Tag Archives: Preventing Cancer

Cancer and the Link to Inactivity

mid section view of a man sitting on a bench in a park --- Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
Obesity Is Linked To Cancer

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, affecting both children and adults. If you need any more motivation to lose those extra pounds, consider the fact that increasing evidence suggests excess weight creates a risk for developing certain types of cancer.

Cancer and obesity by the numbers

  • Studies show that being overweight or obese is a likely risk for developing at least 13 types of cancer.

Why obesity increases cancer risk

Excess weight has a negative impact on hormone and protein levels as well as the body’s process of cell division and growth. Your immune system can become compromised, reducing its ability to fight cancer and other diseases. A non-toxic cancer vaccine can stimulate your immune system and prompt it to take action against tumors.

What can you do?

The safest and most effective formula for weight loss is decreasing the number of calories taken in while increasing the number of calories burned through physical activity.

  • Skip “supersized” portions and get at least half of your calories from fruits and non-starchy vegetables.
  • Limit the amount of sugar and processed foods in your diet.
  • Get a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week.

A non-toxic cancer vaccine is just one of the tools in our innovative Issels® immuno-oncology treatment programs. Contact us for more information about our personalized therapies.

Prostate Cancer Prevention Starts with Small Lifestyle Changes

Alternative Lung Cancer Treatment
Prostate Cancer Awareness

Prostate cancer claims the lives of over 27,000 men each year. It’s now estimated that one in seven men will contract this deadly disease within their lifetime. The Issels® Centers for Immune-Oncology have good news regarding the fight against prostate cancer. This is one disease that responds well to preventive measures. Prostate cancer prevention starts with small lifestyle changes.

Improve Your Diet

Steer Clear of Processed Foods – these have been shown to increase the risk of developing all cancers. Improving your diet is the first and easiest step you can take to prevent the onset of prostate cancer.

Consume More Vegetablesvegetables contain nutrients that have been shown to improve the body’s ability to combat illness. One easy way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet is to juice green smoothies at home. Include kale, carrots and celery when possible.

Eat More Fish – Fish contains an important element known as omega-3, a fatty acid that has been linked to a reduced chance of getting prostate cancer. When possible, choose wild fish over farmed.

Get More Exercise

Moderate exercise has been shown to protect against all cancers, including prostate cancer. If you only have time for one type of exercise, choose exercises that get your whole body moving over ones that only move portions of your body. For example, walking would be better than bicycling and swimming would be better than weightlifting, as far as prostate cancer prevention is concerned.

When you implement these easy lifestyle changes, you may save more than one life. When your son sees the effort you protect your prostate health, he may adopt his own healthy lifestyle changes.

For questions and to discuss treatment programs for a loved one who may already have prostate cancer we encourage you to contact us at Issels.

Gut Bacteria Are Critical Factor in Colon Cancer Prevention

Bacteria Connected to Colon Cancer
Bacteria Connected to Colon Cancer

Eating a high-fiber diet is generally recommended to help prevent colon cancer, although there is debate within the cancer community about its effectiveness as a preventive measure.

A new study on mice adds to the debate by suggesting that cancer protection may have as much to do with the type of bacteria that live in your gut as with diet. In experiments with mice, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine found that consumed fiber was fermented into the chemical butyrate when a certain type of bacteria was present in a mouse’s gut. The formation of this chemical appears to be critical to colon cancer prevention – at least in mice.

Mice with the butyrate-producing gut bacteria had a 75% lower incidence of colon cancer tumors than mice whose guts did not contain the bacteria. In control experiments, neither a high fiber diet alone nor the combination of butyrate-producing bacteria with a low-fiber diet had any effect on reducing colon cancer.

“Our study shows that it’s not the high fiber in and of itself that has a protective effect against cancer, but it’s a combination of the fiber plus having the right types of bacteria,” Scott Bultman of the University of North Carolina told Fox News.

Bultman explained that healthy colon cells use butyrate for fuel. Because cancer cells use sugar glucose for fuel, not butyrate; researchers suspect that butyrate collects inside the cancer cells, eventually causing their destruction in some, as yet, unknown way.

Studies on people have explored the effects of a high fiber diet on colon cancer with mixed results. Future studies will need to examine the potential impact of gut bacteria on colon cancer. Visit our website to find out how Issels integrative immunotherapy has successfully helped colon cancer patients achieve long-term remission.

