By now, you may have heard that cancer rates are rising to a point where 44% of men and 39% of women will be diagnosed with the disease. With all the research and drugs being created over the past 30 years, you would think that it would at least be holding steady or declining, but, sadly, that is not the case. So what common patterns are we encountering for these rates to be rising so precipitously throughout North America?

Everyday factors contributing to the rise of cancer
There is a commonly held notion that 'everything' causes cancer nowadays, and although it may often be a flippant response from someone who is frustrated by all the things they need to avoid, it is becoming glaringly obvious that a wide variety of our core activities are indeed contributing to cancer growth.

Behold, a shortened list of these cancer causing factors:

- X-rays
- Sunlight ultraviolet rays
- EMF exposure
- Ionizing, microwave oven, and nonionizing radiation from domestic appliances
- Overhead power lines
- Nuclear radiation
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Industrial toxins
- Drinking or bathing in polluted, chlorinated, or fluoridated water
- Smoking
- Hormonal therapies
- Immune suppressive drugs
- Consuming irradiated foods and food additives
- Dental fillings, root canals, cavitations and metals
- Use of street, prescription and non-prescription drugs
- Consumption of synthetic 'foods'
- Chronic stress
- Negative emotions
- Depressed thyroid
- Intestinal toxicity
- Physical irritants (e.g. asbestos)
- Alcohol consumption

One can see from reading the list that many of us are currently, or have extensively in the past, engaged or had many of these challenges.

The only way to halt these scary cancer statistics is to be aware of the factors contributing to cancer, avoid them at all costs and engage in a clean and nourishing lifestyle that does not promote its growth.

What can we do to put the odds more in our favour?

First of all, eat a clean, alkaline diet full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and probiotics on a daily basis that supports the development of a healthy immune system. Examples of such foods include:

- Algae (e.g. chlorella, spirulina)
- Fermented foods (vegetables, kefirs)
- Medicinal mushrooms like reishi and chaga
- Adaptogenic herbs like astragulus, gynostemma, siberian ginseng, goji
- Aloe vera
- Hemp
- Garlic
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Watercress
- Cilantro
- Berries
- Pomegranates

Also look to consume pure water, get fresh air, expose yourself to the sunshine for 15-20 minutes a day (don't expose your skin to the point of burning), exercise and consider colonics and coffee enemas.

In contrast, you need to limit or avoid dairy, sugar, grains and animal protein, which are all hard on digestion and the immune system.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, as entire books are catered to cancer therapies and how to avoid cancer altogether. The core theme in all of them is to:

- Avoid all impurities in food, air and water
- Cleanse your body with alkaline, easily digestible and nutrient rich foods (including necessary whole food supplementation)
- Begin a protocol of liver cleansing and regenerating herbs

Even though it won't be easy, the trends can be reversed. We just need to recognize the power of the body to heal itself when it is given the right medicine and carry out those actions on a consistent basis.