Cancer…why do some get it and others don’t?

We all produce over a million cancer cells each day. We are therefore all carriers of symptomless microtumors. How is it then that we don’t all get cancer? More and more studies show that certain lifestyle choices are known to increase your risk of cancer. This is why it is essential to focus on prevention.

You may be familiar with the name Richard Béliveau, Doctor in Biochemistry and Scientific Director of UQAM’s Chair in Cancer Prevention and Treatment. He is the author of many books on the subject and has held countless conferences in hopes of raising awareness of the fact that we do possess some power over this disease.  During this year’s 11^th edition of the Nautilus Plus « 30 minute workout to help out », Dr. Béliveau will deliver an open conference*, but for now, here are highlights of some of the topics.

Facts and figures to better understand this plight

For the past 15 years, cancer has been the leading cause of death in Canada. Each day, in Québec alone, we lose 50 people to this disease and 100 more are diagnosed. Those numbers are staggering and they support and justify the efforts put forth in its prevention.

Cancer : genetics or heredity?

We often confuse the two. Genetics are the result of genes, whereas heredity refers to the genetic transmission of traits from parents to offspring. All cancers are genetic as they are caused by specific genetic mutations, a very small portion of which are transmitted from the parents.

Cell division is fundamental to all life form and we produce billions of them each day. Scientists know that it only takes one cell that mutates when dividing to cause cancer. Cancer is a disease that enables a cell to develop more rapidly than it should.

Invest today in order to change tomorrow : the importance of prevention

The mutations that cause cancer are already present at the end of childhood and adolescence. During one of his conferences, Dr. Béliveau states, «The cancer diagnosis recieved at 60-70 years of age started developing during the course of your adolescence ».

Despite the fact that cancer is a disease of cell proliferation and although your unfavorable genetics can play a role, it is not because of cell mutation that you will develop cancer.  It is your lifestyle that will either allow or prevent that tumor to form a cancer.

Numerous research studies have shown that prevention, through the practice of healthy lifestyle choices, will create the necessary physiological and biochemical conditions that will prevent these microtumors from manifesting themselves.  Richard Béliveau states : « The way we choose to live influences the way we choose to die». Here’s the good news : We have the power to do something about it.

To fullly understand this statement, here are some facts on risk factors :

• 75% of cancers are associated to lifestyle (tobacco, unprotected sun exposure, poor nutrition, obesity, alcohol, sedentarism). The worst offenders are poor nutrition and obesity.
• 25% of cancers are the result of chance (Cell division, spontaneous DNA damage, defective genes, infections, pollution, inflammatory diseases).

Yet somehow, in the Far East, they have been devoting much time and energy on cancer treatment for the past 50 years when the only real way to arrive at a solution to many diseases, namely cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s is…prevention.  Definitely another good reason why Nautilus Plus has partnered with the Richard Béliveau Fund and their dedication to the research in the prevention of this dreadful disease.

To learn more, attend the conference on November 19

Would you like to learn more on cancer prevention? Which healthy lifestyles to adopt and which toxic ones to avoid? Register to Richard Béliveau’s conference (November 19 at Place Montreal Trust) and lend financial support by participating in the « 30 minute workout to help out » which will be held on November 18 and 19 throughout the Nautilus Plus network. You don’t have to be a member to participate.

*Reserve your place at the conference by contacting our Place Montréal Trust club at (514)666-9990.

References :

• Le livre de Richard Béliveau et Denis Gingras, Prévenir le cancer, TRÉCARRÉ, 2014.
• Le site du Fonds Richard Béliveau : https://www.richardbeliveau.org/
• Les chroniques de Richard Béliveau dans le Journal de Montréal : https://www.richardbeliveau.org/chroniques/

Cancer…why do some get it and others don’t? is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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