new content first, so you don’t have to keep checking back. 🙂 (Oh ya! It also comes with a free checklist for your doctor’s visit!)
Back to the beast…..
Causes of cancer. The list may just be shorter if we listed things that don’t cause cancer! I believe that cancer is a disease of the mind, body and spirit. This isn’t my medical opinion, just observation and personal opinion. Check out my disclaimer, or About Me page for more on that if interested.
If you are one of the fortunate ones who finds a way to rid their body of cancer, what’s to keep it from returning with even more vigor the next time?! Have you made major lifestyle changes?
So Let’s Start With The Body:
You’re only given one, so how are you treating it? Do you give it proper hydration? By the way, about half of your body weight in ounces would be “proper.” (ie: you weigh 200 lbs, that’s 100 ounces of water!)
When hydrating: soda, coffee, tea all actually count against you because they have caffeine, which can work in the opposite direction and dehydrate you! That would mean if you had a soda you then need 2 waters just to equal one! Think of it like a line graph:
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As you can see, not only does drinking caffeinated beverages not work toward your daily total water intake, but it negatively effects it! Now, in the above example, that individual would have to take in 16.5 eight ounce glasses of water for their body weight. Let’s just say many of us are walking around dehydrated.
Water intake is just scratching the surface of dietary factors that can be changed to lessen your cancer risk. At a very basic level water is a cleanser for your body and can assist in flushing toxins out.
Believe it or not, choosing the right type of water matters too. Not all waters are created equally. Mineral water is a great consideration when battling cancer, because it could help replenish deficiencies.
A Magnesia mineral water study actually showed that even despite normal results in Magnesium testing, Magnesia mineral water consumption actually was able to demonstrate a hidden Magnesium deficiency. Meaning the person was unknowingly low.1
They also showed significant rises in urinary output.1 More in, more out, more flushing your body clean!
This could also aide in heart health as Magnesia’s high Magnesium and low Sodium makes it a great source of Magnesium for anyone with heart conditions1 and even for just the health conscious, cancer butt kicking crowd.
I’m still only scratching the surface on water choices and how they can effect cancer risk. Can water be one of the causes of cancer? You bet! Now that we just talked about increasing your intake substantially, how terrifying is that?!
Many aspects of water can be causes of cancer….
- Chlorination- Due to the by-products of chlorinating (potentially accounting for 5,000 cases of bladder and 8,000 cases of rectal cancer in just the U.S. yearly and this particular article I’m referencing was written in 1995, imagine how much worse those numbers may be now?!)2
- Contamination of the water source- Warning, some of this is cringeworthy. Hazardous Waste– yup-eeew. Agricultural chemicals– I get into this in my course as well, in regards to food. Asbestos, Radon and Arsenic.2 Water testing can identify these. If you think about it, it makes sense that when you breathe something in that is toxic, it could cause lung, or liver cancer and if you drink it in, it could be linked to bladder, liver, or kidney cancer.2 Water for one- hold the Aresenic please!
- Treatment Processes themselves can result in water contamination.2
- Contaminates can also get into our water through the avenue that the water actually gets to us. This could include anything from the breakdown of plastic in the bottle, pipes the water passes through, fixtures, linings, microbial agents, the list goes on!2
Another way in which the body can play into the causes of cancer is what you’re fueling it with- Food!
I thought I was a healthy eater (and I thought my husband was an exceptionally, healthy eater) until we were fighting cancer and started making changes. The craziest part to me was that by making healthy choices, we sometimes were actually consuming more cancer causing toxins!
We ate “real” food often, so for us changing from processed, packaged food to “real” food wasn’t really a factor. If you’re still consuming a large portion, or any of your daily diet, already pre-made and packaged, start there. If your food can last on a shelf for a year, just imagine what is in it in order for it to sustain freshness.
Preservatives!! So if it doesn’t mold relatively quickly, it’s not magic, it’s preservatives- a lot of nasty chemicals. This is not what you want in your body as you’re trying to kill cancer- let’s Not preserve cancer! All humor aside, nitrites: a preservative that’s great at increasing the shelf life of lunch meats, sausages, hot dogs, BACON (take my lunch meats and hot dogs- no worries, but BACON! Devastating) could be one of the causes of cancer.
