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Graphic modified from Seyfried, et al. Carcinogenesis. 2014 Mar; 35(3): 515–527. |
The potential cancer motion we’ll expect at today is viruses. Some cancers are known to be viral inwards origin, in addition to this makes full sense. Viruses hijack a cell’s replication machinery, right? They hijack the replication mechanisms such that the virus’ ain DNA or RNA gets copied similar crazy, thus we’re left alongside lots of cells that comprise tons of viral DNA/RNA. I am non a microbiologist, nor do I play i on TV. But I receive got to assume that having lots of viral deoxyribonucleic acid or RNA floating around inwards a prison theater cellphone likely isn’t good for mitochondria. Either way, if sure enough viruses do cause cancer, my gauge would live that they do thus past times affecting mitochondrial function.
As a potential motion of cancer, viruses tin dismiss strike people of whatever age. I suspect viruses are i of the principal drivers of cancer inwards children. I can’t imagine much else causing it. Like I said, older people receive got had many to a greater extent than years to abuse their mitochondria via diet, lifestyle, in addition to unknown environmental exposures. But petty kids? Not thus much. Something else has got to live driving cancer inwards younger people. (And like I've said before, it’s exclusively possible there’s a role for maternal & paternal health/diet at the fourth dimension of project design in addition to during gestation, every bit good every bit environmental exposures in utero, but, similar the authors of the newspaper I mentioned inwards an before post said, if you lot call back I’m close to blame the parents of a kid alongside cancer for causing that child’s cancer, you lot are crazier than a vegan at a Brazilian churrascaria.)
In damage of prevention, We can’t do much close this except to brand sure enough our immune systems are upwards to snuff. I receive got said before that most of us likely “get cancer” all the time. We receive got cells behaving badly in addition to doing wacky things left in addition to right, but our immune systems locomote to piece of work in addition to boot those misbehaving cells to the curb. (Or the cells engage inwards apoptosis, commit suicide, in addition to salve our immune systems the trouble.) So how might nosotros endeavour to ensure our immune systems are upwards to the task? I was originally going receive got a divide post service (or 2 or three!) close cancer prevention, but it seems to a greater extent than logical to address potential prevention/mitigation strategies inwards the same post service every bit I write close putative causes. (I would live embarrassed to acknowledge how much fourth dimension I’ve spent going dorsum in addition to forth over this issue, close which most of you lot likely don’t attention i means or the other.)
Dr. Michael Ruscio has a corking analogy for why autoimmune conditions are on the rise. There are many reasons, but i is that nosotros no longer allow our immune systems to “train” and acquire accustomed to fighting things off. He uses the analogy of infantry troops. If you lot desire your troops to live proficient marksmen, you lot receive got to give them adequate training. Let them acquire familiar alongside their weapons, send them to the firing range, give them tons of shooting practice, in addition to they’ll locomote corking shots. But send a duad of guys (or gals) into battle never having held a weapon, in addition to they’ll halt upwards shooting all over the place, having no command over what they hit. Maybe they’ll acquire lucky in addition to hitting the target, but they’ll likely also motion a ton of innocent bystander harm inwards the process. This is what powerfulness laissez passer on alongside autoimmunity—an immune organization that has been coddled in addition to protected, in addition to never taken out of its shrink wrap, volition receive got no thought what to locomote afterward when it’s unleashed into the world, thus when a crisis erupts, it’ll locomote afterward everything, including host/self tissue.
Okay, thus what?
Here are my thoughts. You’ll observe at that spot aren’t whatever of import links here. That’s because this is exactly me thinking out loud. Maybe some of my thoughts volition brand feel to you; maybe others volition appear ridiculous. Good thing none of this is medical advice, then. (I promise, I’ll acquire dorsum to writing to a greater extent than science-based posts i time nosotros come upwards out of these cause/prevention speculation weeds. I exactly didn't desire to say that "x" is a potential motion of cancer in addition to and thus non introduce some possible mitigation strategies.)
Also: allow me to arrive clear that inwards this post service in addition to the adjacent few, where we’re speculating close possible causes of cancer, null I write should live taken every bit me “blaming” anyone for getting cancer. I’ve tried to arrive clear that for everything nosotros think nosotros know close cancer, there’s a whole lot nosotros don’t know, in addition to exactly similar alongside diet & exercise, people tin dismiss do “all the correct things,” in addition to even thus acquire smacked upside the caput alongside the reverse outcome of that which they were aiming for. So when nosotros beak close the immune system, diet, exercise, in addition to hypoxia, I am non implying that anyone alongside cancer did or did non engage inwards sure enough behaviors. All this is, is speculation close how people might—might—go close making their bodies to a greater extent than robust in addition to resilient, thus that when they do inevitably run into potential cancer-causing “things,” they might receive got a amend run a hazard of trucking correct along in addition to non fifty-fifty noticing.
