By Brijesh Ghelani

Many medical experts in the field of traditional cancer treating as well as many who are considered to be experts in the non-traditional fields of cancer treating believe that adhering to a certain dietary life style will help in the battle to prevent cancer. That isn't to say that if you eat some particular food regularly that you will be less apt to get cancer but rather that being on a balanced diet which consists of certain food will serve as a good preventative.

Beans, lentils and peas contain saponis, which in many cases will stop the reproduction of cancer cells protease inhibitors, which often have been proven to stop the division of cancer cells and phytic acid, which many medical professionals feel tests have shown has often been known to slow down the production of tumors.

Berries and known to be an excellent source of vitamin C which many medical professionals believe that their studies have shown to be a major combatant against cancer.

Spinach, kale romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory and Swiss chard contain carotenoids which fight against cancer by ridding the body of certain components before they can form an attack against the body. Many medical professionals feel that their studies tend to show that these carotenoids are especially effective in fighting against breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer.

Other vegetables which have proven to be effective against cancer are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale. These are believed to have proven to be especially effective in putting up a good defensive against cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and stomach.

Garlic is believed by many medical professionals to be effective in slowing and sometimes even stopping cancers of the prostate, bladder, colon and stomach.

Grapes, green tea, soy foods, these also are foods considered to be strong preventatives and combatants against cancer.

In spite of the fact that many medical professionals, both traditional and non-traditional, support the idea that these foods do indeed battle cancer it is important that one not decide to wage battle against cancer, either as a preventative or a cure on one's own using simply a diet plan as a combative. Talk to your doctor, set up a battle plan, possibly one which consists of traditional cancer treatments and dietary ones as well. Your doctor has studied this, talk to him/her and get their advice. Then make your decisions wisely.

By James S. Pendergraft

Cancer is a deadly disease that is even capable of bringing death to the patient. Researchers are trying their best to find cure for this malignant disease. Cancer is of different types. The classification of cancer into different types is based on the part of the human body in which the disease has affected.

Most of the people do not know much about the disease and this ignorance is the major reason why the death rate are so high. Even though, researchers have not fully succeeded in finding the perfect cure for cancer, the death rate can be controlled if people have good knowledge about the disease.

You should not only pay attention in understanding the different types of cancer and their treatments, but also the causes. Understanding the causes will help you in avoiding the things that may result in cancer. The main causes of cancer are mentioned below.

Smoking

Many studies about cancer have already found that smoking is one among the main causes of cancer. Smoking affects the overall human body. The habit takes a toll on the health of many organs including kidneys, pancreas and stomach. It is also found that quitting smoking will reduce the risk of getting cancer, considerably.

Genetics

Genetics is another main cause of cancer. If there is a history of cancer in the family, the person has higher chances of getting cancer. This is the reason why it is said that such persons should take extra precautions. The modern day medical sciences have developed greatly and there are numerous genetic tests available for the hereditary cancers. However, this does not mean that the person who has a family history of getting cancer will develop it.

Environmental factors

It has also been found that the environment in which a person lives will also have a major role in cancer development.

Prolonged exposure to minerals like asbestos can cause numerous health problems including cancer. The medical problems that may occur because of the exposure to such minerals are known as mesothelioma. Exposure to benzene will also increase the risk of getting cancer according to some studies. You will only be able to understand the critical nature of this information when you come to know that benzene is present in scenarios including smoking, pollution and combustion of gasoline.

Unsafe Sex

Unsafe sex will also increase your risk of getting cancer. The chances of developing virus known as HPV will increase if you are practicing unsafe sex. This will in turn increase your risk of getting vulvar, vaginal, anal and cervical cancers.

Exposure to rays from sun

The UV rays emitted by the sun can also be called as a cause of cancer. These rays will result in the development of skin cancer. You will be astonished to know that wearing sunscreens when you are outside during the part of the day in which the sunrays are the strongest can reduce your risk of getting skin cancer.

The aforementioned are the five major causes of cancer.

