Cancer is the disease Americans fear most,1 and understandably so since it’s responsible for nearly one out of every four deaths in the US.2
Adding to its stigma, cancer diagnosis and treatment are the
moneymakers in this industry – and also the focus of most
government-funded cancer campaigns.
Comparatively little is done in the way of prevention education,
leaving many feeling powerless against this potentially deadly disease –
as though all you can do is cross your fingers and hope you don’t
become one of the quickly growing cancer statistics. What a relief it
should be to learn that prevention strategies not only exist, but also
are remarkably effective at lowering your risk of most types of cancer.
Cancer Prevention: 10 Top Tips
“More than half of all cancer deaths could be prevented
by making healthy choices like not smoking, staying at a healthy weight,
eating right, keeping active, and getting recommended screening tests.”3
This quote is taken directly from the American Cancer Society, and it
should be eye-opening and empowering if you’re not yet aware that
cancer prevention starts, first and foremost, with you and, as the featured article explains, your home.4 1. Optimize Your Vitamin D
If you want to slash your risk of cancer, it's essential that you
spend adequate time in the sun or a safe tanning bed, or if that’s not
possible supplement with proper amounts of vitamin D3. It’s been
definitively proven using data from more than 100 countries that the
higher the solar UVB, the lower the incidence of 15 different types of
cancer, including:5
Bladder
Breast
Cervical
Colon
Endometrial
Esophageal
Gastric
Lung
Ovarian
Pancreatic
Rectal
Renal
Vulvar
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
The most important factor is your vitamin D serum level. In order to
help prevent a wide variety of diseases and health ailments, including
cancer, your vitamin D level needs to be between 50 and 70 ng/ml
year-round. Vitamin D from sun exposure or a safe tanning bed is the
BEST way to optimize your vitamin D levels.
Just be cautious about the length of your exposure. You only need
enough exposure to have your skin turn the lightest shade of pink. Once
you reach this point your body will not make any additional vitamin D
due to its self-regulating mechanism. Any additional exposure will only
cause harm and damage to your skin.
If you’re taking oral vitamin D, you also need to make sure you’re
taking vitamin K2 as well, as K2 deficiency is actually what produces
the symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate
calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries. To learn
more, please see my previous article: What You Need to Know About Vitamin K2, D and Calcium. If you take oral vitamin D and have cancer, it would be very prudent to monitor your vitamin D blood levels regularly.
2. Avoid Eating Excess Protein
Most of us eat far too much protein. Consider reducing your protein
levels to one gram per kilogram of lean body weight unless you are in
competitive athletics or are pregnant. It would be unusual for most
adults to need more than 100 grams of protein and most likely need close
to half that amount. This may come as a surprise, as we’ve been told
for decades how important protein is for your health, but the truth is
that excessive protein intake can have a great impact on cancer growth.
The mTOR pathway is short for mammalian target of rapamycin. This
pathway is ancient but relatively recently appreciated and has only been
known for less than 20 years. Odds are very high your doctor was never
taught this in medical school and isn't even aware of it. Many new
cancer drugs are actually being targeted to use this pathway. Drugs
using this pathway have also been given to animals to radically extend
their lifespan. But you don't have to use drugs to get this pathway to
work for you.
You can “biohack” your body by restricting your protein intake and
replacing the decreased protein with healthy fats; this will provide
virtually identical benefits as these dangerous and expensive drugs.
For most people, reducing your protein levels to one gram per
kilogram of lean body weight means restricting protein intake from 35 to
75 grams. Pregnant women and those working out extensively need about
25% more protein, though. Further, when you reduce protein you need to
replace it with other calories, specifically high-quality fats such as
avocados, butter, coconut oil, olives, olive oil, nuts and eggs.
3. Eat Living Foods with Amazing Health Benefits
Sprouts are a “super” food that many overlook. In addition to their
nutritional profile, sprouts are also easy to grow on your own. I
started sprouting seeds in ball jars 10 to 15 years ago. A Care2 article
published last year6 listed 10 reasons for eating sprouts, including the following. You can see my recent article that extols their benefits. I should be providing a more comprehensive report in the near future.
