Why Some People Get Cancer and Others Don't: PART 2

Have you or a loved one ever faced the terrifying diagnosis of cancer and wondered, "Why?" Why do some people get cancer and others dont? The answer is deeply personal and rooted within us—our body's own terrain.

Recognizing and nurturing the health of this terrain is key to both our wellness journey and our understanding of disease. It's a crucial step in reclaiming our health and offering hope in the face of such a devastating disease.

If you haven't read it yet, check out Part 1: Why Do Some People Get Cancer and Others Don't. I touch on more aspects of what could be messing with your “terrain” and allowing you to get sick. But as a quick summary, here's what' I've been diving into…

The Body as the Terrain

The terrain theory suggests that whether or not a person develops cancer is heavily influenced by the state of their body's "terrain" or overall health.

This terrain is shaped by various factors including the health of the microbiome, mental and emotional state, and level of inflammation and oxidation.

A balanced microbiome, good mental health, and low levels of inflammation can create a terrain resistant to diseases like cancer.

However, factors such as chronic stress, exposure to toxins, and imbalanced gut health can create a terrain conducive to the growth of cancer cells.

Gut Health and Cancer

Hippocrates, all the way back in 400 BC, said that all disease begins in the gut! And guess what? They were right!

Our microbiome, composed of trillions of microbes residing primarily in our gut, significantly influences our body's overall health. It helps in digestion, nutrient absorption, and synthesizing certain vitamins. Plus, about 70% of our immune system resides in the gut, making the microbiome critical for maintaining immune health.

Having a healthy mix of good bacteria in our gut helps keep our gut strong, stops harmful things from getting into our blood, and helps control our body's defense system.

Dysbiosis, which is an imbalance or disruption in the natural composition of your gut microbiome, can result from factors such as poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, and antibiotic usage. An imbalanced microbiome can lead to an overgrowth of harmful microbes, causing inflammation and weakening our immune system. This inflammation can damage the gut barrier, leading to "leaky gut", where toxins and bacteria leak into the bloodstream, causing systemic inflammation.

Certain harmful bacteria have been associated with increased risk of cancer. For instance, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is known to cause stomach ulcers and is a significant risk factor for stomach cancer. Other bacteria can produce toxins that damage DNA, potentially leading to cancerous mutations.

Research has also shown that the microbiome can influence how the body responds to cancer treatment. Certain bacteria may enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy, a treatment that uses the body's immune system to fight cancer, while others may hinder it.

The Impact of Mental and Emotional Health

Our mental and emotional health is another critical aspect of our body's terrain. Chronic stress and unresolved emotional issues can alter our body's terrain, making it more susceptible to disease.

Chronic stress signals the body to release stress hormones like cortisol. Cortisol, when elevated over a long period, can lead to systemic inflammation, a factor that contributes to cancer progression.

Chronic stress can also disrupt the natural circadian rhythms or biorhythms of the body. These biorhythms regulate various biological functions, including sleep, digestion, and immune response.

When our biorhythms are disrupted, our body's functions can become compromised. For example, an altered sleep-wake cycle can hinder the body's ability to repair DNA damage, a process that usually occurs during sleep. DNA damage, if not repaired, can lead to mutations and potentially cancer development.

Disrupted biorhythms can also impair the gut microbiome, leading to dysbiosis. As stated above, gut dysbiosis can cause inflammation and weaken the immune system, both of which can contribute to creating a terrain conducive for cancer cells.

Understanding these complex interactions is essential in maintaining a healthy body terrain. By managing stress and maintaining our body's natural rhythms, we can help prevent the inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and other factors that can create a terrain conducive to cancer.

Toxic Burden and Its Effects

Toxins we encounter daily, from food, air, and products we slather on our skin, can accumulate in our bodies, resulting in a 'toxic burden.' It's not a matter of if you have a toxic load, it's a matter of how much and how it impacts your health and genetic expression.

This accumulation of toxins can disrupt your body's normal functions and contribute to disease development, including cancer.

