Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Cancer Risk

Article Review By : Dr James L. Chestnut

Boffetta, P. Fruit and vegetable intake and overall cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) J Natl Cancer Inst 2010;102 (8):1-9

The above study has created a lot of discussion about the importance, or lack thereof, of fruit and vegetable intake. Once again this situation points out the importance of both reading the full study and also knowing how to critique the scientific methodology.

First of all let’s start by quoting the actual study. The study itself reports a STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT reduction in cancer risk with increased intake of fruits and vegetables.

“A statistically significant reduction in overall cancer risk was associated with increased intake of fruits and vegetables.”

“Our analysis of a prospective study from 10 European countries showed an inverse association between cancer risk and higher intake of fruits and vegetables, notably intake of vegetables.”

Considering how low the ACTUAL fruit and vegetable intake was even in what they label the “high intake” group this is almost incredible.

The participants in this study were categorized from “low intake” at 231 grams of fruit and vegetable intake per day to “high intake” at 511 grams of fruit and vegetable intake per day. This means the “low intake” group consumed the equivalent of about one large apple and one carrot PER DAY and the “high intake” group perhaps one large apple, one pear, and two carrots – PER DAY – and this was the HIGH intake group!!!

They did NOT categorize intake based on what human’s genetically require, they simply rated intake amounts based on comparing subjects to each other. Our Paleolithic ancestors consumed an average of 1500-2000 grams of vine ripened, locally grown, 100% organic, 100% pesticide and herbicide-free whole fruits and vegetables per DAY!! This means the human genetic requirement is about 4 TIMES GREATER THAN THEIR “HIGH INTAKE” GROUP. This alone totally invalidates the study!!

Add to this the fact that they did not control for type of fruit or vegetable consumed, whether they were organic or not, whether they contained cancer causing pesticides and herbicides and fertilizers, or what the actual nutrient content was.

Further all fruit and vegetable intake was self reported so the truth is we don’t know what was ACTUALLY consumed.

They say their results were adjusted for lifestyle variables like smoking, alcohol consumption, etc. but all this was ALSO SELF REPORTED meaning that they don’t have any data that can be validated.Most importantly the study was only 8 years long. There was no cancer screenings done at the beginning of the study (at baseline) so we have no way of knowing how many of the cancers that did show up were already present but undetected.We do know that cancer takes years and often decades to become clinically evident so the idea that an 8 year study could provide any valid data on this issue is highly suspect to say the least.

Further, there was no data collected regarding lifestyle habits in the years prior to the study and of course it is this data which is most significant with respect to the development of cancer during the 8 year study.

Even with all this they still found a STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN CANCER IN THIS STUDY!!

Over the study period of 8 years within the 470,000 subjects there were approximately 30,000 reported cases of cancer. This means that over 8 years a full 15% were DIAGNOSED with cancer. The real question is how many of these people had cancer at the beginning of the study. The real probability is virtually ALL OF THEM!!

The authors seem to go out of their way to minimize the importance of their statistically significant findings. Why would they state that only 2.5% of cancers could have been prevented if people moved up just one of the five categories in terms of intake? This represents almost 1000 prevented deaths, untold human suffering and millions of dollars of medical intervention. If a drug got these results it would be on the front page of every newspaper in the world and the drug company would make billions overnight!

Imagine how many lives would be saved if people actually consumed the amount of fruits and vegetables that are genetically required!!

Further weaknesses of this study are that subjects were not randomly assigned to groups; this is an observational study dependent upon self reporting.

What we need is a randomized controlled study where subjects are assigned to a control group or to an intervention group that has a specific diet to follow which tracks actual intakes of both food stuffs and nutrients.

Without this type of data available the only source of information that is valid is studying human populations with very low incidence of cancers and other chronic lifestyle illness.

This work has been done and is the basis of the Innate Diet. Without any doubt the human beings with the lowest levels of cancers and other illnesses and the highest levels of health and vitality are our hunter-gatherer ancestors. These people ate the genetically congruent diet for humans (The Innate Diet). They consumed nothing other than nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, and organic, grass fed wild game.

