For the last 18 months I have been studying Breast Cancer and how meditative movements, like tai chi, qigong, and other similar exercises influence the disease and survivor rates. Today I watched a lecture by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD (a cancer survivor and researcher) on his book “Anti-Cancer – A Way of Life. It highlights a lot of ideas about preventing cancer that support my thesis on how qigong and tai chi can help survival rates, but it is the combo of diet, exercise and social support are really the key.

Every day your body produces cancer cells and every day your immune system keeps them at bay. And every day you are exposed to carcinogens. This applies to everyone, everyday.

But, only one in four actually develop the disease. The other 75% don’t. Why? Most of us do not because our body is strong enough to find and destroy the rebel cells before they grow enough to be a threat to our health. So the key is keeping ourselves strong and healthy.

Cancer is an epidemic and is increasing – some scientists argue this is due to aging populations, more cancer screening, and better methods of detection. But children are not older or screened regularly for cancer, yet childhood cancers are increasing by 5% a year (Steliarova, Fourcher, et al 2005, Lancet)

And breast cancer is a disease of Western developed countries of the Northern Hemisphere. Parts of China have no incidence of breast cancer, so what is it about our Western lives?

Five things
too much sugar – 12 tablespoons in a can of cola
too many transfats – Omega 6′s outstripping Omega 3′s
too much chemical pollution :-0
too much sedentary living
too much hopelessness and isolation in modern life

These factors are implicated in so many studies as clear reasons for the breast cancer epidemic. That is the bad news.
The good news is that we can boost our immune system by a synergistic combo of good diet, exercise, and social support.

One fabulous study completed last year at Ohio State by Andersen et al showed that after traditional cancer treatment those women who participated in a one year support group with help with diet, exercise and stress management had a nearly 70% decrease in mortality – they were 70% less likely to die! Every breast cancer survivor NEEDS to have this type of support group! Millions and billions in research and we already know how to help survivors have a 70% better chance at not relapsing and are not doing it????? Madness….NO INTERVENTION COMES CLOSE TO THIS RESULT, NONE, NADA.

Knowing how to live after a diagnosis is great – knowing how to live to avoid it in the first place is even better. By combining very simple diet and exercise changes – we can keep the balance on our immune system’s side. (it is the combo – diet or exercise alone are not nearly as effective)

And even when the balance tips and we get cancer, which sometimes may happen, we can still alter the terrain of our bodies in such a way that we can influence our genes to again restore our immunity.

Gene expression can be altered by just meditating, but add all the other diet and exercise stuff – a real miracle is possible! (I am not suggesting anyone not have conventional cancer treatment) I am advocating positive prevention and post-treatment behavior!

We actually could say we have a cure for breast cancer, because in some very real ways, we do. Information is power. We have that information and hence that power to alter our destiny and give ourselves a chance at remaining cancer-free in the face of the epidemic.

Oh it was so exciting to listen to David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD and I highly recommend his book, “Anti-Cancer: A Way of Life.”