Showing posts with label genetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label genetics. Show all posts

Longer-Overwhelming scientific evidence suggests that the weak parts in our genetic armor can be compensated for through interventions involving diet, exercise, lifestyle modification, and stress management. Genetics and constitutional factors will make some people more disposed to problems in the cardiovascular system, skin, Cancer or memory. Yet, lifestyle factors can be controlled to varying degrees to compensate for genetic weak links. For example if any of your ancestors have had Diabetes or Breast cancer you need not fear.

Research shows that genetics accounts for only a small percentage of physical and mental aging. The maximum contribution comes from our lifestyle, our engagement with life, what we eat, the way we manage stress, our social connections, and sense of personal power. These are definitely not in our genes. Let us not believe in Karma theory anymore and realize that we are the masters of our own fate.

Genes do influence health patterns to a considerable when a person is young. After the age of 50, genetic expression, and thus life expectancy, is more influenced by lifestyle, environment, and nutritional factors. When a person is in their seventies and eighties, there is not much genetic influence left. At elderly age lifetime of environmental influences and personal choices have far more influence than genes.

We have far more control over the aging process than we previously thought. We know that certain genes are associated with a greater risk for lung cancer. Yet, as smoking rates have fallen, so too has the incidence of this life-shortening disease. Heart disease incidence in the U.S. has dropped by 45% since the 1950s. This wasn't primarily accomplished through high-tech, but through improved lifestyles, lower smoking rates among men, and improved diets-all factors that modified bio¬chemical processes governed by our genes.


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Mike Selvon

Cancer prevention is not like rocket science. It begins with taking a look at your lifestyle and deciding where to make changes. Change can be as simple as adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet or it can mean putting down your pack of cigarettes for good. Whatever you choose to do as a means to ward off cancer, remember to tailor your prevention methods to fit your body.

The first step in the fight against cancer is to take a look at your family history. The University of Texas' MD Anderson's Cancer Center web site reports that five to ten percent of cancer cases can come from a person's genetic make-up. The flip side of this statistic is that ninety percent of cancer cases can be controlled by the individual.

If someone in your family has battled cancer, researchers are now able to perform specific tests to find out if you carry altered genes which can cause certain types of cancers. The responsibility of getting the necessary tests and screenings lies with the individual.

Part of cancer prevention comes with heeding this responsibility and not ignoring the warning signs cancer gives to its victims. Research like this will help you to know if you should focus your efforts on breast and cervical cancer prevention or arthritis cancer prevention.

Aside from genetics, the most important part of cancer prevention is eating a well-balanced diet. This means incorporating more fruits and vegetables, meats that are low in fat and plenty of heart-healthy whole grains into your diet. Certain vegetables, such as tomatoes and broccoli, carry antibodies that support cancer prevention of the prostate for men.

If you can't eat all your servings at one sitting, try to snack on them throughout the day. And because today's society is surrounded by processed foods, reading nutrition labels is important when going to the store. Avoid foods that tend to be high in saturated fats, high fructose corn syrups and hydrogenated oils of any kind.

Exercising may not be an activity you thoroughly enjoy, but it is important to find time as a way to prevent cancer. Medical research suggests doing some form of activity for at least half an hour several times a week to keep your body in good shape.

To make exercising fun, find activities you enjoy such as hiking or gardening. Even simple tasks, like shopping at a mall, can be a form of physical activity. Being creative is the best way to keep your workouts fun and entertaining, leaving you less likely to forgo a brisk walk after dinner for the couch.

Cancer prevention involves changing habits, especially the bad ones. The University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Research web site reports that 87 percent of lung cancer victims were smokers.

The Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation's fall 2006 newsletter conveyed that even second-hand smoke can increase a person's risk of heart disease by twenty-five to thirty percent and can increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer by twenty to thirty percent.

More and more research comes out every year about the harmful affects of smoking, and stopping this degenerative habit is a crucial part in the fight against cancer.

Cancer prevention means making significant lifestyle changes. Simple decisions, such as snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables, can help you find room for healthier food choices. Getting your family involved in exercising helps physical activity become more fun and less of a chore for your loved ones.

Taking small steps towards big transformations will aid you in the fight against cancer and provide you with the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.

Visit Mike Selvon cancer prevention portal for more information on cancer prevention, and leave a comment at our cancer prevention blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE self help ebook on dealing with cancer.

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