Stopping Cancer Before It Starts

At our ultra preventive longevity practice, we always ask our patients to tell us what their wellness goals are and their biggest fears. Recently, we’ve had more patients mention cancer as one of their biggest fears, especially in light of all the recent reports of more and more cancer cases in younger people.

When it comes to health, few things scare us like the word “cancer.” It’s a diagnosis that can turn lives upside down, striking fear in everyone involved. But in the midst of all this fear, there’s a glimmer of hope: functional medicine. This way of looking at health care focuses on stopping problems before they start and getting to the bottom of what causes diseases, offering some exciting ways to lower the risk of cancer and boost overall health.

Cancer, often called the “C word,” is a tricky disease where cells go haywire and start growing out of control. It can show up in lots of different places in the body and cause all sorts of problems. While genes play a part in cancer, there are also a ton of things in our environment and lifestyle that can push us toward it, like hanging around harmful things, not eating right, not moving enough, being stressed out all the time, and not getting good sleep.

Recent numbers show that cancer is becoming more common in younger folks. A big study covering 29 types of cancer found that cases have shot up worldwide for people under 50 since 1990. They looked at information from 204 countries and saw a whopping 79.1% jump in early-onset cancer cases in 2019 compared to 1990. One standout is colorectal cancer, which is creeping up by 1% to 2% each year in people under 55. These stats really drive home the need to step up and do more to tackle cancer in younger groups.

If you rely on our traditional medical model, you may want to think again. The current strategy is to do nothing, other than starting to have mammograms at age 40 and colonoscopies now at age 45. And then when you have a symptom, you go to the doctor, get some testing, and then treat with reactive care. That’s not the way we operate in our anti-aging practice.

So much of our health outcomes are a result of what we do day in and day out. Functional medicine is all about changing how we look at health care. Instead of just treating symptoms, it’s about figuring out why things aren’t working right in the first place. The focus is on tailoring care to each person, aiming to get everything in the body working smoothly, and boosting its ability to bounce back from challenges. This way of thinking sees that everything in the body is connected and that what we do every day really matters for our health.

Functional medicine helps to create an individualized game plan to prevent cancer. And the following lifestyle modifications are a great place to start.

A diet packed with good stuff like antioxidants, plant nutrients, and things that fight inflammation can help lower the risk of cancer by cutting down on stress and inflammation, both of which can lead to cancer.

Doing things like moving your body, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and of course, ditching smoking can really slash your cancer odds. Exercise, especially, has been shown to lower the chances of getting certain types of cancer and improve how you fare if you have cancer.

Micronutrient testing is another key piece – this tells you if have the anti-oxidants you need that help to gobble up the free radicals that contribute to cancer growth. Doing a deep dive in the diet helps to assess any necessary tweaks to keep you optimally protected.

Functional medicine sees detoxification as a way to kick out toxins and pollution that build up in your body. By giving your liver, kidneys, and gut some extra love, you can help your body get rid of the bad stuff and lighten its load.

Wonky hormones, like too much estrogen or insulin trouble, can feed cancer growth. Functional medicine steps in to balance these hormones through bio-identical hormones, food tweaks, targeted supplements, and lifestyle changes to cut down on cancer risks.

Thanks to genetic testing, we can now see if someone is more likely to get certain cancers. Functional medicine uses this info to create personal plans that lower those risks and keep you healthy.

There are many stories out there showing how functional medicine has helped prevent cancer. People have turned around risky conditions with lifestyle changes and done well after cancer treatment thanks to this approach. By getting to the root of problems and giving patients the tools to stay healthy, functional medicine is a beacon of hope in the fight against cancer.

There are lifestyle hacks, and then there’s specialized testing because unless you check, you don’t know what’s really happening. You want to do most of the right things most of the time, but then also need to ensure these are working. Part of this personalized care model is looking at the genetics to see what a patient is potentially at risk for. There is also more recently a specialized blood test that looks at a whole host of cancers and senses if there are signals being made by the cancer cells. It can diagnose cancer at earlier states, and as we know, the sooner the better.

Then there’s looking at the anatomy, which is why we’ve also partnered with an MRI center for whole body imaging. Early detection is a crucial aspect of cancer prevention, and advanced imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging play a significant role in this realm.

Unlike traditional screening methods that may detect cancer only after symptoms appear, MRI offers a proactive approach by allowing health-care providers to visualize potential abnormalities in tissues and organs before they manifest as noticeable problems. This proactive imaging approach can lead to early detection of cancerous or precancerous changes, enabling timely interventions and improving treatment outcomes. Incorporating MRI scans into preventive health-care strategies empowers individuals to stay ahead of potential health concerns, promoting a proactive and preventive mindset in managing overall well-being.

When it comes to cancer, stopping it before it starts is key, and functional medicine is a big player in that game. By digging deep into what causes cancer and offering ways to tackle those causes, it helps people take charge of their health and wellness. From eating better and living healthier to clearing out toxins and balancing hormones, functional medicine gives us a whole toolbox to fight cancer. As we keep learning more about cancer, embracing functional medicine’s ideas could mean a brighter, cancer-free future for all of us.