This study shows a clear and statistically significant dose specific effect of fruit and vegetable intake and reduced cancer risk. The problem is that they completely fail to take into account what amount of fruit and vegetable intake is actually required for wellness and prevention.

Just one more study validating the Innate Choice Essential Nutrient System and The Innate Diet!

We hope this clears up any confusion. Please also remember that we cannot look at nutrition in isolation. We must understand that how we eat, move, and think all combine to determine what level of health we genetically express.

In order to be well, we must eat well, move well, and think well at the same time for an extended period of time.

IF WE LOOK AT HEALTHY HUMAN BEINGS, THE ONES WITH THE LOWEST RATES OF CANCER AND ALL OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESS WE CAN VERY EASILY DETERMINE THAT THE INNATE DIET, THE DIET OF OUR ANCESTORS, THE GENETICALLY CONGRUENT DIET, RESULTS IN THE LEAST INCIDENCE OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND THE GREATEST LEVELS OF HEALTH, FUNCTION , VITALITY, AND DECELERATED AGING.

Wellness Lifestyle Implementation Steps 5/9/10

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TRANSCENDENT LIFESTYLE CENTER FAMILY!!!

I hope you are enjoying your family on this beautiful day.

Please join me for "Health by Choice, Not by Chance" at Davidson Healthy Home Market on Thursday, 5/13/10 from 6-7:30pm as we discuss how to maximize your health and quality of life so that you can celebrate many more Mother's Days with your family.

Did You Know??? Soft tissue damage to the ligaments in your neck is an often missed post-whiplash injury? The Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care states, "The ligamentous neck injuries that occur during side impact are difficult to detect clinically using present imaging modalities, and may remain overlooked in light of readily identifiable chest, rib, and abdominal injuries that have been associated with occupants of side impacts." This means that many times neck injuries sustained during whiplash (rear, side, or frontal impact car accidents) are overlooked due to more obvious injuries to other regions of the body. This also means that if you've been in a car accident that caused whiplash (no matter what speed you were traveling) you sustained injury to the ligaments in your neck. This injury may cause immediate or delayed symptoms of neck and upper extremity pain, numbness and tingling in the arms and hands, loss of full range of motion in the neck, and/or dizziness. If you are experiencing any of these issues, see your Chiropractor, he or she is a spinal injury specialist and can help you heal those ligament injuries and return you to optimal function and health.

Book Of The Week: The Omega Diet by Artemis Simopoulos, MD

Recipe Of The Week: Chicken In Hellfire

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups balsamic or other red wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 tablespoon tomato paste (not sauce)
3 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as tarragon, basil, and parsley

Saute chicken thighs in oil. Cover and cook slowly until thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Skim fat off pan juices. Add vinegar, wine, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan. Reduce (boil rapidly) over high heat until the sauce has thickened. (The sauce will be reduced by about 2/3.) Add herbs. Return chicken to the pan and toss in the sauce until reheated.

Quote Of The Week: "Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then... do
something. Don't just stand there, make it happen."
-- Lee Iacocca


Goal Of The Week: Learn the true use of social media applications such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, and LinkedIn and start applying them to your business this week.

Top Article From This Week:
Chocolate Can Help Prevent Strokes

www.naturalnews.com/028729_chocolate_strokes.html

Doctor's Soapbox:
This article is a great Mother's Day present for mothers and non-mothers everywhere. It gives them the green light to eat chocolate!!! The article states that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, helps prevent stroke via its antioxidant ability and its production of nitric oxide; a gas that helps with healthy blood pressure. Additionally, chocolate was found to decrease stress, reduce pain, and promote relaxation. The only caveat is the more processed it is, the less health value it has, so eat organic chocolate as much as possible. Enjoy!

A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE REQUIRES TLC!

