Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (117 page)

Selenium. As blood levels of this antioxidant mineral have been found to be low in people with bowel cancer and other cancers, supplementation is advisable. It also appears to boost immune function in bowel cancer patients.

Salvestrols. These natural plant compounds indirectly target cancer cells and may help to destroy them.

IP-6, a compound present in oat and wheat bran that you can also take in supplement form, has been shown to have anticancer properties, especially in relation to bowel cancer.

Vitamin D supplements may help protect against colon cancer.

EXTRA TIPS

Deal with any emotional issues that may be a problem. Talk to someone. Get help or counseling.

Regular exercise cuts the risk of bowel cancer compared to a sedentary lifestyle, so try to get out and about for a while every day.

Take up relaxation exercises or meditation.

Do not smoke, as the effects of smoking increase the risk of bowel cancer.

For further information go to www.gillianmckeith.info/cancer.

BREAST CANCER

See also CANCER, page 215.

One in nine women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, and it is now the most common cancer in the UK, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer. Most cases occur in postmenopausal women. Breast cancer can also occur in men, although it is comparatively rare. Although breast cancer in American women is on the rise, cure rates are also rising slowly and steadily, probably due to increased breast awareness, earlier detection, and improved treatment.

Interestingly, the incidence of breast cancer varies dramatically in different parts of the world. For instance, it is six times more common in Britain and the United States than in Japan. However, when women move from low- to high-risk countries, over time they acquire the same risk as women in the country they have moved to. This strongly suggests links to dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

Age: about 80 percent of cases occur in women aged over 50 years.

Starting your period at a young age (under 12).