Some may argue, similar to the argument of the importance of vaccinations, that the pros outweigh the cons here. Centuries ago you’d often die from consuming the above listed foods because they would give you Clostridium Botulinum causing Botulism!3
To me this is an issue of people not seeing past their nose. So if the solution to not getting Botulism from consuming your food is to give you cancer (potentially) down the road, people are choosing to get rid of the immediate problem first- ie: the botulism cure- nitrites. All we’ve really done is created a potentially deadly cure for tomorrow. Out of sight, out of mind?? I mean is it really a cure, or fix, if it just creates a new issue for later?
There’s also the issue of microorganisms, such as listeria monocytogenes, which can cause food poisoning and preservatives again is an easy, quick fix solution.3
A 2012 study of American women showed those with the highest amount of daily nitrate consumption had a 31% increase in their risk of Ovarian Cancer than those women with the lowest daily intake of nitrate!3
There was another study on people who consumed nitrites from animal products showing they were more likely to develop renal cell carcinoma!3 Believe it or not this is still something that is debated, as to whether or not we can point the finger at preservatives! Makes me wonder though if there is really a question, or if there is just awareness that returning to the alternative of not preserving our meats being a greater risk?
What I really struggle with is why we continue to use one of these potential causes of cancer to preserve our food when something like Vitamin E could have similar preservative effects?3
Let me science geek out for a moment. Nitrates become nitrites in the human body when digested. Nitrates can also form nitrosamines (KNOWN CARCINOGENS!).3 I struggle to see why this is a debate at all, as to whether or not preservatives are one of the causes of cancer…
I’ll just briefly mention one more star of the show in this category before moving on- BHA, or butylated hydroxyanisole. This is found in cooking oils, chips, salad dressings, cereals, crackers and all kinds of other snack foods. The National Toxicology Program actually stated that BHA is
“Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”3
National Toxicology Program
Don’t be thrown off if you see BHA, or BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) called antioxidants. This doesn’t mean they are anti-cancer, it means that they’re synthetic phenolic antioxidants. Meant to slow down auto-oxidation of fats that leads to the break down of food more quickly.4
A study that showed rodents having neoplastic effects (tumor growing) at high intake amounts of BHA and BHT, happened after biological defense systems were overloaded.4 My issue with this is, why are we overloading our biological defense systems with our food, leaving us more defenseless?
Last major note on body (for this blog anyway, I could go on forever!)- exercise and physical activity!!!
I feel like you can’t talk about causes of cancer and how to combat it without discussing exercise. I’ll try to make this simple since I just went overboard on preservatives!
The lymphatic system is the biggest factor here in my opinion. What is the lymphatic system? Think of it as your bodies cleaning system. So how do we keep this system functioning at the top of it’s game? Exercise!
My favorite buy for my husband was a tiny trampoline that we could put in our living room and he could with very little exertion gently bounce on. By bounce he never actually got air (besides the fact that he was almost 6’5″ and his height wouldn’t allow that in our home). The lymphatic system doesn’t require some high intensity, vigorous exercise, just gentle up and down pumping really. Check out my product page.
Lots of exercises get your lymphatics going and they don’t require much. During cancer treatments this is key, because you will need to conserve your energy. Just get moving! I love lower impact (swimming, recumbent biking, gentle trampoline bouncing) exercise for the body in general, but moving is the end goal here. Yoga is another fantastic method of moving that can be done safely and can be modified too for any experience level. Ask your doctor their thoughts!
Many of you may have heard of Alkaline PH being beneficial for creating a poor environment for cancer to thrive and that’s true. Guess what helps to raise your PH? Exercise! Your lungs control your body’s PH balance by releasing carbon dioxide which is acidic (waste product).5 This means exhaling lowers acidity, so get your lungs working!
To summarize taking care of your body to discourage it from being a cancer friendly environment, or one of the causes of cancer:
- Put healthy stuff in. Limit preservatives/chemicals- meaning steer clear of packaged long shelf life foods. Stick to from the earth, single ingredient foods whenever possible. Consider vegan while you’re fighting. Also try to go organic. I haven’t gotten into it here because it requires a blog of it’s own, but vegetables that are not organic can be cancer causing. Organic is not some hippie lifestyle, it’s food that hasn’t been sprayed with toxic garbage to keep the bugs off (very dummied down, but I promise to write much more on this topic later!) So healthy in✔️ Causes of cancer out✔️✔️
- Drink a lot of high quality water. Have your water tested to make sure you know what you’re drinking. Shoot for half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Mineral water is awesome and you should ask your doctor if it can help you. Strongly consider an Ionizer, filtration device and remember I may make a commission on a purchase as an affiliate, but I wouldn’t suggest anything I don’t think is a major benefit to you. This was my favorite after extensive research:
- It’s called the AlkaViva H2 Series Water Ionizer. Our family has spent thousands on two different water filtration systems only to still have issues. In hindsight this would have been my pick and I’m ready to change. Sign up by clicking here and get my mini-series explaining all of the reasons it’s time for an upgrade. It’s VERY cringeworthy and will probably have you making major changes today!