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Wellness Lifestyle Implementation Steps 5/2/10

Did You Know???: that a properly functioning nervous system is necessary for optimal sport performance? Your ability to move is determined by the efficiency of the nerve supply to the muscles. Proper nerve supply allows for maximal muscle recruitment which allows for maximum power production, speed, agility, and reaction time. All of these attributes are key to sport performance. With the summer coming, and training for summer sports beginning, give your child the best chance to reach their full sports performance potential by getting their nervous system checked and corrected by a Chiropractor.

Book Of The Week: In Defense Of Food by: Michael Pollan

Recipe Of The Week: Paleo Pancakes

3 eggs
1/4 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of almond milk
2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
cinnamon
maple syrup

Heat skillet to 200 degrees. whisk all ingredients except cinnamon and maple syrup in a bowl as if you're making scrambled eggs. Dump on skillet and scramble. When finished, put result in bowl and add cinnamon and maple syrup as you wish.

Quote Of The Week: "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence."
-- Jessica Guidobono

Goal Of The Week: Send/leave your spouse, friend, or special person an impromptu card, note, or gift letting them know how much you love and appreciate them.

Top Article From This Week

Epigenetic Concepts Offer New Approach To Degenerative Diseases Read Here

Doctor's Soapbox

Every day science piles on more and more evidence that it's our daily choices in the way that we eat, move, and think that determine our state of health more than anything else. Yes, genetics play a role, but the genes your body expresses are determined by the environmental influences placed upon them. Your gene is a blueprint for the making of Y-O-U. That blueprint is only potential, it doesn't become a reality unless an outside/environmental influence acts on it.

For example, let's look at making a cake. The recipe for the cake is your gene. The cake is the potential of that gene brought into reality. If you take the recipe out, leave it on the counter, walk away, and return 8 hours later, what do you have when you get back? The same thing you had when you left, a piece of paper with a recipe on it, nothing else. The recipe will never express itself and become a cake without an outside/environmental influence. In this case, that outside influence is the cook. The cook brings the ingredients and tools, reads the recipe, and expresses the recipe to produce a cake. Depending on the raw materials (ingredients) used by the outside influence (cook), the recipe (gene) can express a delicious cake (healthy) or a disgusting cake (disease).

In the same way, your choices of raw materials (food, exercise, mental attitude) provide your genes with the means to produce a healthy product or a diseased product. Choose well!

A long, happy life requires TLC

Wellness Lifestyle Implementation Steps 4/27/10

Did You Know???: Chiropractic care is excellent for reducing High Blood Pressure? In a recent study in the Journal of Human Hypertension, an 8 week study by George Bakris, MD found that Chiropractic care "has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination and it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems."

On average, neck adjustments received by the subjects in the study led to a decreased systolic (top #) blood pressure of 14 mmHg, and a decreased diastolic (bottom #) blood pressure of 8 mmHg.

If you are on blood pressure medication and have never tried the natural, side-effect free option of Chiropractic to manage your hypertension, give it a thought.

Book Of The Week: Anatomy Of An Illness by Norman Cousins, MD

Recipe Of The Week: Lemon Chicken Kebabs

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. coarsely cracked pepper
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Preheat broiler, or light your grill. Soak wooden skewers in water for 20
minutes to prevent them burning. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine oil,
lemon juice, garlic and pepper. Add chicken pieces, and toss to coat.
Marinate 15 minutes. Thread 3 or 4 chicken pieces onto each wooden skewer,
reserve marinade. Grill chicken over hot coals, baste frequently with
marinade and turning, for 12-15 minutes. Or broil, turn frequently, for
about 5 minutes.

Quote Of The Week: "There are countless ways of achieving greatness, but any road to achieving one's maximum potential must be
built on a bedrock of respect for the individual, a commitment to excellence, and a rejection of mediocrity."
-- Buck Rodgers

Goal Of The Week: Walk at lease one mile each day this week at as quick of a pace as you can.