Sprouts can contain up to 100 times more enzymes than raw fruits
and vegetables, allowing your body to extract more vitamins, minerals,
amino acids and essential fats from the foods you eat
Both the quality of the protein and the fiber content of beans, nuts, seeds and grains improves when sprouted
The content of vitamins and essential fatty acids also increase
dramatically during the sprouting process. For example, depending on the
sprout, the nutrient content can increase as much as 30 times the
original value within just a few days of sprouting. Sunflower seed and
pea sprouts tend to top the list of all the seeds that you can sprout
and are typically each about 30 times more nutritious than organic
vegetables you can even harvest in your backyard garden
During sprouting, minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, bind to protein, making them more bioavailable
Sprouts are the ultimate locally grown food, and can easily be
grown in your own kitchen, so you know exactly what you’re eating. And
since they’re very inexpensive, cost is no excuse for avoiding them
4. Simplify Your Cleaning Supplies
My top list of cancer prevention strategies
has always included reducing your exposure to environmental toxins like
household chemical cleaners. While it is very difficult to prove that a
person's exposure to household cleaners over the course of 10, 20 or 30
years is what caused their cancer diagnosis, it is well known that
commonly used household chemicals do, in fact, cause cancer, along with
other serious health effects like reproductive and developmental
problems in developing children.
Research has found, for instance, that breast cancer risk is twice as
high among women who report the most use of cleaning products and air
fresheners, compared to those who rarely use such products.7
Mold and mildew cleaners and air fresheners have shown the greatest
correlation with breast cancer. Some of the chemicals of greatest
concern that you'll want to avoid include:
Synthetic musks
Phthalates
1,4-diclorobenzene
Terpenes
Benzene
Styrene
Phenol
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)
Formaldehyde
Petroleum solvents
Butyl cellosolve
Triclosan (antibacterial)
Fortunately, it’s simple to replace toxic commercial cleansers with
safer options. One of the best non-toxic disinfectants is plain soap and
water. You can use this for washing your hands, your body and for other
household cleaning. Another all-purpose cleaner that works great for
kitchen counters, cutting boards and bathrooms is 3% hydrogen peroxide
and vinegar. You can also keep your home very fresh and clean by making
your own natural cleaning products using items you probably already have
around your home. Some more tips for making simple and effective
all-natural cleansers:
Use baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar to clean drains
and bathtubs, or sprinkle baking soda along with a few drops of lavender
oil or tea tree oil (which have antibacterial qualities) as a simple
scrub for your bathroom or kitchen.
Vinegar can be used to clean almost anything in your home. Try
it mixed with liquid castile soap, essential oils and water to clean
floors, windows, bathrooms and kitchens. It can even be used as a
natural fabric softener.
Hydrogen peroxide is safer to use than chlorine bleach for disinfecting and whitening.
Vodka is a disinfectant that can remove red wine stains, kill
wasps and bees and refresh upholstery (put it into a mister and simply
spray on the fabric).
For a great video on how to use these ingredients and other tips for
cleaning your home without hazardous chemicals, please review the
article How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally. The free eBook Toxic Free8 also has 70 recipes for a toxic-free home that are worth checking out.
5. Use Greener Beauty Products
When cleaning up your lifestyle you may be tempted to start with your diet (which is a
good place to start), but your personal care products are also
important to address. Putting chemicals on your skin is actually far
worse than ingesting them, because when you eat something everything
must go to your liver before entering your blood stream, providing your
body an opportunity to detoxify substances that could be harmful. When
you put chemicals on your skin however, they're absorbed straight into
your bloodstream without filtering of any kind, so the toxic chemicals
from toiletries and beauty products are largely going into your blood,
lymphatic system and then directly into your internal organs.
There are literally thousands of chemicals used in personal care
products, and only a tiny fraction of them have ever been tested for
safety. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health, nearly 900 of the chemicals used in cosmetics are known to be
toxic. It's impossible to list them all, but some of the most common
culprits to avoid include:
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
Musks
Mercury
Paraben
1,4-Dioxane
Lead
Phthalates, including dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP)
Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum
Nano particles
Antibacterials
Hydroquinone
Formaldehyde
When it comes to personal care products, I like to use this rule --
if you wouldn’t eat it, don't put it on your body. Ideally, you'll want
to look for the USDA's verified Organic seal. I also highly recommend
using the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety
Database,9
where you can look up a wide variety of products and brands to find out
what they're really made of, and whether or not they're safe. You can
also make your own personal care products, using simple all-natural
ingredients that many of you may already have in your home Our
Nourishing Roots has a recipe for a watermelon face mask that you can
try,10 and here are a few of my recommendations:
All-natural moisturizers -- Pure emu oil is a
great alternative to facial- and body moisturizers and lotions, as is
pure coconut oil. It’s a fantastic moisturizer and a potent source of
the beneficial fat lauric acid.