By Francoise Bonhoure

The relation of stress and cancer is not absolutely clear although, how we handle the stress of our life can certainly adversely affect our health and harm our mind and body.

And there's clear evidence that overloading one's brain and nervous system with anxious thinking (and losing touch with one's body, especially breathing) is a recipe for poor health.

But actually, there is no official evidence that stress can be a direct cause of cancer, but there is evidence that some link exists between stress and developing certain forms of cancer and also that stress can impact on how the cancer progresses.

I remember a very interesting conference I went to in Cannes, held by a French doctor who had spent time in the US, learning a system from the work of a German, Dr Hammer, (barred from practice, as too unconventional!) and had come back with a new approach, called 'Be Happy'.

He was explaining that any psycho-somatic ailment is caused first and foremost by a situation perceived by the individual as being unresolvable, shocking etc. and was in fact a stress.

The part of the brain affected by this trauma (and associated with a particular organ) 'just had to' displace somewhere where it could be attended to and possibly resolved.

The illness manifesting in a particular organ certainly gets our attention and it is then up to us to find the cause, the upset, the stress, then unfold the solution to solve the problem, to cure the cancer. Once this psychological healing has happened the organ affected by the cancer/illness starts to cure itself, the cancer having been manifested to solve a problem originally located in the brain.

His program is/was called 'Be Happy'. The cure being to accept everything that came along.I know it looks fairly impossible at first glance, but the sessions he offered (I took one) were to teach that approach.

Very interesting indeed! The cancer appearing so we have to solve a stress in our life!

Stress and Cancer!

So if you come across someone teaching the 'Be Happy' system, take note!

My approach as a help to remain healthy or as a means to 'Be Happy' is to practise new habits that will make a major difference to how you deal with stress.

Using free Audios and Videos from Benefits to Exercise for Seniors would be a good place to begin: Deep relaxed Breathing Breathing and Relaxation techniques audio Shaking and Breathing (watch video on the page) Self Massage Free Exercise Program

By Craig Parsons Kerins

Cancer was a wake-up call for me. Not so much for changing my eating or exercise habits - overall, I had not been treating my body too disrespectfully over the years. Instead, cancer woke me up to life again.

What do I hold as important? Where do I really want to be in life? Am I happy? Soul searching and questions flooded my mind throughout my diagnosis, surgery and chemotherapy.

Questioning what I was drawing from life, reassessing my wants and needs, was a powerful gift - and one for which I am profoundly grateful. Now that I have found myself awake to my life again, I face a challenge that I think many survivors confront. How do I keep from falling asleep again?

During my chemotherapy I wrote a blog to capture and share my experiences with friends and family. Every once in a while I return to read my blog. Increasingly, it becomes difficult to fully identify with the person who went through that experience. However - the blog helped to keep me awake long enough to establish new directions in my life. In the end, keeping from falling asleep required being blunt with myself. I could have died from cancer. I fought the cancer with surgery and chemotherapy, and I kept my body alive. Was I willing to allow my newly re-discovered spirit to die while I fell back into a semi-dreamlike existence as I walked through the day living on "default"? I chose to fight to keep my spirit alive with as much tenacity as I fought for my body.

If you are a cancer survivor, whether going through chemotherapy and/or radiation currently, or have been declared "cancer free" for years, do not let the gift you were given rot on the vine. You were blessed with a wake-up call that gave you a chance to reflect and assess who you have been, who you are, who you want to be, where you have been and, more importantly, where you want to go.

Take time each day to sit and breathe. Some advice given to me while I was undergoing treatment was to learn how to tell the difference between what was important and what was urgent - and to do what was important. What is more important than a life lived in alignment with who you are, with the "shape of your soul"? That, I think, is what is important.

Each moment life offers you choice. In the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament we are told: "Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil". Choose life - the life of your real self, not the self conditioned by what the world has told you should be. Cancer gave you the gift to awaken to who you really are. Take up the challenge and answer it by living the most amazing life you desire.

