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I believe cancer is a product of nature and nuture (genetics and environment with environment meaning ALL external forces). For some of us, genetics may play a much stronger role because of the genes involved. For others, there may be other genes or many more genes(weaker indicators) that, one by one, need to somehow be affected and then cancer occurs (ie: the straw the breaks the camel's back scenario). I think for some of us with some genetic predisposition could be exposed to certain carcinogens, have an absolutely horrific diet, no exercise, stress up the kazoo, badly overweight, drink too much (I think you get the picture) and it will happen and might not happen if you didn't do those things. Or perhaps a hyperestrogen state (eating non-organic foods and having a baby recently and, and , and, and... having some gene that gives you only a weak disposition (so it never has shown up in your family before) but nobody else had these certain moon and stars align in the perfect way before to affect this gene - then you get it.
Likewise, you could be the picture of health and do everything right and certain exposures with the absolute wrong genetics (strong cancer causing predispositions) and it will happen too even though you did everything right.
My husband's friend's wife found out she was BRCA 1 as a fluke. Her cousin got ovarian cancer at age 40 and they are Jewish so the cousin got tested and was BRCA 1. However, her mother never had cancer nor did any of her sisters so they tested the father (figuring it must be him) but it wasn't. So they tested her mother and she was BRCA 1 positive, over 70 years old and never had ovarian or breast cancer. So, then the friend's wife's mother got tested. She too was BRCA 1 positive, in the same age group as her sister and never had cancer either. So by a fluke, Bridget got tested and is BRCA 1 positive. She did get her ovaries removed and is contemplating her breasts. She asked why didn't my mother or aunt get cancer yet? Her doctor told her that there is an 80% chance a BRCA 1 carrier will get ovarian or breast cancer in their lifetime (60% for BRCA 2) so even genetics isn't a sure thing (even with a strong genetic indicator that you should like the BRCA genes). It takes another "hit" or 2 for it to happen that just didn't happen to these older ladies (yet - if ever). Maybe they were never exposed to a certain bacteria or virus. Whatever.
Newsweek had an article on diet and your health. I will see if I can find the issue online. In many disease states (this article talked about many disease/diet situations and not just cancer) researchers have found how a certain food can help if someone has one copy of a certain gene versus 2 copies or if they are recessive or dominant in certain characteristics.
Do I believe food, diet or supplements cure cancer? No - I don't but I do believe it can help. It helps prevent a potential new cancer and a good diet helps keep the immune system strong to fight new and old disease (both cancer and all other ailments). I believe one cannot possibly be as healthy as possible without, in general, eating right most of the time. I also believe some supplemention can assist in this like Omega 3 fatty acides (fish oil and flax oil) and possibly others. So, it is nature and nuture for me.
Kindest regards
Becky
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