All-natural acne fighter -- Rubbing just a drop
of oregano oil on a breakout can speed up the healing and prevent
unsightly scarring (remember to wash your hands thoroughly afterward).
All-natural deodorant – Plain soap and water
works fine. If you still need further help then try a pinch of baking
soda mixed into water as an effective all-day deodorant.
6. Ditch Your Non-Stick Cookware
About 70 percent of the cookware sold in the US contains a non-stick
coating that contains PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and other
perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are used to make grease-resistant
food packaging and stain-resistant clothing as well. Even though there
are many names, if the item in question is "non-stick" or "stain/grease
resistant," it will generally have some type of fluoride-impregnated
coating that is best avoided.
It's well documented that when non-stick pans are heated the coating
begins breaking down, releasing toxins into the air in your kitchen.
When the pan reaches 680 degrees F (which takes about three to five
minutes of heating), at least six toxic gases are released. At 1,000
degrees F, the coatings on your cookware break down into a chemical
warfare agent known as PFIB. Research has revealed that these toxins can
accumulate in your blood at an alarming rate and may lead to chronic
disease like cancer over time. You can keep your exposure as low as
possible by avoiding (or getting rid of) products that contain PFCs.
This includes:
Non-stick cookware (choose either ceramic or glass instead)
Microwave popcorn
Packaging for greasy foods (including paper and cardboard packaging)
7. Drink Clear Pure Water
If you receive municipal water that is treated with chlorine or
chloramines, toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) form when these
disinfectants react with natural organic matter like decaying vegetation
in the source water. DBPs are over 10,000 times more toxic than
chlorine, and out of all the other toxins and contaminants present in
your water, such as fluoride and miscellaneous pharmaceutical drugs,
DBPs are likely the absolute worst of the bunch.
Already, it’s known that trihalomethanes (THMs), one of the most
common DBPs, are Cancer Group B carcinogens, meaning they’ve been shown
to cause cancer in laboratory animals. They’ve also been linked to
reproductive problems in both animals and humans, such as spontaneous
abortion, stillbirths, and congenital malformations, even at lower
levels. A whole-house filtration system is your best choice to remove
chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, DBPs and other contaminants from all of
your water sources (bath, shower and tap). If you don’t have the
resources for a whole-house filtration system at this time, there are a
couple of other tricks you can try. At FindaSpring.com you can identify
local springs where you can get pure, chloramine-free drinking water for
a minimal cost. You can also try:11
Adding fruit, such as slices of peeled orange, to a 1-gallon
water pitcher, which will help neutralize chloramine in about 30 minutes
Dissolving a 1,000-mg vitamin C tablet into your bath water, which will neutralize the chloramine in an average-size bathtub
8. Choose Organic and Locally Grown Food
Many pesticides and herbicides are potentially carcinogenic, and you
may be exposed to them when you eat conventionally grown produce and
animal products. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers
60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides, and 30 percent of
insecticides to be carcinogenic, and most are also damaging to your
nervous system as well. Some of the pesticides/herbicides classified as
probable or possible human carcinogens by the EPA include:
Chlordane
Heptachlor
Tetrachlorvinphos
Carbaryl
Propoxur
Lindane
Dichlorvos
Phosmet
Permethrin
The answer, of course, is to opt for organically grown produce and
organically raised, pastured animal products, which are raised without
chemicals and other potentially cancer-causing products, like rBGH (a genetically engineered growth hormone commonly found in milk).
It's well known that conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are
often tainted with unacceptable levels of pesticide residues, but you're
also exposed when you eat animal products. Animals raised in confined
animal feeding operations (CAFO's) eat feed full of pesticides, and
these toxins accumulate in their flesh and fat over the course of their
lifetimes. When you eat factory-farmed meat, you then ingest these
accumulated pesticides.
As for fresh produce, certain fruits and vegetables tend to be far
more contaminated than others, simply because they're more susceptible
to various infestations and therefore sprayed more heavily. Some foods
are also more "absorbent," with thin, tender skins. Such foods would be
high on your list for buying organic. The Environmental Working Group
(EWG) produces an annual shopper's guide to pesticides in produce12
that you can download. It lists the produce with the highest and lowest
levels of pesticide residue, which can help save you money if you can't
afford to buy everything organic.
Choosing organically raised animal products is potentially even more
important, however, as animal products tend to bioaccumulate toxins
from their pesticide-laced feed, concentrating them to far higher
concentrations than are typically present in vegetables.