I know some of the options are pricey, but at the end of the day, weigh out what you think is one of the things you need to change most and if your water is questionable I offer some great options, if not then start with making more affordable changes first. Just do yourself a favor and don’t spend over a thousand dollars on a television at the expense of spending it on your health and decreasing your causes of cancer.
- It’s called the AlkaViva H2 Series Water Ionizer. Our family has spent thousands on two different water filtration systems only to still have issues. In hindsight this would have been my pick and I’m ready to change. Sign up by clicking here and get my mini-series explaining all of the reasons it’s time for an upgrade. It’s VERY cringeworthy and will probably have you making major changes today!
- Get your body moving to promote good lymphatic flow. Maximize your God-given system to flush out the toxins by getting things moving. Try to stay low impact and just aim for more movement today than yesterday. Motivate yourself by picturing flushing those causes of cancer out!
- I get into SO much more on these topics and so many more ways to fight the causes of cancer in my course so keep your eye out and subscribe, so I can share future posts and information I’m coming out with.
Next Let’s Look At The Mind
I do believe that the mind can play a role in, not only combating causes of cancer, but many sicknesses that our bodies combat. There are studies that show the power of the words we speak and how it effects our environment. I read this book years ago and it will forever stick with me. It was written by Masaru Emoto and it’s entitled The Hidden Messages in Water; I just recently noticed two other books by him: Water Crystal Healing and The True Power of Water.
Let me be clear, even if at some point in the future, I become an affiliate who may get a commission if you purchase this book, this is a book that I absolutely LOVE and would recommend time and time again. I’m currently not receiving any commission and I want you to get it!
Have you ever wondered if your words have power. This book changed how I speak forever! I learned that prayer is the strongest power on Earth and if you really want results from it, do it in a group! For those who are wondering, this book is not at all religious.
Another thing it taught me is to be careful with what we say in jest and be careful with what a t-shirt, or onesie, might say on it before throwing it on your child. I don’t want to be a spoiler, but the preface is about the power of words and how it can actually change things on a physical level. This book should live on every person’s coffee table, in my opinion.
So yes! Join the hype. There is power in positivity and maybe your cancer needs some positive visualization to remove it’s nasty presence from your body. Maybe seeing yourself healthy can bring you health. Whether manifestation is something you believe in or not, when a health promoting idea stands the test of time, why not integrate it into your daily practice?
From all of the Mindvalley Masterclasses that I threw into the mix in desperation to cure my husband’s cancer, I can tell you it helped! Whether it was just to keep our mindset right, or actually bringing some healing into existence, I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that picturing health cleansed our mind of negativity. Once again, I’m hoping to become an affiliate, but currently am not getting paid anything to promote them, I only suggest what worked for us.
When we couldn’t sleep: (Me from stress and worry, him from pain and probably a large dose of stress he didn’t let on to), we listened to hypnosis apps and meditation/relaxation apps. It was literally the ONLY thing that allowed my husband sleep after one of his painful surgeries. Promoting sleep is still battling causes of cancer because sleep is critical to giving you a fighting chance!
I feel the hypnosis app and Mindvalley classes helped us with the visualization process as well. My husband, who was not medical in the least, struggled with visualizing organs and envisioning internal healthy tissues. We came up with using an image of Pac-Man munching all the cancer cells, pictured as little dots within his brain and spine. If you have a child with cancer, that little trick can go a long way.
One final word on getting your mind right to combat cancer- surround yourself with positive people! We all have friends who can be downers at times, well now is not the time to listen to their woes and worries. Try to continue giving yourself good days, by hanging around with people with good vibes!
My husband would always say the people who fart rainbows- Haha! Some people exude goodness from their pores and that can be contagious! It’s hard to be a negative Nancy when those around you are laughing and being cheerful. We feel so strongly about positivity that I created Stitch’s Corner. A little gratitude and positivity section on my blog that’s meant to just bring a smile and get your mind right.
Finally, The Spirit
Has cancer got you p!$$*d off? Yup me too. I often say faith is easier when things are going your way, not so easy when it’s not. Cancer will challenge you to your soul! Don’t blame the Creator!
