| Between September 2008 and January 2009, an | | | | 5% to 7%, occupational exposure for 2% to 4%, |
| advisory panel set up within the National Cancer | | | | and pollution for 1% to 5%. Shelia Hoar Zahm, |
| Institute look at the potential effects of | | | | deputy director of cancer epidemiology and |
| environmental exposures on cancer in our | | | | genetics at the National Cancer Institute notes, |
| community. The Panel consists of three members | | | | however, that these numbers are from a 1981 |
| appointed by the US President, who by virtue of | | | | paper reviewing studies from the 1970s, which |
| their training, experience, and background are | | | | probably studied exposures dating back to the |
| exceptionally qualified to appraise the National | | | | 1960s and earlier. |
| Cancer Program. At least two members of the | | | | How could it be possible that governing health |
| Panel are distinguished scientists or physicians. | | | | experts cannot agree what is causing cancer? |
| This is the 240 pages report submitted in April | | | | Who should we believe? Is it possible that both |
| 2010 by President's Cancer Panel warning that | | | | are correct? After all, environmental toxins are in |
| "the true burden of environmentally induced | | | | our diet and lifestyle. We eat convenience foods |
| cancers has been grossly underestimated" and | | | | that has been processed with chemicals, high heat |
| urging steps be taken to reduce people's broad | | | | and irradiation and stripped of its nutritional value |
| exposure to carcinogens. It is worth the read for | | | | and instead contains carcinogenic compounds |
| anyone who is interested in preventing cancer and | | | | formed during the processing steps. We eat food |
| in preserving the continuation of the human race. | | | | that is high in the wrong kinds of fats; obtaining |
| This report recommends several practices to | | | | omega-3 fats from sources that are |
| reduce environmental exposure in our everyday | | | | contaminated with mercury, polychlorinated |
| lives. We highlight some of the points and issues | | | | biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins; consuming olive oil |
| raised in this report as we have already previously | | | | that is exposed to heat and has lost its potential |
| emphasised these in our book "Is Your Food Killing | | | | antioxidant properties; we eat fresh fruits and |
| You?" | | | | vegetables not in a synergistic way to prevent |
| Research on environmental causes of cancer has | | | | but to increase cancer etc. We are advised by |
| been limited by low priority and inadequate funding | | | | our national health authorities to eat synthetically |
| and there is a lack of emphasis on environmental | | | | produces vitamins and food that has no proven |
| research as a route to primary cancer prevention, | | | | benefit to our health, instead causing the opposite |
| particularly compared with research emphases on | | | | and increasing the risks of cancer. Lifestyle |
| genetic and molecular mechanisms in cancer. This | | | | factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption |
| report states that "Efforts to identify, quantify, | | | | are associated with socialising and the use of |
| and control environmental exposures that raise | | | | consumer products that contain potential toxins |
| cancer risk, including both single agents and | | | | such as perfumes and toothpastes. |
| combinations of exposures, have been | | | | We feed our babies with milk that has been |
| complicated by the use of different measures, | | | | exposed to contaminated plastic such as from |
| exposure limits, assessment processes, and | | | | Bisphenol-A (BPA) bottles and give them food |
| classification structures across agencies in the U.S. | | | | from jars due to our hectic (or lazy) lifestyles. We |
| and among nations. In addition, efforts have been | | | | are so civilised that we have to come indoors |
| compromised by a lack of effective | | | | without removing our shoes and use the same |
| measurement methods and tools." Current | | | | clothes indoors that we have been using |
| toxicity testing relies heavily on animal studies that | | | | outdoors, where exposure to certain types of |
| utilize doses substantially higher than those likely | | | | hazardous agents are greater. It is diet and |
| to be encountered by humans and fails to take | | | | lifestyle that after all is causing cancer! |
| into account harmful effects that may occur only | | | | Although much remains to be learned about the |
| at very low doses especially to developing | | | | effects of environmental exposures on cancer |
| foetuses and during childhood. This category is | | | | risks, individuals and communities are not being |
| more vulnerable than adults to increased cancer | | | | provided with what available information there |
| risk and other adverse effects from virtually all | | | | already is about environmental exposures that |
| harmful environmental exposures. In addition, a | | | | they are constantly being bombarded with, let |
| potential agent is tested singly rather than in | | | | alone the cumulative effects of such exposures |
| combination with other potential environmental | | | | and how to minimize harmful exposures. We are |
| agents making the results weak, flawed, or | | | | so used to using our everyday convenience |
| uncorroborated. Environmental carcinogens are | | | | products that we do not even think about what |
