Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Lifestyle causes cancer

40% of cancers are due to lifestyle factors? Hmmm.... I'm somewhat surprised. I don't consider these to all be lifestyle options we have chosen. I am not sure we can change all of these: being overweight, alcohol, tobacco, sun/tanning booths, too much red meat, lack of fruits and vegetables, lack of fiber, lack of exercise, post menopause, having children, infections, radiation exposure, and occupational hazards.

For women you can't change menopause, it happens. And on having children? Maybe you never wanted them or you wanted them but it didn't work out for you? Not much you can do about that after your mid-40s.

But the whole part about exercise, eating right - fruit, vegetables, fiber, and red meat, watching your weight, alcohol, and tobacco are all changeable. Radiation exposure is a bit difficult. I mean you can minimize the number of x-rays and other medical exams you have but the sun provides natural radiation and if there is what is radiation leak you don't know its there. I mean the air doesn't turn blue if the air is contaminated so you may not know. Infections are somewhat preventable but not always. Occupational hazards are another - whether you are a construction worker who was exposed to asbestos or a high tech lab worker who was exposed to carcinogens - you don't always have the option of changing your job.

From my point of view, I do eat right, I used to smoke but quit, alcohol not as much, I used to be skinny prechemo, also chemo put me in menopause, I've never been in a tanning booth and always use sunscreen because I fry in the sun (but was exposed to a lot of sun as a child), I am relatively athletic, I never had children, and don't think I work with radiation or other occupational hazards. So am I in the 60 percent? I don't know. I am not going to try to second guess this. I hate these articles. They always give people with cancer a guilt trip.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Call me Chronic

Chronic noncommunicable diseases are the biggest killer worldwide. Chronic is defined as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. This presents an interesting challenge. There are some genetic causes of these but the majority are caused by lifestyle.

I do like this article because it considers cancer a chronic condition - meaning it won't go away but it won't necessarily kill you. Its not a terminal disease. I don't like this article because they say it is a lifestyle disease. Um, I followed the rules most than a lot of other people and ended up with the disease twice. And I have blood pressure/pulse issues right now as a side effect of one of my cancers.

Now there is a lot to be said that the sedentary, alcohol-filled, tobacco-filled lifestyle, can contribute to diabetes, heart disease and cancers but these diseases still affect the marathon runners among us.

Also, it implies we don't have a cure for these so while they may not kill you off, once diagnosed you get to keep them for life (just think of them as gifts that keep on giving).

I admit yesterday I was somewhat lazy but I have an excuse in that PT made my knee hurt so I didn't get to go for a walk. Today I expect to go to the gym and then for a walk (and then to get my hair cut so I can look good while I feel virtuous).

I Started a New Blog

I started this blog when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. Blogging really helped me cope with my cancer and its treatment. Howe...