There’s so much I don’t know and this is just my opinion, but a God who causes cancer…unlikely. If God gave you cancer, I believe it’s an answered prayer, or something we can’t see- Not a punishment. Let me explain.
My husband and I were believers in God, but not preachy about our faith. We did, however, pray each night before bed and both of us prayed daily that if sickness were to have to hit any member of our family, that it happen to us and not our children. When my husband was diagnosed with 3 brain tumors, the first thing we both thought was- thank God it wasn’t our babies.
We had tried to conceive our second child for years before we were blessed with him and suffered several miscarriages along our journey. We sometimes wondered who was in heaven watching over those little souls we lost. On days when my children are really struggling with the loss of their dad, I often remind them that they have brothers, or sisters, who have been without mommy, or daddy, for a long time and that it was time for them to get to spend some time with at least one parent too. They always agree that they wouldn’t want it any other way.
Whether you get your way and defeat cancer and win the battle, or you end up losing a loved one, faith is going to be the savior here. How can anyone have peace with something so terrible, if they don’t believe that a higher power has their best interest at heart and/or the person they love is in a great place upon their passing.
I have a category dedicated to grief and loss that gets into the loss aspect of this more, but, for the purposes of this particular blog, I will say faith has a way of bringing calm to the storm. We had our priest bless a couple of items for us that we brought to each doctor’s visit.
We also prayed often and placed all hope in the God we trust. When I place Spirituality as one of the potential causes of cancer, I mean to say that a lack of direction, faith and spirituality could lead to God putting you on a path of being saved. This concept is one that I’ve only recently come to accept.
Just something to consider, but what if this life is just a very short blip on the radar of existence? What if this life is just a test to see if we deserve an everlasting life in heaven? What if prior to a cancer diagnosis, you had only half fulfilled your potential on this earth? Or what if it has nothing to do at all with the person having cancer, but instead was a catalyst to some other thing that needs to happen?
I believe we are all put here on this planet for a purpose. Some people have smaller roles to play and some much greater. My oldest son was angry that cancer targeted his dad. He has recently considered a profession to find a cure someday. What if that’s why my husband had his cancer diagnosis? What if thousands of lives could be saved by our son one day finding a cure (or at least a fix to even one of the causes of cancer)?
I don’t think I was reaching my full potential at the time that my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We had become comfortable with our lives. I had planned to start a blog like this one day to help Type 1 diabetics. When my husband got sick, I decided then and there that I was going to help others through this cancer mess. Even though I tried to bargain with God, he and I both knew that if we had a cure, my fear of all of the unknowns likely would have stifled me from executing this goal fully.
This blog could be the answered prayer to 5 people. Maybe there was more to be gained if things didn’t go our way. I do believe my husband had already reached all of the amazing goals and fulfilled the purpose God put him here for. I think the lesson I learned is that just because we think we know best, there is only One who really knows best for us.
So no matter what you do, it’s a constant battle to fight the beast of cancer. My belief is that the causes of cancer are mind, body and soul issues and that the causes of cancer can be cured by healing the mind, body and spirit. Find a way to feed your body well and protect it from what’s dangerous and cancer causing. Keep yourself physically healthy.
The mind, similarly, needs to be fed with positivity and glass half full vibrations allowing low stress and good energy. Be grateful for what’s going right, even on your darkest of days. Don’t feed the causes of cancer with more negativity.
Our very soul cannot be ignored and our spirit also needs to be nourished and fed with good white light and loving God energy! If you believe God loves you and wants what is best for you, then you can come to a place of realizing that some of it is in your control and some is not. Change what you can and acknowledge what you can’t. Find your life purpose and what gifts God gave you to better this planet. Perhaps, just by fulfilling that purpose on this earth, you will have done much more than just save yourself, or your loved one, from cancer. Perhaps you can save your, or their, soul for eternity.
References:
Cancer is Terrifying! Causes of Cancer & 3 Important Ways to Change Course
1Kiss SA, Forster T, Dongó A. Absorption and effect of the magnesium content of a mineral water in the human body. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004;23(6):758S-62S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2004.10719424
4Iverson F. Phenolic antioxidants: Health Protection Branch studies on butylated hydroxyanisole. Cancer Lett. 1995;93(1):49-54. doi:10.1016/0304-3835(95)03787-W
5Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Sixth Edition, Nader Rifai Ed. 2018 by Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri, pp 1333, 1340-1347.
