Skin Care Anti Cancer

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Skin Care Anti Cancer

"All of us have cancer cells in our bodies. But not all of us will develop cancer." So says Dr David Servan-Schreiber, author of Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life. This fascinating book explains the scientific facts behind cancer in clear and convincing tones.

Is there a cancer epidemic?

Servan-Schreiber describes a cancer epidemic affecting the wealthiest countries in the world. Since 1940 the number of cancers has increased in all industrialized countries. This trend has picked up since 1975 and is particularly striking in the young. In some European countries, such as France, the cancer rate has increased by 60 per cent in the last twenty years. The incidence of prostate cancer has risen by 200 per cent in some European countries between 1978 and 2000, by 258 per cent in the USA over the same period.

The argument that the increase is due to early screening leading to more diagnoses does not hold water. The increase in cancers that are not routinely screened for is equally striking if not more so, than those that are.
What is behind the increase in cancer?
According ...
... to the general director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), "Up to 80 per cent of cancers may be influenced by external factors, such as lifestyle and the environment." In particular, three major factors have changed in our environment since World War Two:

1. The addition of large quantities of highly refined sugar to our diet
2. Changes in methods of farming and raising animals, and as a result, in our food
3. Exposure to a large number of chemical products that did not exist before 1940.

The anti-cancer diet

Dr Servan-Schreiber recommends a diet balanced in Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils, low in animal protein and dairy, and high in fresh (preferably organic) fruits and vegetables. The book comes with a handy shopping guide which recommends a range of foods which fight the growth of cancer in the body.

Chemicals and cancer

Of course, what interests me most is the influence of the chemicals in our environment on the increase in cancer. Here is an excerpt from the book:

"WHO is International Agency for Research on Cancer keeps a list of carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances in the environment. In the past thirty years, it has tested 900 potential culprits (a tiny proportion of over 100,000 molecules released by industry since 1940, at a rate of several million tons a year).

"Among these 900 products submitted to the International Agency for Research on Cancer... only one has been recognized as non-carcinogenic. Ninety-five have been identified as a "known carcinogen" (i.e. there have been enough epidemiological studies and animal research to establish cause and effect).

"Three hundred and seven are "probable" or "possible" carcinogens. Four hundred and ninety-seven remain unclassified, which means they have not been sufficiently studied."

In many cases, these substances continue to be widely used. Of course, industrialists argue that consumers are exposed to very low levels of such chemicals. However a trial of 400 chemicals (a representative sample of 75,000 on the market at the time) found that 5-10 per cent of these chemicals were carcinogenic for humans.

Five to ten per cent of 75,000 means we are regularly exposed to 3,750 - 7,500 carcinogens, which makes it less reassuring that each one may be less than a toxic dose, given that the total toxicity then comes to 37 to 75 times the toxic dose in animals!

So what can we do to protect ourselves?

Rethink dry cleaning
Servan-Schreiber recommends avoiding perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene in dry cleaning by airing out your dry cleaned garments in fresh air for several hours before wearing, or going for wet cleaning, liquid CO2 or silicon.

Avoid aluminum
He tells us to avoid deodorants and antiperspirants containing aluminum, especially for women who shave their armpits as this facilitates the penetration of aluminum. Many natural skin care companies also stock natural deodorants. Look around until you find one to suit you.

Avoid phthalates by using natural skin care products
According to Servan-Schreiber, we should avoid cosmetics, shampoo, lotions, gels, hair dye, nail polish and sunscreen containing estrogens, parabens or phthalates, and perfumes containing phthalates (nearly all of them do). Switch to natural skin care products.

Use Organic Skin Care Products
Servan also indicates that we must proceed to organic products in our skin care and cosmetics needs. Organic certified products doesn’t not contain any of harmful substances and some organic skin care brands have incredible results which is better than leading non organic skin care brands. He also mentions that we must trust the certified Organic skin care products. There are 2 major certificates for organic skin care products. Ecocert is the worldwide know one and USDA is only for USA.

Use green household cleaners
He further warns against chemical household pesticides and insecticides, heating plastic containers made with PVCs, preparing food in scratched Teflon pans and common cleaning products such as liquid detergents, disinfectants and toilet-bowl sanitizers.