Thirty years ago it was a rare thing for me to know of someone with cancer. But right now it seems like every family has a member who is afflicted. The incidence of cancer has almost doubled within the last 50 years.
Today we’ll highlight a few of the possible reasons for the increase and some interesting research and a couple of less known solutions.
Inactivity opens the door to many diseases and of course, cancer. Only 50-60% of Kiwis meet the Ministry of Health’s ‘minimum’ guidelines. With 26,000 new cancer cases diagnosed in NZ annually, we need to make physical activity most days of the week, a priority. Cancer is ‘the leading cause of death in NZ’. In fact the top three actions recommended are;
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle
- Get regular health screenings
- Adopt safety practices and manage risks
With one of the highest rates of obesity in OECD countries, 34% of our adults are now obese. As a nation we need to become much more aware of the impact our food choices have on our bodies and our health. We need to be much more selective when shopping for groceries. Be aware of sugar and chemicals in foods that are highly processed.
Now for a couple of the less commonly known causes. Oral hygiene. Could more than 70% of diseases have been first created through our mouths? Do you floss and brush your teeth regularly? Prominent dentist Dr Victoria Sampson says the condition of your mouth will reflect on the prospect you have in developing many of the most common diseases.
And by now most of us have heard the term ‘microplastics’. We’ve heard that researchers have found them as far away as in arctic fish. But could they be in your cookware, lipsticks and deodorants? The statistics that Dr Yvonne Burkhart PhD talks about are staggering. Unable to have children and having not had a period for six-months, Dr Burkhart began a search and discovery quest that she now wants the whole world to become aware of. Having solved her own fertility predicament in just weeks, Dr Burkhart explains how the toxins in our environment and even at home, are killing many of us.
I hope this has you thinking. You may have friends and family around you who are less aware of the impact that their diet and lifestyle has on their health. Are you exercising ‘most days’? Are you pumping untested flavored chemicals into your mouth by vaping? You might even be aware of someone who often has bad breath or bleeding gums, possible indicators of oral hygiene. Or you might be cooking with Teflon – black coated non-stick pans that risk leaching toxins into your food. Could these things explain why you’re not feeling as well as you should?
Pictured above: Gillian fought hard to survive through cancer at Club Physical. Ask about CP’s FREE Ten week CANCER WELLFIT programme. Call Ruth 09 4143976
This week’s newsletter can be found here