Fermented foods can be helpful here as well, as some of the
beneficial bacteria produced in fermented foods have been found to help detoxify organophosphorus insecticide. A 2009 study13
showed that during the fermentation of kimchi, the insecticide degraded
rapidly until day 3, and had degraded completely by day 9. Four lactic
acid bacteria were identified as being responsible for the effect, so
regularly consuming fermented foods (or alternatively a high-quality
probiotic) may help you buffer some of the damage that pesticide
exposures can cause.
9. Skip the Canned Foods
Avoiding canned foods is perhaps your best way to avoid bisphenol-A
(BPA) – an endocrine-disrupting chemical linked to cancer and
reproductive and fetal development problems, among other health issues.
Though BPA is a widely used component of plastic containers, it’s
also found in food packaging and the inner lining of cans. Research from
the Harvard School of Public Health14
revealed that canned foods and beverages can increase your BPA levels
by a staggering 1,000 percent in a mere five days! The lead researcher
noted that given this finding, canned goods may be an even greater contribution to your BPA levels than plastics. Here are 10 tips to help reduce your exposure to BPA around the house:
Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for your baby
Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel travel coffee mugs rather than plastic or Styrofoam coffee cups
Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups, and replace them with glass varieties
Avoid using plastic wrap (and never microwave anything covered in it)
Give your baby natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones
If
you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older,
scratched-up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don't
wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more
chemicals to leach into your food
Store your food and beverages in glass containers
Avoid using bottled water; filter your own using a reverse osmosis filter instead
IF you choose to use a microwave, don't microwave food in a plastic container
Before
allowing a dental sealant to be applied to your, or your children's,
teeth, ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA
10. Ditch Your Microwave
If you microwave your food in plastic containers, it can hasten the
rate at which potentially cancer-causing chemicals can leach into your
food. Additionally, microwaving creates new compounds that are not found
in humans or in nature, called radiolytic compounds. We don't yet know
what these compounds are doing to your body.
In addition to the violent frictional heat effects, called thermic effects, there are also athermic effects,
which are poorly understood because they are not as easily measured. It
is these athermic effects that are suspected to be responsible for much
of the deformation and degradation of cells and molecules.15
As an example, microwaves are used in the field of gene-altering
technology to weaken cell membranes. Scientists use microwaves to
actually break cells apart. Impaired cells then become easy prey for
viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. You really CAN survive sans
microwave—people are living quite happily without one, believe it or
not. You just have to make a few small lifestyle adjustments, such as:
Plan ahead. Take your dinner out of the freezer that morning or
the night before so you don't end up having to scramble to defrost a
5-pound chunk of beef two hours before dinnertime.
Make soups and stews in bulk, and then freeze them in
gallon-sized freezer bags or other containers. An hour before meal time,
just take one out and defrost it in a sink of water until it's thawed
enough to slip into a pot, then reheat it on the stove.
A toaster oven makes a GREAT faux-microwave for heating up
leftovers! Keep it at a low temperature — like 200-250 degrees F — and
gently warm a plate of food over the course of 20-30 minutes. Another
great alternative is a convection oven.
Prepare your meals in advance so that you always have a good
meal available on those days when you're too busy or too tired to cook.
Try eating more organic raw foods. This is one of the best ways to improve your health over the long run.
Revealing new data from the charity Cancer Research UK reports that a
record number of women under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with
breast cancer.
For the first time, more than 10,000 women under 50 were diagnosed
with the disease in the UK, which translates to one out of every five
women diagnosed with breast cancer.
The news comes on the heels of a JAMA study published
earlier this year, which similarly found that the number of young women
(aged 25-39) in the US being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer is
also increasing.1
Typically, cancer is much more likely to develop as you get older. The non-profit BreastCancer.org even states:2
“ … the aging process is the biggest risk factor for
breast cancer. That's because the longer we live, there are more
opportunities for genetic damage (mutations) in the body. And as we age,
our bodies are less capable of repairing genetic damage.”
So why is it that so many younger women are now being struck by this potentially deadly disease?
What Is Causing Breast Cancer in Young Women?
No one knows for sure, but it’s fairly safe to say that there are
likely multiple contributors, many of them environmentally based. Cancer
Research UK has singled out hormonal factors, such as having children
later in life, having fewer children or taking birth control pills, as
probable culprits, for instance.
