As many of you may already know, I lost my mother-in-law to pancreatic cancer this year. Pancreatic cancer is merciless and deadly. Unlike colon cancer, there is no regular test to catch it early. Sadly, for most victims, pancreatic cancer isn’t found until it has spread to another organ, usually the liver. By then, it is just too late.
Every year, 42000 Americans contract pancreatic cancer according to the American Cancer Society With that cheery fact in mind, it only behooves us to do everything in our power to lower our risk of developing the disease.
A National Institute of Health study shows a clear link between pancreatic cancer risk and a high fat diet. This was a very large study. The records of 500,000 participants were analyzed. Those with a high fat diet had a 23 percent greater risk of pancreatic cancer. And the higher the fat intake, the greater the risk, especially for men. Men with the highest percentage of fat in the diet had a 53 percent increased risk.
This is bad news for folks that rely on fast food which has 40 to 55 percent fat. Many of the ‘quick and easy’ foods from the grocery store are just as bad. Add to that the alarming array of chemicals used to preserve food and enhance the taste and its no wonder that our vital organs are having a tough time keeping us alive.
So what’s the solution? First, eat out less. Brown bag your own lunch. When you go grocery shopping, stick to the perimeter of the store where the fresh foods are located. Start a garden. If your diet is loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables that’s the best way to avoid becoming another cancer statistic.
