Whole Grains Decrease Risk of Pancreatic Cancer by 40 Percent

There are no doubts, that preventing pancreatic cancer is far more desirable than treating it, once a tumor is developed.  This statement is ultimately true for all diseases and conditions, but for pancreatic cancer its real value is even higher, considering that most people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer eventually die of the disease.  

While you cannot influence some of the risk factors as genetic predisposition and heredity, and you are not willing to give up your unhealthy life habits, as smoking or eating fatty meat, you have to at least try to apply the scientific knowledge of what are the possible ways to decrease your chances on developing this deadly disease. Today, we will present Whole Grains food as one of the possible factors to shift the risk balance on your behalf.

                                                                                                                              

The study, published in 2007 in the American Journal of Epidemiology, compared the diets of 532 people with pancreatic cancer to the diets of 1,701 people who did not have cancer. The age, body weight and gender distributions were similar among those who did and did not have cancer, but the cancer patients were more likely to be smokers. The people in the study answered questionnaires about their intake of whole grains, refined grains, mixed grains, and sweetened refined grains over the previous year.

Researchers defined whole grains as brown rice, tortillas (corn or flour), popcorn, cooked oatmeal, wheat germ, oat bran and other types of bran, and other grains. Refined grains included white rice, white bread, muffins, bagels, biscuits, rolls, pizza, pasta, pancakes, waffles, and pretzels. Mixed grains included cooked breakfast cereals, cold cereals, dark breads, and some crackers. Sweetened refined grains included cookies, cakes, pies, sweet rolls, doughnuts, and brownies.

The study showed that brown rice, tortillas, and whole grains in the category “other grains” were associated with reduced pancreatic cancer risk, while refined grains had no effect. Cooked oatmeal, oat bran, and other cooked breakfast cereals, as well as doughnuts, and ready-made pies and cakes, were linked to an increased risk.

After analyzing the diets for nutrient content, fiber was found to protect against pancreatic cancer. People with the highest fiber intake (at least 26.5 grams per day) had a 35 to 48% lower risk of pancreatic cancer than people with the lowest fiber intake (15.6 grams per day or less).

The observation that cooked cereals, including oatmeal, increased pancreatic cancer risk was unexpected, but the study’s authors noted that their questionnaire did not distinguish between unprocessed oats (oat groats and steel cut) and highly processed oats (presweetened and instant). These popular processed oatmeal products would be better characterized as refined or sweetened refined grains.

“These findings support the idea that eating a high-fiber diet with plenty of whole grains can prevent pancreatic cancer,” commented Louise Tolzmann, a naturopathic doctor in Oregon who works with people with cancer. “Healthcare professionals and public health policy makers might be able to help people avoid this deadly cancer by encouraging them to include more whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat, and teaching them to use less well-known grains such as barley, quinoa, and millet.”

Whole Grain food can give an extra protection against other unwanted illnesses, besides pancreatic cancer. It is confirmed that in conjunction with a diet full of fruits and vegetables, eating 3 ounces of whole grains every day helps prevent many chronic diseases. That means your daily sandwich on Honey Whole Wheat can reduce your risk of digestive cancers by 21-43%, gastric cancer by 43%, colon and rectum cancer by 21%, endometrial cancer by 10-45% and ovarian cancer by 37-40%. 

Other benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance

• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

So, why not revise your diet and eating habits in favor of Whole Grain products? It may save your health and even life, who knows?

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.bastyrcenter.org/content/view/1394/

http://www.naturalnews.com/023397_cancer_pancreatic_WHO.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/11/23/us-fiber-grains-idUSCOL36107020071123

http://blog.greatharvest.com/The-Bread-Business-Blog/bid/37991/Cancer-Prevention-Benefits-of-Whole-Grains

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-are-the-health-benefits

Can pancreatic cancer be prevented?

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."
Chinese Proverb

Pancreatic cancer is one of the more stubborn cancers to diagnose and treat. Early detection is rare, thus treatment is limited. Unfortunately, there are no medically backed methods of preventing pancreatic cancer. For now, the best approach is to avoid pancreatic cancer risk factors whenever possible.