| everywhere; in our soil, air, water, and numerous | | | | goes into their making. It is particularly important |
| consumer products. | | | | for us to ensure our children are not exposed to |
| Manufacturing and other industrial products and | | | | any more of these cancer causing agents than |
| processes are responsible for a great many of | | | | they have already been exposed to. Parents and |
| the hazardous occupational and environmental | | | | childcare providers should pay more attention to |
| exposures experienced by us. Many banned | | | | the choice of foods, house and garden products, |
| contaminants remain in our environment because | | | | play spaces, toys, medicines and medical tests to |
| of the slow decomposition. The report states that | | | | minimise children's exposure to toxins. |
| "Pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides) | | | | As we at Food myths busted have always |
| approved for use by the U.S. Environmental | | | | emphasised we can and should look for all ways |
| Protection Agency (EPA) contain nearly 900 | | | | to reduce cancer by eating right and avoiding |
| active ingredients, many of which are toxic. Many | | | | products with toxic or potentially toxic ingredients. |
| of the solvents, fillers, and other chemicals listed | | | | Environmental toxins all end up in our food; be it |
| as inert ingredients on pesticide labels also are | | | | directly or indirectly. If we know how to handle |
| toxic, but are not required to be tested for their | | | | our food, be it in the initial producing or growing |
| potential to cause chronic diseases such as cancer. | | | | and cleaning stages or at the cooking stages and |
| It is overwhelming when you consider all the | | | | knowing what foods act in synergy with each |
| things that are or might be hazardous from our | | | | other to help prevent cancer, we are already |
| drinking water to cell phones to vaccines. | | | | way a few steps ahead of the scientific world. |
| Women usually have higher levels of many toxic | | | | These are some of the simple things we can all |
| and hormone-disrupting substances than men. | | | | do to reduce our exposure to environmental |
| Some of these chemicals have been found in | | | | exposures, in line with the recommendations of |
| maternal blood, placental tissue, and breast milk | | | | the Presidents Cancer Panel:o Remove shoes |
| samples from pregnant women and mothers who | | | | before entering the home. Change your work |
| recently gave birth. Thus, chemical contaminants | | | | clothes after returning home and wash these |
| are being passed on to the next generation, both | | | | separately from other family laundry. Keep your |
| prenatally and during breastfeeding. Some | | | | house as dust free as possible but by using |
| chemicals indirectly increase cancer risk by | | | | minimal amounts of chemical cleaning agents.o |
| contributing to immune and endocrine dysfunction | | | | Filter home tap or well water to reduce exposure |
| that can influence the effect of carcinogens. | | | | to fluoride, lead and other contaminants.o Store |
| Ideally both mothers and fathers should avoid | | | | food and drinks in stainless steel, glass or BPA-and |
| exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and | | | | phthalate free containers.o Reduce exposure to |
| other possible carcinogens prior to the child's | | | | pesticides and herbicides, antibiotics and growth |
| conception and throughout pregnancy and early | | | | hormones. Cook your food correctly to reduce |
| life. | | | | consumption of heterocyclic amines, polyaromatic |
| The fact is, instead of using preventive methods | | | | hydrocarbons and acrylamide. Eat foods that may |
| towards these environmental agents, the | | | | contain these compounds in synergy with other |
| governing bodies need incontrovertible evidences | | | | foods that can counter the carcinogenic effects |
| that these agents are a hazard before action to | | | | of the compounds above.o Check labels on all |
| ameliorate it is initiated. By this time, the agent will | | | | products be it consumable or not. Gain the |
| have affected millions and what it has already | | | | knowledge to understand labels.o Dispose of |
| done to our genetic makeup and to the survival | | | | pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, paints and |
| of our future generations we can only speculate | | | | other material correctly.o Turn off electrical |
| on. | | | | devices when not in use to reduce exposure to |
| Interestingly and not unsurprisingly, the panel's | | | | petroleum by-products.o Do not use mobile |
| assertions have been disputed by the American | | | | phones or computers excessively. Check home |
| Cancer Society which argues that lifestyle factors | | | | radon levels regularly.o Where possible, grow your |
| like smoking, sun exposure, alcohol consumption, | | | | own food or cook your food at home. |
| exercise and diet are the main causes of cancer. | | | | We discuss more about the above in details in our |
| According to the National Cancer Institute, | | | | book "Is Your Food Killing You?" Diet and lifestyle |
| tobacco accounts for 29% to 31% of cancer | | | | may be the CAUSE of cancer but it is also the |
| deaths, diet for 20% to 50%, infectious disease | | | | way to PREVENT cancer. |
| for 10% to 20%, ionizing and ultraviolet light for | | | | |