"Working Out is the New Cancer Wonder Drug"

Activating the body in your fight against cancer is an important part of Survival.
Start with a simple plan. Do something you like to do, or would like to learn. Then go from there.


http://strongerthancancer.com/resources/shop-fitness

Cadmium in diet is linked to higher breast cancer risk | Stronger Than Cancer

Cadmium in diet is linked to higher breast cancer risk | Stronger Than Cancer

Excellent study shows link of breast cancer with cadmium in the diet, but this is far less risk than the toxic levels of estrogenics in our environment!!

Hopefully, this leads to more research on the subject!!

Skin cancer drug?

Skin cancer drug hopes raised by study | Stronger Than Cancer

There's interesting new developments in the treatment of skin cancer, an area where there has been little progress in the form of treatments. The results are encouraging, but when you look at the real numbers:

In the trial, only about half saw benefits from the drug.

And the end result, is the patients lived about 6 months longer.

None of this information was set against any difficulty or side effects. Would a patient think that it's worth it to live a few months longer, if they are miserable from the side effects of treatment?

While this drug will surely be promoted and given to patients, rarely are the other issues discussed.

In cancer treatment - now more than ever - with all the new cancer drugs being developed, we need to have a quantifiable way to measure the return on investment. Target the treatment, and weigh quality of life against the benefit.

If it proves worth it with all the factors considered, then that raises hope for me.

So Hard to Quit Smoking, Even When You Have Cancer

Cancer Patients Still Smoking | Stronger Than Cancer

It makes me sad when I see those facing cancer unable to quit smoking. There is so much going on, we can't really blame them.

It's like the combination of an addictive drug, societies expectations, ego, emotions, the trauma of their diagnosis all teaming up against this person who needs strength and support. They are finding their support in cigarettes, and it is making them worse.

It is like all these factors have convinced the person to turn against himself and give into the cancer.

At one time, it was very hard for me to understand this.

I never smoked.

But having gone through the panic of cancer, I do understand how it becomes even harder to quit when you are in the midst of treatment.

There were many things that I knew I should be doing: exercise more, eat certain foods, etc, that I simply didn't have the energy, or more likely, mental capacity to begin until years after treatment was over.

Yes, I took baby steps. I did what I could. But we are in high stress survival mode. It would be like asking one of our troops at war to quit smoking while he's in the trenches. Sure, his health would improve, but 99.9% of his brain is focused on something else. It would probably take a few years after returning home from the war, when the soldier is able to shift his focus to the task of quitting smoking.

To those that do manage to quit - you are superstars!!

To those that can't - don't throw it away - keep it as a goal, even if you can't achieve it today.

Don't Just Read The Warning Label - Know the Ingredients

Time For Some Anti-Cancer Housekeeping

I always have thought that I was careful to stick to brands that use quality ingredients, and that I use household products safely, but the more you learn, the more you realize, that we are surrounded by chemicals that can affect our health.

With cancer rates going up, even if you have no family history of cancer, watch out for chemicals and cancer-causing ingredients that don't come with a warning label.

It's not enough to read the label - you have to know what those ingredients are.

Read the Label - Even if You Have Cancer

Drug is still approved, but update that warning label to include a deadly brain infection...

Cancer drug gets stronger label warning | Stronger Than Cancer

Interestingly, when you are diagnosed with cancer, your doctor RARELY shows you the label, or even discusses the risks of the drugs that you take.

They will go over the side effects. A casual, "Well, you may experience some fatigue, or loss of appetite..." but unless you ask, they rarely will tell you, "..and it will increase your risk of heart disease, and leukemia, or a deadly brain infection..."

It is important that all patients ask for documentation about the drugs they are prescribed. Not just cancer drugs, but anything.

Amazingly, there are brand-name drugs for things like headaches, marketed directly to consumers, that require a prescription, that are NO better than ibuprofen, that have serious side effects.

It's up to the patient to determine if the risks outweigh the benefit of any drug.

Read labels. It's your body. Talk to your doctor about alternatives.

When you've made an informed decision to take a drug, then you can be sure that it is the best decision.

Teens Fighting Cancer

Teens Fighting Cancer | Stronger Than Cancer

As rates of cancer increase in the teen population, medical teams are faced with not just treating the cancer, but also the emotional challenges they face as they are preparing to enter the world.

I love the stories about the inner strength these teens have when faced with cancer, but it doesn't make the sad truth that cancer rates are going up any less disturbing.

Cancer rates among children and teens just don't go up for no reason. We can't blame this on smoking, or drinking, or poor lifestyle choices that erode health over time - they are directly responding to either 1) environmental toxins, or 2) the recent introduction of Genetically Engineered Foods that have become ubiquitous in the past decade.... or maybe it's because more and more children are put on medications just to get through the school-day.

Something is breaking down in their bodies. We can treat it, try to cure it, help them cope emotionally, hope they survive, but until we start to address the root causes (and maybe it's a combination of causes) we will continue to see more and more cases.

Time for policy change in the interest of public health.