By Steven R Newton

My best friend and life partner, Colleen, is a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. Doctors used traditional cancer treatments on her, including radiation, multiple surgeries, and drug therapy, which lasted several years. She didn't enjoy any of this. In 2005 she was diagnosed terminal. This time, she decided to research more of her options. She landed on an alternative cancer treatment program which included a heavy focus on cancer nutrition. She is alive today because of this decision. She has devoted her life to helping others with their cancer treatment journey. My goal is to help Colleen help others. I truly do believe that cancer is preventable in most cases.

Cancer is on the increase and cancer survival rates have improved slightly, only because cancer symptoms are recognized and diagnosed sooner. And many people diagnosed or who have loved ones diagnosed with cancer are choosing to become more informed about alternatives to traditional cancer treatments. Many are realizing that treating cancer traditionally through the practice of burning with radiation, poisoning with chemotherapy, or removing with surgery may not be what is right for them. However, one thing that is common to both the traditional cancer treatment and alternative cancer treatment worlds is that a healthy diet is essential.

In the world of alternative cancer treatments, one of the best cancer fighting foods that stands out as having some of the strongest anti-cancer properties is the apricot seed, or apricot kernel as it is also called. The apricot seeds are actually the soft almond shaped, bitter tasting kernels from inside the pits. Apricot seeds contain something called amygdalin.

In 1952, a biochemist from San Francisco named Dr. Ernst Krebs, Jr. suggested that cancer was a metabolic reaction to a poor diet, and that a missing nutrient from the modern day human diet could be the key to cancer prevention and treatment. He believed that poor diets based on unnatural or processed food products were a primary cause behind compromised human immune systems. His research led to a compound called amygdalin that is found in over 1200 edible plants throughout nature. It is also commonly called vitamin B-17 and its extract is known as laetrile.

Amygdalin is found with the highest concentration and necessary enzymes in apricot seeds. A primitive tribe, the Hunzas in the mountains of Pakistan, were known to consume large amounts of apricot seeds and those who lived on their natural diets containing apricot seeds as well as several other organically grown foods had no recorded incidents of cancer and they lived long, healthy life spans. Many other groups with similar diets containing apricot seeds also have low or no cancer rates.

Apricot seeds are more available to consumers now than laetrile because in 1971 the US government's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned laetrile. Many believe that this ban was put in place because the laetrile was from a natural food source that couldn't be patented or controlled by the large pharmaceutical companies for profit like they do for cancer drugs and traditional cancer treatments. There has been much misinformation published about apricot seeds.

The most common belief promoted by the pharmaceutical companies and medical profession is that apricot seeds are poison. That is true to a point. Apricot seeds contain organic cyanide and benzaldyhide but then so do many other foods such as almonds, lima beans, soy, spinach and bamboo shoots to name a few. Many foods containing organic cyanide are safe because the cyanide remains bound and locked as part of another molecule and therefore cannot cause harm.

There is an enzyme called rhodanese which is found in normal healthy human cells but not in cancer cells. It basically catches any free cyanide molecules and renders them harmless by combining them with sulfur naturally. They are converted to a cyanate which is a neutral substance and easily passed through the urine with no harm to the normal cells.

But there is an enzyme called beta-glucosidase that is found only in cancer cells, and is considered the "unlocking enzyme" for amygdalin molecules. It releases both the benzaldyhide and the organic cyanide to work with the protective enzymes in healthy cells to attack and destroy cancer cells. The healthy non-cancerous cells are not destroyed in this natural process.

When considering what is right for you, the world of natural alternative cancer treatments offers a wide range of options. Apricot seeds are used by many people as part of their natural cancer treatment or cancer prevention plan. For more information about using apricot seeds as a natural alternative cancer treatment, please come visit my website.

Steve Newton's best friend and life partner, Colleen Walker, is a cancer survivor. She has undergone both traditional and alternative cancer treatments. She believes she is alive today because she chose an alternative cancer treatment path. Colleen has devoted her life to helping others with their cancer journey at her website http://cancercausesandcures.com where she shares her thoughts on many cancer related issues. Steve's main goal is to help Colleen help others. He does this through his website which is an information sharing site about alternative cancer treatments. Steve's website can be found at http://alternativecancertreatmentreviews.com and he invites you to drop by both sites for a visit or comment.