(Can you lot tell I’m pretty much the to the lowest degree confrontational soul inwards the world? Look at all this timid language. Part of it is, I don’t desire to acquire sued. And percentage of it is, I don’t desire to invite whatever crazy Internet attacks or Twitter feuds, should anyone acquire the wrong impression that I am claiming I know how to foreclose cancer.)
Okay! With that out of the way, here's caveat number two:
Let me say hither that out of everything I similar to call back I know close the human body, the immune organization is what I empathize the least. In fact. I attended a seminar close autoimmune conditions recently, in addition to I was fairly lost most of the time. (T-cells, B-cells, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, antigen-presenting cells … it variety of makes my caput spin.) So this is genuinely exactly a very general perspective on how to non grab every petty põrnikas that makes the rounds at your business office or your kid’s preschool.
Let me say hither that out of everything I similar to call back I know close the human body, the immune organization is what I empathize the least. In fact. I attended a seminar close autoimmune conditions recently, in addition to I was fairly lost most of the time. (T-cells, B-cells, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, antigen-presenting cells … it variety of makes my caput spin.) So this is genuinely exactly a very general perspective on how to non grab every petty põrnikas that makes the rounds at your business office or your kid’s preschool.
- Good nutrition: Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and more – nosotros know these nutrients play a role inwards bolstering the immune system. So does adequate poly peptide intake, since antibodies are made of protein. Also, it likely doesn’t wound to proceed carbohydrate consumption low. When your torso is “fighting off” constant influxes of sucrose, it has fewer resources to proceed you lot strong against real threats.
- Good digestive function: The GI tract is i of our principal barriers to invading pathogens. Saliva in addition to breadbasket acid assist to neutralize bad bugs. (There’s a argue nosotros all receive got an innate instinct to lick our wounds. It has null to do alongside liking the sense of savor of blood, unless you’re a vampire. Saliva is antimicrobial.) And if you’re reading my blog, you’re likely already quite familiar alongside the concept of “leaky gut,” in addition to how a minor intestine alongside compromised tight junctions volition allow potentially disastrous consequences. But before that fifty-fifty happens, robust breadbasket acid should live killing off any really dangerous bugs. So yeah, a digestive system firing on all cylinders is a huge percentage of staying well.
- Strengthen immunity: I call back of the immune organization similar a muscle: give it a workout, in addition to it’ll acquire stronger. How powerfulness nosotros do this? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 proficient house to start powerfulness live non dousing ourselves inwards antibacterial gels in addition to sterilizing every unmarried gist nosotros come upwards inwards contact with. Ever observe how the kids whose mothers basically receive got them living inwards germ-free bubbles genuinely appear to acquire sicker than kids who are exposed to to a greater extent than “stuff?” I’m non proverb nosotros should quit washing our hands altogether (using normal soap, that is), but this obsession nosotros receive got alongside everything existence individually wrapped, pasteurized, irradiated, in addition to otherwise devoid of microbes that tin dismiss “train” our immune organization to bargain alongside pathogens has got to stop. I’m non close to locomote licking the jungle gym at the local simple school, but every bit a society, nosotros receive got locomote insanely germ-phobic, in addition to it’s to our detriment.
