Cancer is the leading cause of disease related death in children and adolescents. September has been designated Childhood Cancer Awareness month to bring attention to the need to reverse the increasing trend. In the last 20 years, the number of children having cancer has quadrupled. One in five children will not survive, and 2/3 of survivors will struggle with side effects that can impact the quality of their life, and shorten it. There are ways to help prevent cancer, or lower its risk. Spread the word!
1. Do Not Smoke Tobacco has 69 chemicals that cause cancer and weakens the immune system from being able to fight tumors. There are no safe levels of it, either smoking or smokeless. Tobacco is harmful to the user, to an unborn child, and to anyone exposed to secondhand smoke. Do not be a bad example, or allow anyone to smoke in your home or car.
2. Eat More Plants We need to eat 9-13 cups of fruits and vegetables every day (7 fistfuls for a small child), and a variety of 30 different plants a week. It will strengthen the immune system to help prevent the need of antibiotics which kills the good bacteria in the gut. Avoid the foods highest in pesticides when shopping or eating out if organic isn’t available. Avoid processed food (fast food or packaged), fried foods, sugary foods/pop….A multi-vitamin will not make up for a poor diet, and studies show that taking a multi-vitamin over time increases risk of cancer. It is not a food so it stresses the body.
3. Breast feed Babies Breast milk is the perfect food for the baby and builds the immune system for life (and will help protect the mother from breast cancer). Nourishing the baby with breast milk for nine months or more is ideal.
4. Research Vaccines Our grandparents lived a relatively long and healthy life getting few vaccines (about 5 in their lifetime). As pharmaceutical companies have created more and more shots to sell, the rates of cancer and autism have also increased. If a parent lets a doctor give all the shots they can (they get bonuses for doing more) by the age of two a child will receive 27 different kinds with heavy metals and toxins up to 6 dosages at one time! More parents are researching if they help or harm, learning reports of children without vaccines being healthier, and saying no to the automatic series of injections.
5. Get outdoors The air inside the home is more polluted than outside air. Sunshine is good for our health (overexposure is not). Movement is exercise that moves toxins out of the lymph node system, is good for digestion, brain health, and improves sleep. Did you know that children with pets have a stronger immune system too, and its a double bonus if they have to exercise the dog daily too! Limit kid’s exposure to cell phones—their skulls are thinner and it interferes with their social skills and mental health. Grow a garden for a ready supply of organic produce. Kids will eat more vegetables if they grow them! Avoid cellphone towers, electrical power cables, being near a gas station or heavy traffic.
Bottom line, 70-80% of chronic diseases such as cancer can be avoided by meeting our essential nutritional needs of more fruits and vegetables, and Omegas. We need healthy immune systems so the body can take out rogue cells turning into cancer. The Healthy Starts for Families program provides 20 fruits and vegetables in yummy capsules or chewables for kids from ages 4-25 years old FREE with an adult order! Find out more here.
Heal me Lord, and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14
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