Discover about cancer and bad nutrition, at United Medical Network
9th June 2008, 16:11
The now commonplace refrigeration and freeze storage removed the need for fresh food prepared daily and allowed the distribution of a wide variety of manufactured food products. The changes in cancer incidence in migrant populations moving from low cancer incidence to high cancer incidence environments clearly demonstrate that environmental factors are more important than genetics. In fact, food consumption patterns could provide major insights into cancer risk and prevention despite the fact that their significance is not fully appreciated.Although cancer is primarily considered to be genetically linked, it is now well established that diet has a significant effect on cancer incidence. Data show that per capita energy consumption increased significantly and within that, the fat and animal protein segments more than tripled. Although fruit and produce consumption also increased, most of it is not consumed fresh. Dietary patterns were thoroughly transformed. Due to widespread food processing, the energy density of our foods also increased. These changes did not necessarily lead to a quality improvement in our nutrition. Along with these changes, physical activities decreased which may well have contributed to the now-epidemic proportions of obesity in the Western world.
Primarily agrarian societies were transformed into industrial societies with the accompanying migration of the majority of the population into large urban centers. Food production was mainly carried out in relatively small family operations utilizing organic farming methods. This led to major lifestyle changes with unforeseen consequences. In the 20th century, major structural changes took place in the countries of the developed world. Diet in early 20th century agrarian societies was primarily based on organically produced fresh food. By the end of the century, the landscape had completely transformed into large-scale industrial farming, utilizing non-organic production methods along with an industrial processing and distribution system for the majority of essential food items.
This further suggests that a coordinated administration of specific, critical nutrients to cancer patients could lead to the reversal of the disease. The relationships of critical nutrients such as plant phenolics, vitamins, minerals and lipids are considered with respect to the incidence of a variety of cancers, and analyzed in terms of how these nutrient deficiencies alter immune function, DNA integrity and cell proliferation. With a significant correlation found between cancer and these nutrient deficiencies, the hypothesis is presented here that nutrition could provide a unifying perception of cancer and recast it as a single disease. It is also proposed that the concurrent presence of a variety of nutritional deficiencies in cancer patients requires a multilevel, systemic approach to this disease as opposed to the single active therapeutic agent approach that is the cornerstone of contemporary research and pharmacology.
Among the developed countries, Japan continues to exhibit the lowest cancer incidence in the major cancers types, including lung, breast and colon carcinomas, although some cancers have increased in incidence due to the introduction of Western dietary practices. Notably, immigrant Japanese in California and Hawaii has a much higher incidence of breast and colon cancer. In Japan, the consumption of fresh, raw foods continues to remain important even though in all other aspects (industrialization and urbanization) the Japanese have adapted the Western model. In addition, the Japanese have the same risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and sedentary life styles as Westerners. The only notable exception in risk factors is the relative rarity of obesity in Japan, a difference that is also attributable to dietary customs.
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