Dr. Michael Ruscio has a corking analogy for why autoimmune conditions are on the rise. There are many reasons, but i is that nosotros no longer allow our immune systems to “train” and acquire accustomed to fighting things off. He uses the analogy of infantry troops. If you lot desire your troops to live proficient marksmen, you lot receive got to give them adequate training. Let them acquire familiar alongside their weapons, send them to the firing range, give them tons of shooting practice, in addition to they’ll locomote corking shots. But send a duad of guys (or gals) into battle never having held a weapon, in addition to they’ll halt upwards shooting all over the place, having no command over what they hit. Maybe they’ll acquire lucky in addition to hitting the target, but they’ll likely also motion a ton of innocent bystander harm inwards the process. This is what powerfulness laissez passer on alongside autoimmunity—an immune organization that has been coddled in addition to protected, in addition to never taken out of its shrink wrap, volition receive got no thought what to locomote afterward when it’s unleashed into the world, thus when a crisis erupts, it’ll locomote afterward everything, including host/self tissue. Beyond proficient nutrition, hither are some other ways I call back nosotros tin dismiss boost our immune systems:
- Spend fourth dimension outdoors: I hypothesized toward the halt of this very long post that maybe vitamin D levels are but a proxy for fourth dimension spent outdoors. Sick and healthy people appear to run the gamut of D levels, in addition to frankly, I’m non sure enough anyone knows what’s optimal for whatever of us. Generally speaking, most of us likely demand to a greater extent than than we’re getting, but I even thus call back no one’s genuinely sure enough what the bargain is alongside D. (Should a 75-year-old manly soul native of Republic of Cameroon receive got the same 1,25-OH-D grade every bit a 16-year-old Norwegian girl? I don’t know, in addition to frankly, I don’t call back anyone else does, either.) What I do know is, existence outdoors is a corking means to breathe inwards “stuff” that powerfulness sensitize & strengthen the immune system. It’s likely best to pass fourth dimension inwards a green, woodsy surface area or on a farm, if you lot can, but fifty-fifty inwards an urban area, you’re even thus going to breathe inwards to a greater extent than “stuff” when you’re exterior than when you’re indoors. Soil microbes, dirt, bugs, pollen, brute dander—it’s all good! (If you're already highly allergic to these things, I can’t assist you. I receive got heard, though, that at that spot are holistically-minded allergists who tin dismiss assist de-sensitize you lot to sure enough things.) Total stereotype here, but farm kids appear damn close invincible, don’t they? My hunch is, they acquire exposed to means to a greater extent than constitute in addition to brute affair than the average urban crumb-crusher, in addition to their systems acquire to bargain alongside it.
- Physical movement: I call back it’s condom to say that reasonable amounts of physical activity (not too much in addition to non too little) assist proceed us good for you lot inwards a number of ways. But let’s beak close a specific one. Moving our bodies helps carry oxygen in addition to nutrients. But it also helps carry immune organization factors, via the lymphatic system. Lymph is the Rodney Dangerfield of the human body—it gets no respect. We never listen beak of lymph. That’s a shame, because fats in addition to fat-soluble nutrients acquire transported starting fourth dimension through the lymphatic organization (inside chylomicrons) in addition to then they brand their means into the bloodstream. Also, lymph contains lots of immune-supporting “stuff.” (This is why some illnesses are associated alongside swollen lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are producing to a greater extent than affliction fighting compounds.)
Okay, thus what?
The primal thing to know close the lymphatic system is that it has no dedicated pump. Unlike blood, which gets pushed through the blood vessels every fourth dimension the pump beats, lymph only moves when nosotros do. (Besides the hazard for musculus atrophy, this is some other argue why bedridden people demand to receive got their limbs moved regularly—so lymph tin dismiss circulate instead of pooling in addition to stagnating, which results inwards edema in addition to changes to blood pressure.) I am non i to call back nosotros demand live inwards constant motion all 24-hour interval long, and I don’t call back “sitting equals death,” for cryin’ out loud, but there’s no doubtfulness nosotros do demand to displace our bodies, in addition to many of us likely don’t do thus often enough, nor inwards plenty varied ways. (That said, people who fidget in addition to can’t sit down even thus for two stinkin’ minutes põrnikas the crap out of me, thus maybe this is why I prefer to believe that thirty minutes of sitting on the couch alongside a mass isn’t going to Pb anyone to an early on grave. [Seriously: is at that spot anyone likewise me on this freaking planet capable of belongings a clicky pen without clicking it nonstop? If at that spot is, they sure enough don’t piece of work inwards my office. #firstworldproblems.])
But yeah, dorsum to lymph: Muscle contractions are what moves lymph through the lymphatic vessels. Lymph tin dismiss deliver helpful immune compounds to tissues that demand it, in addition to it also carries away waste materials in addition to bad immune juju. So nosotros do desire to brand sure enough nosotros proceed lymph moving right away in addition to then. (I warned you lot this was going to live i of my less-scientific posts...) Some people swear past times rebounders in addition to “dry brushing” for stimulating motion of lymph. I can’t comment, since I receive got no experience alongside either of these practices, except for when I was a kid in addition to my neighbors had a sweetness mini-trampoline inwards their backyard. Suffice it to say that when I was 8 years old, I wasn’t thinking too much close my lymphatic system. If you lot desire to query these, you’re on your own.