For instance, some pesticides and chemicals in processed foods (especially on foods like wheat in the United States) can interfere with our hormones, leading to hormonal imbalances that can promote cancer growth.

Just like how dust and smoke in the air can irritate our eyes and throat, certain air pollutants can also harm our body on a deeper level. Stuff in the air like tiny particles and certain gases can cause our body to react with inflammation and can even harm our DNA, which plays a part in developing diseases like cancer.

In terms of products, personal care items such as shampoos, soaps, and cosmetics, along with household cleaners like detergents and air fresheners, often contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

For instance, phthalates found in some fragrances and parabens used as preservatives in cosmetics can mimic or interfere with our body's hormones. Similarly, triclosan in antibacterial soaps and Bisphenol A (BPA) used in some plastic containers can disrupt hormonal balance. These substances can potentially lead to cancer, particularly hormone-sensitive types like breast and prostate cancer.

Not to mention, some toxins can directly interact with our DNA, causing mutations that can lead to cancerous cell growth. Others can induce chronic inflammation, which promotes a favorable environment for cancer cells to thrive.

Chronic exposure to these toxins can lead to bioaccumulation, where toxins build up in our bodies faster than they can be eliminated. This toxic burden can lead to oxidative stress, a condition that occurs when there's an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's ability to counteract their harmful effects. Oxidative stress can cause further DNA damage and promote cancer development.

Reducing our exposure to these toxins, and supporting the organs of elimination (like your lymphatics, stools, sweat, etc.) that are carrying or removing waste for our body's detoxification mechanisms is key for maintaining a healthy body 'terrain' and reducing the risk of diseases like cancer.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Cancer

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their link to cancer is an area of research that is gaining significant attention. ACEs are traumatic events occurring before the age of 18, which can range from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse to household dysfunction. The science behind this connection lies in the body's response to prolonged stress and trauma.

Exposure to these stressful events in childhood can trigger a chronic state of "fight or flight" response, leading to long-term alterations in the body's stress response system. This continuous state of high alert can cause wear and tear on the body, a concept known as "allostatic load." Over time, this can lead to changes in the body's immune response, inflammation levels, and DNA repair processes - all of which are intricately tied to cancer development.

Studies have shown a dose-response relationship between ACEs and health problems later in life, including cancer. This means that as the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk of cancer.

It's important for you to remember that having Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) does not guarantee a cancer diagnosis, but rather, it increases the risk. Your body is incredibly resilient, and many factors contribute to its overall health and well-being. Understanding the impact of ACEs is just one piece of the puzzle in the complex landscape of cancer development.

Despite the challenges that ACEs present, there is hope. With awareness and appropriate support, you can learn to manage stress and develop resilience if you've experienced ACEs. This underscores the importance of ensuring children have nurturing environments and addressing trauma when it occurs.

Nurture Your Body's Terrain To Avoid Cancer

As a functional nutritionist, I focus on understanding the individual's unique body terrain to help optimize health and prevent diseases like cancer. I take a holistic approach, looking at all aspects of a person's lifestyle, diet, and environment to identify imbalances, deficiencies, and disruptions that may contribute to disease. I then work with individuals to address these issues at their root cause, instead of merely treating the symptoms.

This may involve recommending dietary changes to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, suggesting probiotics or other supplements to balance the microbiome, providing strategies to manage stress and improve mental and emotional health, and offering guidance on how to reduce exposure to toxins. By addressing these factors, we can improve the overall health of the body's terrain, making it less conducive to disease development and more supportive of overall well-being.

Book Your Appointment Today!

Want to learn more about how you can nurture your body's terrain and prevent diseases like cancer? Hi, I'm Eli Priest, a Functional Nutrition Practitioner and have been trained by MITH as a cancer advocate and can help guide you during your health journey. Whether you are currently in cancer treatment or want to prevent cancer in the future, I can help. Book your appointment with me today! Together, we can explore how you can optimize your health and wellness and create a body terrain that supports your wellbeing.