Obesity's Direct Link to Cancer

~~Obesity's Direct Link to Cancer
   
     Yes, we all know that being over weight or obese is not good for our Health in so many different ways. Obesity causes the joints in the hips, knees, and ankles to break down, or to become "arthritic" much more rapidly. Obesity, as most of you who have been following what I have been teaching for years know, is the most common cause of diabetes. It also has a direct link to a plethora of other "metabolic disorders" like elevated cholesterol levels, insulin resistance, and of course increased risk of stroke and heart attack. But did you realize that obesity is directly related to cancer as well???
     As I went through Chiropractic College I was required to perform human cadaver dissections. As life would have it my specimen was an obese female. I was amazed as I progressed through my course how the internal organs of this individual were covered in "goblets" of fat, which in many instances were an inch thick! Imagine how difficult it must have been for this poor lady's heart, liver, and kidneys to function properly with a thick layer of fat constricting the organs' functions, and in the case of the heart, its movement every time it contracted and expanded. It would be like trying to run a marathon with Under Armor, sweats, and a heavy winter coat layered on you.
     It has been known for years now that fat cells store estrogen. Estrogen is a female hormone, which often becomes elevated in women as they age. Elevated estrogen levels in women will cause such cosmetic alterations as increased facial hair, but more importantly this elevation will cause an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer.
     New research published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism demonstrates that there is an even more direct link between obesity and cancer as we age that affects both men and women. Researchers at the National Institute for Aging studied 2519 adults in the "Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study". These researchers used radiographic imaging to directly link adiposity (being obese) to specific forms of cancer. And these forms of cancer affected not only women, but men as well.
     These researchers were able to measure body fat for the first time in a study of this type directly, rather than using much less exact measures such as Body Mass Index (BMI), or abdominal circumference. This study could look directly at the fat being deposited in within the abdomen, and thigh, as well as the fat being deposited on the internal organs over a 13 year period.
     The lead researcher on this study was Dr. Rachel Murphy from the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda Maryland. She states "For men greater visceral adipose was a particularly strong risk factor for many types of cancer regardless of the individual's BMI. Men with the most visceral fat had a nearly 3 times higher risk of many types of cancer (esophagus, pancreas, colon, and rectum, kidney, thyroid, and gallbladder) compared to men with little visceral fat."
     Dr. Murphy goes on to state that "These findings provide new insight into obesity and cancer in old age, and suggest that interventions to target visceral adipose in addition to promotion of healthy body weight may impact future cancer risk."
     So, what does this mean for you? Well, first of all you probably need to make some life style changes. These may not seem easy to you at first and you may need some help along this journey. We offer a number of different programs here at the Center that can assist you in making these "Healthy Transitions". As many of you know we offer our full system detoxification "Cleanse" program twice a year. This may be a good place for many of you to start. Cleaning up your system is always good for you and the life style changes that you can make over this 21 day program can be life changing alone. You can join us for our free "Cleanse Preview Program" to learn more about our Cleanse program. If you chose to you can begin our "Advanced Weight Loss Program". Our goal hare is to shed pounds rapidly. You can learn more about this program by attending our free Weight Loss Workshop. You can also join us as a patient at the Center for Nutrition and Wellness to receive one on one nutritional consulting and guidance from me directly. In order to take advantage of any of these programs you simply need to give us a call here at the Center at 215-679-WELL (9355).
     I look forward to being able to assist you in regaining your Health, and reducing the likelihood that you will become a "statistic".