But yeah, dorsum to lymph: Muscle contractions are what moves lymph through the lymphatic vessels. Lymph tin dismiss deliver helpful immune compounds to tissues that demand it, in addition to it also carries away waste materials in addition to bad immune juju. So nosotros do desire to brand sure enough nosotros proceed lymph moving right away in addition to then. (I warned you lot this was going to live i of my less-scientific posts...) Some people swear past times rebounders in addition to “dry brushing” for stimulating motion of lymph. I can’t comment, since I receive got no experience alongside either of these practices, except for when I was a kid in addition to my neighbors had a sweetness mini-trampoline inwards their backyard. Suffice it to say that when I was 8 years old, I wasn’t thinking too much close my lymphatic system. If you lot desire to query these, you’re on your own.
- Keep stress levels low: Cortisol suppresses the immune system. (This is why synthetic corticosteroid drugs are often prescribed for hurting relief, peculiarly that associated alongside autoimmune conditions.) It industrial plant something similar this: when you’re nether a lot of stress, your torso perceives that there’s some variety of astute “emergency” inwards your environment, right? Well, inwards this state, your torso downregulates anything non related to your immediate survival. (Such every bit digestion, reproduction, in addition to immune function.) If you lot receive got to struggle or flee, you lot would live hindered past times sniffles, sneezes, aches & pains. During this “emergency,” your torso won’t bother spending precious liberate energy to attain mucus or give you lot a fever, etc. There are to a greater extent than of import priorities, such every bit getting your butt out of dodge.
Ever observe that you lot (or your work solid unit of measurement members) sometimes acquire sick during a vacation, or fifty-fifty exactly a few days off from piece of work or school? That’s because the major stressors locomote away (at to the lowest degree temporarily), in addition to every bit the sky-high cortisol levels come upwards dorsum to normal, their immune-suppressing effects locomote away, too. So all the “stuff” that your immune organization was ignoring right away has to live dealt with, in addition to alongside the major stressors gone, the torso tin dismiss marshal the resources to do so. (Remember: when you lot “get sick,” that’s genuinely the immune organization doing its job, the means it’s supposed to. I’m non proverb it’s non pretty cool when you lot locomote years without thus much every bit a sniffle, but you lot receive got to wonder if something much to a greater extent than scary is brewing nether the surface piece cortisol keeps everything at bay...)
Get hot! The lastly immune booster I’ll call hither is sweating. I call back there’s something to live said for sweating helping us to “release toxins,” since the peel is the body’s largest organ of detoxification. (The liver is the most powerful, but the peel is the largest.) But to a greater extent than than that is what happens inside us when our core temperature rises plenty to make us sweat. Think close it this way: a fever is a protective mechanism, right? When the torso is trying to struggle something off, our core temperature rises, alongside the destination of killing the invading pathogens. So at that spot powerfulness live something said for launching a variety of preemptive strike, past times artificially inducing a fever inwards hopes of killing whatever bugs before they fifty-fifty receive got the run a hazard to rising to the grade of making us experience symptoms of illness.
There are a bunch of ways to do this. The starting fourth dimension is, exactly locomote someplace genuinely hot in addition to remain at that spot for a while. I don’t call back it’s a coincidence that many cultures receive got traditions of travail lodges in addition to hot springs. Could it live these people knew it wasn’t a bad thought to forcefulness themselves to travail i time inwards a while? There are even thus hot springs around the globe (super pop inwards Korea), in addition to the modern incarnation of a Native American travail lodge is a sauna. Of course, some other means to heighten your temperature temporarily is to exercise in addition to genuinely earn that sweat. Since I don’t receive got tardily access to a sauna or hot spring, exercising is my preferred method for getting’ my travail on, in addition to lemme tell ya, if you’d ever seen me at the gym, you lot would believe me when I tell you lot I sweat. (It’s variety of gross, actually, but someone i time told me it’s a sign of proficient hydration. *Shrug.*) It’s tardily to piece of work upwards a travail doing almost anything inwards the summer, but fifty-fifty inwards mutual coldness weather, I tin dismiss piece of work upwards a ridiculous sweat. (For example, the past times few winters, I went for long walks several times a week, bundled upwards inwards close a zillion layers, alongside the intention of getting fresh air, moving my body, and sweating a ton. Three immune boosters inwards one!) Some people also swear past times dousing themselves alongside H2O ice mutual coldness H2O correct afterward taking a hot shower, because the abrupt stupor to the organization betwixt the 2 extremes mobilizes heat stupor proteins (HSPs) that may receive got beneficial effects on the immune system. (HSPs may also play a role inwards cancer therapies.)
That’s it for now. The adjacent potential cancer-causing agents we’ll expect at are known in addition to suspected carcinogens.
Remember: Amy Berger, M.S., NTP, is non a doctor in addition to , LLC, is non a medical practice. The data contained on this site is non intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or foreclose whatever medical condition.