Simple Death Research Paper

Simple Cure; Simple Death
KNH 432 TA
Laura Dziubyk
Miami University

Introduction and Background of the Topic Food is central to our lives and our traditions. Holidays, dates, parties, and most social events are planned around food. According to an ancient Egyptian proverb, a quarter of what you eat keeps you alive, and the other three-quarters keep your doctors alive (Fulkerson, 2013). What we think is good for us, is causing the health problems that are prevalent in the United States, and all around the world. For example, heart disease and cancer kill over one million American’s every year (Fulkerson, 2013). Milk was considered the most perfect food, but is it? According to recent studies, dairy
products may be a contributor to certain cancers. If we took away processed, refined, and animal based foods, we can prevent or reverse the worst diseases including cancer. What we eat and drink every day have a very prevailing effect on our health. A large portion of the population has a hard time believing that what humans have been eating for millions of years is actually what is killing us. More and more studies have been conducted to have evidence that a whole food, plant based diet can save many lives. Hopefully, one day the evidence will be strong enough to convince a greater portion of people to change their lifestyles.

Population the Topic Concerns Cancer is 5-10% genes and 90-95% environment. Environment conditions include alcohol consumption, diet, tobacco use, infections, obesity, and miscellaneous. Out of these environmental conditions, infections and obesity can be prevented by diet (Li, 2011). If we were able to quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption, and change out diet, the only factor that would have a large effect on cancer would be the miscellaneous portion of the environment and genes. 40% of the United States population is obese (Fulkerson, 2013).
Heart disease and cancer kill over one million American’s every year. In addition, Lipitor is the most diagnosed drug in the world (Fulkerson, 2013). Therefore, if we could encourage majority of the population to change their lifestyles, these numbers would decrease drastically. New Guinea and China have a much lower statistics of prostate cancer deaths compared to the United States and Japan (Fulkerson, 2013). The link between these countries is the diet. United States and Japan consume more meat and dairy, which is another example of the need for a change in the Western diet. The world, as a whole, needs to be educated on health and nutrition. It is an occurring problem all around the world, but seen more in certain countries. Protein is synonymous to meat, but little do people know that plants provide protein as well. According to Dr. Crow, in a quarter of heart attack cases, sudden death is the first sign of coronary artery disease (Fulkerson, 2013). This is why it is important to target everyone and encourage a healthy lifestyle for everyone because prevention is the key. MyPyramid suggests three servings of dairy a day and recommends meat at the primary source of protein. MyPyramid does not give out specific guidelines because someone following MyPyramid can eat Lucky Charms, orange juice from concentrate, canned green beans, soda, chicken nuggets, chips, etc. According to recent research, dairy, eggs, and meat are harmful to our bodies. Many people focus on their macronutrients and forget about their micronutrients. People cut out fat from their diet not realizing they should cut out animal fats and unsaturated fats. People assume fat is “the villain,” but do not realize that without fats micronutrients in the vegetables are not as readily absorbed (Fuhrman, 2011). People do not realize that 90-95% of cancer is due to environmental factors. It may “run in the family” because families adhere to similar lifestyles; therefore, if one person is living a cancer loving lifestyle, then is it likely their family members are living the same way causing those cancer genes to turn on and thrive. It is necessary to not only educate those who have cancer, other diseases, high cholesterol, or other factors that may be a sign of cancer, but to educate the whole population. The main goal should be prevention, and to encourage prevention through education on diet effects on diseases.
Nutrition Related Concerns
Animal products cause many health issues that generally would not be sourced back to certain foods like dairy, meat, and eggs.
Just to start, Dr. Colin Campbell found that casein, the protein found in dairy, turned on cancer genes. He found a study where rats were divided into two groups—one group was fed 20% casein while the other group was fed 5% casein. The rats’ cancer genes where turned on when they were fed 20% casein. Dr. Campbell repeated this experiment, but gave the rats plant based proteins like soybeans and wheat (Fulkerson, 2013). The cancer genes were not turned on with these proteins. Dairy proteins trigger cancer genes; therefore, we should stay away from casein and whey to keep those cancer genes ineffective. Osteoporosis is linked to high consumption of sources of calcium from animals. Nations with high levels of dairy have high numbers of hip fractures and low bone density. This is because animal protein causes metabolic acidosis. In response, the body extracts calcium to neutralize the acidic environment in the body (Fulkerson, 2013). Whey also leaches calcium from the bones causes weaker bones (Mitchell,
2012). In addition to diary products causing harmful affects to the body, cholesterol does great damage as well. Cholesterol is needed in our cell walls and our bodies make the necessary amount. Dietary cholesterol comes from animal products. Overtime, if too much dietary cholesterol is consumed or the body is not functioning properly and produces too much cholesterol, it will build up in the coronary artery (Fulkerson, 2013). This will restrict blood flow. Blood flow is needed to transport minerals and nutrients to various organs in the body. Cancer is the result of the body doing its job, meaning if there is a foreign substance and the immune system is weakened, the body will encapsulate the foreign substance and it will grow forming a tumor. Therefore, we need to keep our body healthy and our immune system strong so our body can fight off those foreign substances. If our body is deprived of the micronutrients provided by plants, our immune system is weakened, which will allow cancer and infections to thrive (Fuhrman, 2011). During all bodily biochemical reactions, oxygen reacts by oxidizing other molecules.
