Health & Wellbeing

Cancer kills more Kiwis than other disease! and is the second greatest cause of death in the western world.

Cancer occurs when cells start to behave differently, growing, multiplying and spreading e.g. Granulation tissue. The odd revolutionary cell is common occurrence and the body's immune system isolates and destroys such offenders (10,000/day). However, in Cancer the immune system is overcome and the damage spreads.

Conventional treatments see Cancer as the enemy and cut it out, burn it out through radiation, or drug it out with chemotherapy. All these treatments weaken the body.

At least 75% of cancers are associated with lifestyle factors including diet, smoking, drinking alcohol and exercise. Other risk factors include hormonal imbalance, exposure to radiation, or ultra-violet light, pollution, food additives, drugs and infections.

Of all the risk factors, diet is the greatest. Risk factors such as smoking and radiation, encourage free radical activity, while a good intake of antioxidant provides a measure of protection

High levels of Vitamin A (retinol) in the blood have long been associated with reduced risk. Recent research has shown that two metabolites of retinol, retinoic acid and trans-retinoic acid are powerful anti cancer agents; trans-retinoic acid puts acute myeloid leukemia into complete remission.

As well as being an antioxidant and able to disarm free radicals, Vitamin C can also disarm a number of other carcinogens, such as nitrosamines. Nitrate levels are high in vegetables grown with nitrate-based fertilizers, as well as in water due to soil residues leaking into water sources. 70% of our nitrate intake comes from vegetables grown with artificial fertilizers, 21% from water and 6% from meat.

A ten year study of over 11,000 people completed in 1996 found that those who supplemented both the antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E halved their overall risk of death from all cancers and degenerative disease.

Patrick Holford Optimum Nutrition Bills, pg 168