"It is not fair for those of us who don't yet have cancer not to realize that our lifestyle choices influence our quality of life today and our risk of disease in the future."
This for me was a perfect reason to read this book and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Prevention is within our ability.
To tell the truth, much of Anti cancer Living felt like doom & gloom. With the exception of the cancer survivor stories, I didn't want to read so much (almost 400 pages!) negativity. But it's important to be informed, not stand back & think you can't do anything for your future. There is a lot of useful information and healthy lifestyle suggestions that we all should be putting into practice.
The married co authors Dr. Lorenzo Cohen and Alison Jefferies give us results of very in depth analysis and research into cancer and living healthily with the disease, in Anti cancer Living. The "Mix of Six" is a prescriptive plan to prevent cancer, and thrive after a cancer diagnosis.
Social support, stress, sleep, exercise, diet, and the environment are the six factors that play a major role in developing cancer, and improving your life with cancer.
We all have known for decades that smoking causes cancer, but it's news to many I'm sure the role sleep and social support plays in preventing this disease. I know a few people who've recently gone through chemo and surgery. I was surprised, as they were, to learn they had cancer, because diet and exercise (obesity) and alcohol & smoking (carcinogens) weren't the causes. But then you realize the stress in their lives has taken its ugly toll.
For those who don't exercise regularly, Cohen tells us how he gets a lot of activity by incorporating regular movement into his day. Things like parking further away from stores, taking the stairs, walking after dinner, using a standing desk, a recumbent bike, and even having walking meetings. All this disguised exercise adds up.
I now understand the importance of organic. I used to believe the organic industry was just hyped up overpriced foods and products. You know, hipsters posting on social media about the latest & greatest (expensive!) food trend at Whole Foods. But after reading this book, I understand that everything should be organic.
Troubling things:
Reading about almonds was a shocker. For 10 years, most almonds sold in the US are said to be treated with propylene oxide gas, a known carcinogen.
Also, cash register receipts have bisphenol A or BPA, an endocrine disruptor.
Honestly, I did feel hopelessness reading the food and chemicals in products chapters. Fortunately, there are still foods we can eat. Broccoli is still safe, whew! I've introduced turmeric into my meals, and am glad to hear kimchi and miso are on the Anti cancer diet. Even coffee, through research, is said to have strong antioxidant effects, and studies have shown it promoted the death of cancer cells.
In the past, I couldn't get into traditional meditation - being completely still and not thinking for 20 minutes never worked for me. But I've been practicing the examples of mindfulness and compassion/loving kindness meditation, which are right up my alley.
It is overwhelming to think of all we have to do to eliminate these threats, and rid our lifestyles and homes of toxins. So the section guide to detoxify your household environment is useful in helping us tackle it room by room. Besides diet, it outlines how to have a chemical free home, filter your water, and reduce the toxins you put on your body.
When I finished Anti cancer Living, I did feel some of that hysteria they wrote about, as in, there's too much to eliminate! But after some time, that sense of sickening urgency mostly left, and I like knowing there is a lot I can to to prevent this, and other diseases. My conclusion is I like having some control over my own health, and ultimately, future.
I received Anti cancer Living in a GoodReads giveaway.
Kara