Top Article From This Week

Body's Response To Repetitive Laughter Is Similar To Response To Repetitive Exercise Read Here

Doctor's Soapbox

How wonderful is this? You can literally laugh your way to health. Norman Cousins did it. He was diagnosed with a terminal autoimmune disease in the 70s but was determined to heal himself. He did it by laughing himself healthy. Check out The Book Of The Week, above, that's his story.

So if we can laugh our way to health, what do we need drugs for? Good question. We don't. Combine laughter with the proper diet, exercise, and healthy nervous system (through Chiropractic), and drugs are obsolete. Just look at the following quote from the article:

"(Laughing) enhances your mood, decreases stress hormones, enhances immune activity, lowers bad cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, and raises good cholesterol (HDL)."

Sounds like a home run to me, and unlike drugs, there are NO SIDE EFFECTS or TOXICITIES involved. So rent a funny movie, go see a comedian, watch a toddler learn about its environment. Whatever makes you laugh, start doing that as much as possible.

A long, happy life requires TLC

Wellness Lifestyle Implementation Steps 4/18/10

Did You Know???:

Chiropractic care sees remarkable results with ADD/ADHD? Research from the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research states, "The results of this study suggest that Chiropractic has the potential to become an important non-drug intervention for children with hyperactivity."

Key phrase: Non-drug. Our children do not need to be on more drugs. There are over 5 million children in the US on Ritalin today. America uses 90% of the world's Ritalin. According to Dr. Peter Breggin, MD, "Emergency room visits by children ages 10-14 involving Ritalin intoxication have now reached the same level as those for cocaine, which indicates escalating abuse of this highly addictive drug."

Ritalin is the drug treatment of choice for ADHD. It's documented side-effects include: stunting of growth, depression, chronic headaches, nervousness, skin rashes, high blood pressure, pulse changes, the development of Tourette's Syndrome, psychosis, and suicide. Does this sound like the best way of dealing with this supposed "behavioral disorder"? The side-effects of the drug are far worse than any "behavioral" issue caused by ADHD.

Human behavior and personality are governed by the nervous system. If your child displays signs of a behavioral disorder, having their nervous system assessed by a Chiropractor may address some of their needs. Chiropractic removes nerve dysfunction and enables the body to coordinate and control itself better, to cope with stress more easily. Nerve dysfunction is caused by stress placed on the body in the form of physical, chemical, or emotional trauma. Before the age of 6, the average child suffers 2,000 falls, 200 of which are considered serious. These falls may cause nerve dysfunction. When nerve dysfunction is present, areas of the brain and the chemical messages responsible for emotions can be affected. This may alter perceptions, moods, and memory, causing ADHD. If you or your child has never been assessed by a Chiropractor for nerve dysfunction, now is the time to get yourself and your child checked and corrected, enabling you to reach your full health and learning potential.

Book Of The Week: Health And Nutrition Secrets That Could Save Your Life by: Russell Blaylock, MD

Recipe Of The Week: Robert's Greens

1 onion, chopped
many cloves of garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 1/2 long andouille sausage, sliced or chopped
1 large can chicken broth
1 cup canned tomato chunks
2 bunches kale, spines removed, coarsely chopped
olive oil
pepper
hot peppers, fresh (chopped) or dried flakes

Sauté first three ingredients in olive oil until onion is transparent.
Add andouille and cook for a few minutes. Add the broth and tomato and
bring to a boil. Add kale and peppers. Turn heat to very low and
simmer until done. Will be fairly soupy.

Quote Of The Week: "The human brain is unique in that it is the only container of which it can be said that the more you put into it, the more it will hold."
-- Glenn Doman

Goal Of The Week: Eat Fresh Fiber First at every meal. Begin each meal with fiber in the form of salad, fresh fruit, or vegetables. Fiber cleanses your intestines of toxins and gives your body the feeling of fullness faster, preventing you from over-eating.