Once a molecule is oxidized it is called a free radical. Free radicals are unstable and can cause damage to DNA, which will eventually cause inappropriate cell division, which will lead to tumor and cancer development (Murray, 2005). To prevent a buildup of free radicals, antioxidants are vital to one’s diet. Antioxidants can slow or avoid damage from oxidation. Antioxidants can be found solely in plant-based foods. According to a Harvard study that analyzed the effects of iron, the researchers found that red meat (processed and unprocessed) increases the risks of heart disease and cancer. The subjects exercised, consumed grains and vegetables, and watched their alcohol consumption; therefore, there must be something in the meat causing the harmful effect because the subjects were still consuming the beneficial phytates in plants.
White meat increases the chance of colon cancer. Those who consumed red meat increased their risk of developing colon cancer two times. Those who consumed poultry or fish once or more a week tripled their chances of developing colon cancer. This area of research is not fully researched, but it was also found that women who consumed meat on a regular basis had a 47% increased chance of developing breast cancer (Murray, 2005). These findings may be due to the antibiotics and hormones in animal products.
Nutrition Intervention and Treatment
Options To prevent or reverse tumor growth, a diet change may be the most effective way to treat cancer. Since whey and casein have negative effects on the body, as mentioned earlier, there are other sources of calcium. For example, the most bio available form of calcium is from sesame seeds. 100 g of sesame seeds is equivalent to 1160 mg of calcium, while milk has 130 mg of calcium (Mitchell, 2012). It is a common misunderstanding that calcium mainly comes from dairy products. Calcium levels are high in green vegetables like spinach and rhubarb (Grotto, 2008). One can consume an accurate amount of calcium without triggering cancer genes and leeching calcium from the bones by finding plant based calcium sources. Again, protein is synonymous to meat, but if properly educated, people would know that protein is the term used for the twenty two amino acids and eight of the twenty two are essential and needed to be consumed. These eight essential amino acids can be found in rice, beans, quinoa, and legumes. Antioxidants are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. By consuming the plant based foods, antioxidants can prevents and retard destruction caused by oxidation. Researchers from the University of Florida found antioxidant compounds in acai, which reduced cell proliferation and enhanced cell death (Grotto, 2008). A variety of fruits, grains and vegetable need to be consumed because different foods have effects on certain cancers. For example, radishes are unable to stop pancreatic cancer cell growth, but are completely effective at stopping stomach cancer cell growth (Grotto, 2008). Phytochemicals detoxify excess iron in the body which is necessary because too much iron can generate free radicals known as hydroxyl radicals. Foods rich in phytochemicals can reduce the growth of cancer through the combination of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and immune enhancing reactions (Murray, 2005). Cancer can be controlled by angiogenesis, the process to grow blood vessels. William Li believes “capillaries are the vessels of life and death.” Capillaries play a role in detoxifying blood, gas exchange, muscle contraction, and powers nerves. When angiogenesis is out of balance, diseases will form. Cancer starts off as microscopic cells and will stay defective if no blood supply containing oxygen and nutrients reach those cells. Li believes that “preventing cancer is beating angiogenesis.” Dietary factors like certain nutrients have the same effect as cancer drugs; therefore, if we consume foods rich in cancer fighting nutrients, we can prevent and cure cancer (Li, 2011).
Variety is the key. People are reluctant to believe that a whole foods, plant based diet (no added oils, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) has accurate research behind it—the main job in treatment and prevention is to make people believers. There are more and more success stories of survivors and more successful research projects being published. Cancer is only 5-10% genes. If cancer is 90-95% environmental factors, cancer is very preventable.
Treatment Outcome Measures Many studies have been completed to provide evidence that cancer can be prevented by diet. A Harvard study stated that men who consume tomatoes weekly reduce their risk for developing prostate cancer by 40-50% by limiting the amount of blood vessels that lead to the tumor (Li, 2011). When you begin a whole foods, plant based diet damage to endothelial cells stops and reverses (Fulkerson, 2013). Diets with grains and vegetables are always associated with lower rates of diseases. This can be backed up with Ruth Heidrich’s success story. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her doctors suggested chemotherapy and radiation when her cancer spread, but instead, she met with Dr. John McDougall who put her on a whole foods, plant based diet. Her cancer was cured just through her diet and is still living today (Fulkerson, 2013). Rip Esselstyn went on a plant based diet as well when he saw his shockingly high cholesterol levels. Just after thirteen weeks on his new diet, his blood pressure, pule, cholesterol, LDL’s, and CRP inflammation in the heart and blood vessels dropped from life threatening numbers to healthy numbers (Fulkerson, 2013). Though he did not have cancer, his body did not have a strong immune system so he was at high risk for developing tumors or other diseases.
Conclusion
Nutrition education is the most effective way to prevent cancer. If people understand why diet and exercise is so important, they will be more open to changing their diet, which will prevent them from developing cancer.
People should choose a healthy lifestyle because cancer is 5-10% genes, and 90-95% of the environment. The environment includes diet, obesity, pollution, alcohol, tobacco, etc. Therefore, choosing a healthy lifestyle can prevent cancer. Also, healthy living can prevent aging, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and many other disease people fear as they get older. It is hard to change your diet unless you know exactly why.
By changing out diet to a whole food, plant based diet, we can cure our immune systems allowing our bodies to fight off foreign substances and prevent feeding blood vessels that lead to tumors.

Citations

Fuhrman, J. (2011). Super immunity: The essential nutrition guide for boosting your body's defenses to live longer, stronger, and disease free. New York: HarperOne.

Fulkerson, L. (Director). (2013). Forks Over Knives [Motion picture on DVD]. United States: Monica Beach Media.

Grotto, D. W. (2008). 101 foods that could save your life! New York: Bantam Books.

Li, William. (2011). Pediatric cancer. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science.

Mitchell, K. (2012). Raw nutrition: Restore your health by eating raw and eating right! Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Murray, M. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. NY: Atria Books.