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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My father who was physically active and ate farm to table his entire life was diognosed with colon cancer and died at 48.  Healthy eating isn't always, or even usually, the answer.[/quote] First, let me say that I am sorry for your loss.  My father died at 50. While healthy eating does not always insure that an individual will get colon cancer, it most definitely can and does effect risk.  
"Body weight, physical activity, and diet

At this time, the best advice about diet and activity to possibly reduce your risk of colorectal cancer is to:

· Avoid obesity and weight gain around the midsection.

· Increase the intensity and amount of your physical activity.

· Limit red and processed meats.

· Eat more vegetables and fruits.

· Get the recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D (see below).

· Avoid excess alcohol.

Weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of colorectal cancer in both men and women, but the link seems to be stronger in men. Having more belly fat (that is, a larger waistline) has also been linked to colorectal cancer.

Physical activity: Increasing your level of activity lowers your risk of colorectal cancer and polyps. Regular moderate activity (doing things that make you breathe as hard as you would during a brisk walk) lowers the risk, but vigorous activity might have an even greater benefit.

Diet: Overall, diets that are high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (and low in red and processed meats) have been linked with lower colorectal cancer risk, although it’s not exactly clear which factors are important. Many studies have found a link between red meats (beef, pork, and lamb) or processed meats (such as hot dogs, sausage, and lunch meats) and increased colorectal cancer risk.

In recent years, some large studies have suggested that fiber in the diet, especially from whole grains, may lower colorectal cancer risk. Research in this area is still under way.

Alcohol: Several studies have found a higher risk of colorectal cancer with increased alcohol intake, especially among men."

It is very disheartening the so many people are resistant to the reality that lifestyle and risk factors have correlated.  Unfortunately, for most of us, the things we did many years ago may come back to haunt us.  All the more reason for us to help set our children on a path to an early healthy lifestyle.
[/quote]

Again it all comes down to probabilities.  Diet and cancer to correlate, but the rates do not increase much.  Like maybe 10-20% more likely.  Same with (moderate) alcohol).  Smoking is a 1000% increase.  Having a BRCA gene mutation in about a 1000x increase.

If we have 100 people in two  rooms, and one room is full of smokers, the difference in cancer rates will be dramatic and measurable.  30 in one room compared to 3 in the other. for lung cancer.

For diet, and colorectal cancer, you will see 1-2 in the control group compared to 1-2 in the bad group.  With 1000 people, you might see 14 vs 16 or 18.  But there will be scatter.  It is not a dominant feature.

[/quote] So we ignore diet because it isn't a "dominant" feature?  Diet and lifestyle are correlated with any number of health problems.  Why are people so willing to accept risk that can be mitigated? Is what goes on the end of the fork so sacred that it can't be notified for better overall health?[/quote]

I am specifically talking about cancer.  Excluding tobacco and sun exposure, more that half of all cancers are random; about 30% are genetic; 20% are other risk factors.  Of that 20%, most of it is due to industrial chemicals.  Diet is not the primary cause of most cancers.  In fact, if we tried to go low-cancer heathy diet, it would probably induce other issues -- higher food costs will result in malnourishing.

And you know what the biggest factor in cancer is?  Age.  The reason why we have a lot more cancer than we did 100 years ago is people are living longer.  If you died of an infection at 30, you did not get cancer.

Oh, and the other thing, most environmental cancers -- with proper screening for those at risk, can be addressed through early detection.  Stage 1 cancer is not that dangerous if treated appropriately
[/quote]  Good grief age is a factor because we have spent a lifetime of poor habits.[/quote]

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