While there are risk factors, which cannot be controlled, like genetic predisposition and heredity, there are also risk factors for pancreatic cancer, which you have a certain influence on, like lifestyle and triggering medical conditions.

Lifestyle and Diet

Cigarette smoking is the most important avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It is responsible for 20% to 30% of pancreatic cancers. Tobacco use also increases the risk of many other cancers such as cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx (voice box), esophagus, kidney, bladder, and some other organs. If you smoke and want help quitting, please talk to your doctor or call the American Cancer Society.

Maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, and exercising are also important. The American Cancer Society recommends choosing foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.  If you currently have a healthy weight, work to maintain it. If you need to lose weight, aim for a slow, steady weight loss — 1 or 2 pounds (0.5 or 1 kilogram) a week. Combine daily exercise with a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and whole grains with smaller portions to help you lose weight.

It is highly recommended to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, as well as servings of whole grain foods from plant sources such as rice, breads, pasta, and cereals. Eat less processed and red meat.

Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco found that eating lots of vegetables, especially yellow and dark green produce, may reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by as much as half.

In the National Cancer Institute-funded study, published in the journal Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, scientists catalogued one year's diet of 2,333 adults, including 533 pancreatic cancer patients. Those who ate more than five servings daily of fruits and vegetables had only half the risk of subjects who ate the least produce, less than two daily servings. In turn, subjects who ate even more produce-nine servings per day-reduced their risk by more than half compared to those eating less than five servings per day. A serving is considered to be about a half-cup of cooked vegetables, two cups of leafy salad or one medium-sized piece of fruit.

The vegetables most strongly associated with increased protection were onions, garlic, beans, yellow vegetables (such as carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, corn and yellow squash), dark leafy vegetables (such as spinach and kale) and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli. Light-green vegetables, tomatoes and tomato products showed weaker protective benefits. Fruits were found to be protective but significantly less so than vegetables, with citrus fruits and citrus juices most protective.

 Aim for 30 minutes of exercise on most days. If you're not used to exercising, start out slowly and work up to your goal.

Following these recommendations may lower your risk of getting pancreatic cancer, as well as several other cancers and some non-cancerous diseases.

Medical Conditions

Pancreatitis. This condition, in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, can raise your risk of pancreatic cancer sharply. There are two types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic. Acute pancreatitis usually goes away in a few days. It is often caused by gallstones or alcohol abuse, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. Other causes include infections and medications.

Acute pancreatitis can turn chronic, or long-lasting, often because of heavy alcohol use. However, chronic pancreatitis can also be inherited.

People with chronic pancreatitis have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer, especially if they inherit the condition. These people have a 40 percent chance of developing pancreatic cancer by the age of 70.

Diabetes. Having type 2 diabetes (which is associated with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle) may double your risk of pancreatic cancer. However, type 1 diabetes, the type in which the body destroys insulin-making cells in the pancreas, is not linked to this cancer risk.

Even if you're at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, you can prevent it or delay it by losing 5 percent to 10 percent of your body weight and getting 30 minutes of physical activity each day, according to the American Diabetes Association.

There are other risk factors, related to the medical conditions, which should be kept under control as much as possible to minimize the pancreatic cancer development later in life.

Environment

One's environment also plays a role. Some chemicals that manufacturers use, such as benzidine, asbestos, 2-naphthylamine, and gasoline derivatives, are related to tumor development. Limiting your exposure to these chemicals and pesticides like DDT can help in pancreatic cancer prevention. Most people do not spend much time around these substances, so avoiding them should not be difficult.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/PancreaticCancer/DetailedGuide/pancreatic-cancer-prevention

http://cancer.about.com/od/pancreaticcancer/f/pancreasprevent.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pancreatic-cancer/DS00357/DSECTION=prevention

http://www.everydayhealth.com/pancreatic-cancer/risk-factors.aspx

http://www.cancer-disease-symptoms.org/Pancreatic_Cancer_Prevention.html

http://www.pancreatictumorsandcancer.com/pancreaticcancerprevention.php