Top Article From This Week

The FDA Shuts Down Common Infant Vaccine After Startling Discovery Become Empowered Here

Doctor's Soapbox

This vaccine with Pig Virus DNA in it was approved by the FDA in 2008. Over 1 million US children have been subjected to the vaccine, and over 30 million worldwide. Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the FDA is quoted as saying to CNN, ""It [Pig virus DNA] should not be in this vaccine product and we want to understand how it got there."

It's a little late, don't you think? Don't you think you should have tested the vaccine for these contaminants before approving it in 2008? That seems logical to me. But hey, that would slow down the profits for the pharmaceutical industry, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, in this case. Why not poison people worldwide for 2 years, make our money, and determine it's safety in the process? And that's exactly what has happened. The corrupt collusion of our federal government and Big Pharma continues to destroy the American people while fattening the wallets of the elite and their payroll. No wonder this generation of children is the first predicted to not outlive their parents. It's designed to be that way by those in control!!!

And right now you may be offended that I even offer up that idea. If so, try and explain this, why did the independent team of scientists, who found the contamination, notify the vaccine manufacturer first rather than also immediately reporting their finding directly to the FDA? So they can get their cover-up story ready, perhaps?

The point of all of this is I, YOU, WE, need to become accountable for our health and the health of our innocent and vulnerable children. You cannot trust the government and definitely not the pharmaceutical companies to give you truthful, non-biased information. Do your research before subjecting your children to vaccines. The best site on the web to provide you with non-biased information that will allow you to make your OWN DECISION as to vaccinate your children or not is The National Vaccine Information Center. Please make it a priority to become empowered with the information necessary to make an intelligent decision. Your child's life depends on it.

A long, happy life requires TLC

Wellness Lifestyle Implementation Steps 4/11/10

Did You Know???: Did you know that Chiropractic is well known for it's positive results with asthma and allergies? One cause of asthma is bronchogenic inflammation, or inflammation of the airways. This inflammation can be caused by many things: nerve irritation, viruses, allergens, and your own immune system. Chiropractic adjustments help by reducing the nerve irritation and normalizing the function of your immune system.

Book Of The Week: Well Adjusted Babies by Dr. Jennifer Barham-Floreani

Recipe Of The Week: Lamb with Sweet Red Peppers

3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups hot water
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces

Season lamb with 1/4 tsp pepper. In a large frying pan or flameproof
casserole, heat oil over high heat. Add lamb and cook, turning frequently,
3-5 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Add garlic, water and remaining
1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook partially
covered 30 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer, or until lamb is
fork tender. Add parsley and red peppers to pan. Cook 10 minutes, or until
peppers are just tender.

Quote Of The Week: "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven."
-- John Milton

Goal Of The Week: Tell someone at home you love them everyday this week.

Top Article From This Week

Expectant Mothers Reduce Diabetes Risk In Newborns By Eating More Vegetables Read Here

Doctor's Soapbox

If you didn't read one word from the article above, all you need to know can be deduced from the title. So what is the main point of the article? Just read the title? What do you think?

The main point is that the MOTHER's CHOICES of what to eat DIRECTLY EFFECTS THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF HER UNBORN CHILD!!! Eat more grains and dairy, have a baby who's risk for Childhood Obesity and Type-2 Diabetes skyrockets. Eat more vegetables, have a baby who's risk of Childhood Obesity and Type-2 Diabetes plummets. Every choice the mother makes impacts the health of her unborn child, throughout the entire pregnancy (as well as preconception (father too) and post-birth). In the science realm, this field of study is called Epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of how environmental factors (i.e. our choices) influence the expression of our genes and whether or not they produce health or disease. With each passing moment, we in the scientific community are discovering that our daily choices far outweigh our genes as far as determining our current and long-term state of health or disease.

Do you want to love your child? Do you want to be a responsible parent? Do you want to give your child the best chance possible at living a happy and healthy life? Make happy, healthy, responsible choices as far as how you eat, move, and think on a daily basis. After all, you are your child's hero, be a good role model.

A long, happy life requires TLC