Cancer is a message to change

I met a really inspiring man just last week. His name is Greg Anderson.

I think his story is truly amazing. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in December 1984 and was given 30 days to live. So what did he do?

He didn't fold his arms and wait to die, like many others might have done. Mr Anderson refused to accept the hopelessness of his prognosis. He knew that many people had survived cancer even when it was supposedly "terminal" and he went in search of survivors. He interviewed over 16,000 of them and studied what they had done and he came up with a strategy for surviving cancer.

For Mr Anderson a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, but simply a message to change. He changed his lifestyle and he survived. And, like a man on a mission, he decided to help other people survive and even prevent cancer. So in 1985 he and his wife set up a non-profit organization called Cancer Recovery Foundation whose mission is "to educate, empower and encourage cancer patients and family members in the integration of body, mind and spirit into a whole-person health recovery strategy".

The holistic health concept formulated by Mr Anderson resonate with me and I have a lot to learn from this inspirational man. The most important lesson for me is the power of the human mind and spirit over the body. How encouraging that is!

What's dark and has cancer-fighting properties?

Many people know that fruits and vegetables are good for the health. Of course, knowledge isn't the same as taking action.

A new US research shows that anthocyanins, the compounds which colour red, purple and blue fruits and vegetables their dark colour, may slow the growth of colon cancer cells.

Some of the fruits that contain these compounds are purplecorn, bilberry, chokeberries, black carrots and radishes. More details in this article.

A spokesperson for Cancer Research UK said knowledge about these cancer-fighting compounds in fruits and vegetables could help scientists develop drugs to prevent or treat bowel cancer. Drugs? Why not encourage people to include these foods in their diet?

Red 2G and the Big C

I used to enjoy eating sausages and sausage rolls, but after I watched a TV documentary about sausages, my taste buds changed. And I'm so glad they did.

Because there is new evidence that an additive that is used in some sausages and burgers could cause cancer. The additive, a food colouring known as E128 or Red 2G, is converted in the body into an oily substance called aniline which has the potential to trigger cancer.

The expert panel for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) does not consider Red 2G safe for human consumption. And the Food Standards Authority is currently considering whether this colouring is used in foods sold in the UK. Red 2G is already banned in some countries including Japan.

Under current EU laws, small amounts of Red 2G are allowed to be used in sausages and burgers. However, the EFSA believes that it is not possible to determine a level of aniline that is safe for humans and it is currently looking at the scientific evidence on all food colourings.

Sausage and burger lovers who are also health conscious (I know this sounds like a contradiction) may want to think carefully about re-training their taste buds.

A hard fact about soft drinks

Did you know that some soft drinks may contain a cancer-causing agent?

I didn't know that until I read about a lawsuit that has been brought against soft-drink manufacturers in New York, including PepsiCo.

The lawsuit alleges that the soft-drink makers are selling drinks, such as Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi, which are made with ingredients that can form a cancer-causing agent known as benzene.

Benzene can form in soft drinks containing vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. Heat or light exposure can trigger a reaction that forms benzene in beverages.

Coca Cola was formerly involved in the lawsuit, but they settled with the plaintiffs earlier this month.

PepsiCo claim the lawsuit is without merit. However, a federal court has ruled that the case will move forward.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I'll watch this space. In the meantime, soft drink lovers may want to reduce their consumption of the beverages to safeguard their health.