By Jonathan J Roberts

One of the important things to consider when battling cancer is that there are a number of holistic and natural things that you can do to fight the disease. Many of the herbal and supplemental treatments can be used to fantastic effect. One only needs to avail them of the proper information and they will be well armed to treat the illness.

Herbs in general are a fantastic way to get nutrients that are other wise not available in foods. While foods that are high in antioxidants are a fantastic way to get the benefits and the nutrients, many of the most powerful antioxidants and photochemical are only available in obscure herbs that one would never find in their supermarket.

In addition to some of the super foods that are commonly talked about including garlic, parsley and onions, there are many other foods that you should be taking daily. Things such as almonds and berries. Peppers are also a wonderful addition to any cancer prevention diet. One should include these as well as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflowers.

In the herbal category there are many supplements that one needs to incorporate into their diet. For starters, astragalus's and grape seed extract and amazing and helping aid in the treatment of cancerous tumors. Other herbal supplements that may be very good for you include bilberry and ginkgo biloba. These herbs are instrumental in preventing the oxidation at the cellular level.

Combining herbs and vitamin supplements with things such as fish oil and flax seed oil will be a fantastic way to improve your health. There are many additional things you may take such as coenzyme Q ten. This is one of the most important things you can supplement with. Remember to add alpha lipoic acid to your diet if you supplement with Co-Q ten.

By Henry Relfield

About 25 to 30 percent of our daily food should be fresh vegetable dishes, which can be prepared in a wide variety of cooking styles: sauteing, steaming, boiling, blanching, deep-frying, marinating, and pressed and boiled salads. Among root and stem vegetables, carrots, onions, daikon (white radishes), turnips, red radishes, burdock, lotus root, rutabagas, and parsnips are excellent. When preparing root vegetables, cook both the root and the leaf portions so as to achieve a proper balance of nutrients by using the whole food.

Among vegetables from the ground, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, acorn squash, butternut squash, and pumpkin are quite nutritious and may be used daily. Among green and white leafy vegetables, watercress, kale, parsley, leeks, scallions, dandelions, collard greens, bok choy, carrot tops, daikon greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens are fine for regular use. Vegetables for occasional use include cucumbers, lettuce, string beans, celery, sprouts, yellow squash, peas, red cabbage, mushroom (various, including shiitake), and others. In general, up to one-third of vegetable intake may be eaten raw in the form of fresh salad or traditionally prepared pickles. However, it is better to avoid mayonnaise and commercial salad dressings.

Vegetables that originated historically in tropical or semi-tropical environments, such as egg-plants, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, sweet potatoes, yams, avocados, green and red peppers, and other varieties, tend to produce acid and should be avoided or minimized unless you live in a hot and humid climate. However, for some conditions, including some types of cancer, tropical or semi-tropical foods may be taken in small volume.

This vegetable dishes' guide not only can prevent cancer but also most of other illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many others. For those people who already have cancer or a precancerous condition, adjustments or modifications need to be made depending on the specific case, and it is advisable to do so under the supervision of a qualified macrobiotic teacher or medical professional.

By E Amundsom

According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is linked to 11 types of cancer, and numerous health problems. The most common cancers linked to smoking are lung cancer, cancer of the larynx, mouth, pharynx, esophagus and bladder. It has also been linked to cancer of the pancreas, cervix, kidneys, stomach and some types of leukemia. In women, smoking is known to be a risk factor for the development of breast cancer.

Facts About Tobacco

Tobacco has beneficial uses that date back many, many years. Whatever its use, the primary component is, of course, nicotine. As with any beneficial plant, the method of delivery and the use or misuse can lead to problems.