How to Protect Yourself Against Skin Cancer

Preventing Skin Cancer
Preventing Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is easily treated when detected early and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. However, a new study has found that nonmelanoma skin cancer can increase your future risk of developing dangerous melanoma skin cancer and 30 other forms of cancer (see our previous post). The risk is greatest for young people under age 25.

To guard against skin cancer, everyone should check their body regularly for new or changing moles and see their doctor if they notice any changes. Study researchers also recommended that people who develop nonmelanoma skin cancer during their teen or young adult years consider cancer screenings for internal malignancies.

Detecting and beginning cancer treatment early improves outcomes, although Issels integrative immunotherapy has achieved an enviable record of complete long-term remissions even when cancer is advanced or resistant to standard therapies.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking the following measures to protect your skin from exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation can significantly reduce your risk of skin cancer:

• Avoid tanning salons. Some sunlamps emit highly concentrated doses of UV light that can be as much as 12 times more potent than sunlight, increasing cancer risk.

• Before spending time outdoors, apply a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB), water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Reapply frequently while outdoors.

• Wear a broad-brimmed hat to shade your face.

• Wear sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption.

• Wear clothing that protects your skin from sun exposure.

If you develop cancer, Issels offers non-toxic alternative cancer treatments and full spectrum healthcare at our Santa Barbara, California outpatient medical center. Inpatient treatment is also available at the largest, most modern private hospital in Tijuana, Mexico.

New Report: 50% of Cancer Deaths Are Preventable

image of used cigarettes in sand.
The use of cigarettes has been linked to lung cancer

Half of all cancer deaths are preventable, according to a new American Association for Cancer Research report. You may be able to cut your cancer risk dramatically by making three lifestyle changes:

  • Reduce sun exposure,
  • Quit smoking, and
  • Maintain a healthy weight.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. with more than two million people diagnosed each year. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer. You can significantly decrease your skin cancer risk by wearing broad-spectrum sun screen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays whenever you are outdoors, even on cloudy days and in the winter.

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the U.S., responsible for a third of U.S. cancer fatalities. Twice as many people die from lung cancer as from prostate and breast cancer. And lung cancer doesn’t just kill smokers. Non-smokers who live with smokers or work in a smoke-filled environment are also at increased risk of lung cancer. While there is some concern that electronic cigarettes may contain cancer-causing agents, a New Zealand study found that e-cigarettes are as effective as nicotine patches in helping smokers quit.

Obesity is the elephant in the room when discussing cancer and lifestyle choices. Obesity is associated with a third of U.S. cancer deaths, but the public is only just beginning to see obesity as a cancer risk factor. Obesity can interfere with your body’s metabolic function, weakening your immune system’s ability to fight off cancer and other diseases. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise may play a significant role in reducing cancer risk.

Take Steps to Prevent Skin Cancer

Melanoma Prevention
Melanoma Prevention

While common and sometimes deadly when untreated, skin cancer is largely preventable. Wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen outdoors provides significant protection from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays; yet an American Cancer Society survey found that 31% of people never wear sunscreen.

Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation, either from the sun or tanning beds, can significantly increase melanoma risk. People with pale skin, multiple moles or a family history of skin cancer are also at increased risk.

Early detection and treatment can usually halt skin cancer. Watch for skin changes, particularly the development of new growths or changes in the size or color of a mole, growth or spot. Warning signs include:

  • Scaling, bleeding or oozing.
  • The spread of color beyond the borders of a mole or spot.
  • Changes in sensation such as tenderness, pain or itching.

You can prevent skin cancer by following these recommendations from Issels’ alternative cancer treatment teams:

  • Stay in the shade and avoid direct sun exposure, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are most intense.
  • Wear wide-brimmed hats and cover skin with protective clothing when outdoors.
  • Protect your eyes with sunglasses that provide UVA/UVB protection.
  • Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen and lip balm that provide both UVA and UVB protection. Choose products with SPF 30 or higher. Apply sunscreen generously (about an ounce per application) 30 minutes before going outdoors to give it time to soak into your skin. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming, toweling off or sweating. Be aware that water-resistant sunscreen only provides about 40 minutes of protection and should be reapplied frequently.