Tobacco actually makes a very good natural insect repellent in the home and garden. Soaking a very small amount in a quart of water overnight releases nicotine in the water, which can then be sprayed on garden plants to kill a variety of pests.

Tobacco can also be mixed with compost and spread under roses to get rid of aphids and other pests.

Have you ever had difficulty getting rid of moles and gophers? Those little varmints can totally destroy your lawn! The good news is - they hate tobacco. Shred a pack of unfiltered cigarettes and drop it down their holes, and see if that doesn't get rid of them.

I swear spiders would take over the world if they had opposable thumbs. Keeping in mind that they can be beneficial, I don't really want them all over my house, and I get tired of clearing cobwebs from around the lights on my porches. There is an organic home remedy, however, that doesn't involve poisoning yourself and the environment while trying to keep the spider population down to a manageable level. Boil a gallon of water with a package of chewing tobacco. Allow it to cool, strain out the tobacco leaves, then use the liquid in a sprayer around your yard, foundation line and any cracks.

Since these remedies do contain a high concentration of nicotine, I would suggest using latex or rubber gloves when working with the compounds.

Native Americans used tobacco in a poultice to treat skin rashes, insect and animal bites and bee and wasp stings. A solution of tobacco soaked in water (and of course, strained before using) can be used to rinse hair to rid if to lice and other insects. In colonial times, tobacco was used as part of a remedy for whooping cough; in the presence of medical treatment for whooping cough, this is not recommended.

The bottom line of all this is - you can see how noxious and harmful tobacco is to the pests around your house and garden. It is not really beneficial when taken internally by humans; its most beneficial use for humans is with external applications.

Cancer and Tobacco

The association of tobacco and cancer is as a result of two misuses of the plant; that is, smoking and extended exposure. Nicotine by itself does not cause cancer; it is the addictive substance in tobacco, but there are other substances in tobacco that cause the harm. If you burn anything and inhale smoke, you're going to cause damage to your body. The danger in tobacco is the addictive quality of nicotine, coupled with the harmful substances and the delivery method via smoking.

Extended exposure is what causes damage to people who utilize smokeless tobacco, such as snuff. It is less lethal than smoking tobacco - but that's not the same as saying it's safe. The amount of nicotine absorbed is usually more than the amount delivered by smoking cigarettes. The primary cancer-causing substance in smokeless tobacco is tobacco-specific nitrosamines. This substance is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals, whether injected or inhaled. In addition, tobacco itself and the juice from tobacco, is absorbed through the lining of the mouth, causing sores and white patches known as leukoplakia, which often lead to cancer of the mouth. People who utilize forms of smokeless tobacco are at greater risk for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and pancreas.

There is no "safe" way to smoke, ingest or chew tobacco. There is no "safe" way to smoke any substance, including "herbal" cigarettes. Smokers are five times more likely to experience life-threatening health problems as a direct result of their use of tobacco. Making the choice to quit cigarettes and other forms of tobacco is a life-saving choice.

By John Li Liu

Already, scientists have been surprised that more cancer patients harbor these errant cells that have been believed. In one study, the test has been used on men thought to have cancer confined to the prostate, but we found these cells in two thirds of patients.

You could see the number of cancer cells and show that it has decreased over time. It was what the scans showed, people said doctors looking at her blood tests. The trial also showed when he had a setback last January and needed to have his salary adjusted.

Normally the affected individual may be the first one to spot the cancer symptoms and signs first during self examination. But the physicians or doctors aside from examining the person physically might also suggest him to endure numerous diagnostic tests and laboratory tests including blood tests, ultrasound scans and biopsy. Once the presence of cancer is found then the physician might ask the person to undergo few more tests to discover if the disease has spread from the place of origin to other body parts. This can help them to discover the stage of the disease and in addition helps them to device a treatment plan appropriately.

To detect very rare cells, the new technology uses tiny channels dug into a silicon chip coated with a special substance as glue. The technology is able to pick up, about 10 cancer cells per milliliter of blood in patients with metastatic cancer, a disease that has spread from a primary tumor to other parts of the body.