This makes sense, as in 2002 one of the largest and best-designed
studies of hormone replacement therapy was halted because women taking
these synthetic hormones had such a higher risk of breast cancer (and
heart attack, stroke and blood clots) that continuing forward with the
study would have been unethical.
The news made headlines because millions of women were already taking
these synthetic hormones, but fortunately it prompted many of them to
quit. And what do you think happened a year after millions of women quit
taking hormone replacement therapy? Incidence of breast cancer fell
dramatically -- by 7 percent!
What does this have to do with the Pill? Birth control pills contain the
SAME type of synthetic hormones -- estrogen and progestin -- that were
used in the ill-fated study!
Even women who aren’t taking birth control pills are exposed to
synthetic hormones that have become increasingly widespread in recent
years.
For instance, parabens are chemicals with estrogen-like properties, and
estrogen is one of the hormones involved in the development of breast
cancer. Parabens are widely used in personal care products like shampoo,
lotion, deodorant, shaving gel and cosmetics.
These chemicals have been detected in breast cancer tissues at
concentrations up to 1 million times higher than the estrogen
(estradiol) levels naturally found in human breast tissue.3
Propylparaben, in particular, was found in the highest concentration in
the underarm area (axilla), where underarm deodorants are most used and
breast cancer prevalence is at its highest.
Clearly these chemicals are accumulating at alarmingly high
concentrations, likely because of their widespread and persistent daily
use. And exposure often begins as early as in the womb, the health
effects of which are completely unknown.
Another Breast Cancer Risk Hiding in Your Milk…
Not only are children and young women inundated with
hormone-mimicking chemicals in personal care products, but such
potentially cancer-causing chemicals are also found in a dietary staple
for many: milk.
RBGH, or recombinant bovine growth hormone, is a synthetic version of
natural bovine somatotropin (BST), a hormone produced in cows' pituitary
glands. RBGH is the largest selling dairy animal drug in the US, where
cows are injected with it to boost their milk production. But it is
banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and in the 27 countries
of the European Union because of its dangers to human health.
RBGH milk contains increased levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1).
IGF-1 regulates cell growth, cell division, and the ability of cancer
cells to spread to your distant organs (invasiveness). In other words,
IGF-1 has potent growth-stimulating effects in human breast tissue,
especially in the presence of estradiol (a form of estrogen). Growth
factors such as IGF-1 are "catalysts" for the transformation of normal
breast tissue into breast cancer tissue, and are critically involved in
the aberrant growth of human breast cancer cells.
One study showed that premenopausal women with elevated IGF-1 levels had up to a seven-fold increase in breast cancer.4 And separate research showed women younger than age 35 who have elevated IGF-1 have more aggressive breast cancer.5
The breast tissues of female fetuses and infants are especially
sensitive to hormonal influences and cancer-causing chemicals. Infants
and children exposed to high IGF-1 early on may become "sensitized,"
leading to health problems later in life, such as breast enlargement in
infants and young children, and breast cancer in adult women. Yet,
despite these elevated risks to children, few schools make rBGH-free or
organic milk available, nor do most state governments under low-income
food programs
Toxic Insults, Nutritional Deficiencies Behind Many Breast Cancer Cases
The primary causes of breast cancer -- nutritional deficiencies,
exposure to environmental toxicity, inflammation, estrogen dominance and
the resultant breakdown in genetic integrity and immune surveillance –
still manifest as disease primarily among those over 50. However, the
toxic insults are now hitting younger generations, who are much more
susceptible to their adverse health effects.
For instance, girls who receive radiation to the chest to treat childhood cancer have a high risk of developing breast cancer at a young age,
according to research. Even those who received low doses of the common
cancer treatment face an increased risk of breast cancer later, the
scientists said.
Plus, in the US, women are still urged to get an annual mammogram starting at the age of 40, despite the fact that updated guidelines
set forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in 2009 urge women
to wait until the age of 50, and to only get bi-annual screening
thereafter.
The primary hazard of mammography is ionizing radiation that may actually increase your cancer risk. According to a 2010 study,6 annual screening using digital or screen-film mammography on women aged 40–80 years is associated with an induced
cancer incidence and fatal breast cancer rate of 20-25 cases per
100,000. This means annual mammograms cause 20-25 cases of fatal cancer
for every 100,000 women getting the test. And now with the “new and improved”3D TOMOSYNTHESIS mammogram, women will be exposed to even more radiation.
Screening Ultrasound Catches Cancers Missed by Mammography
Many women are unaware that if they have dense breast tissue (40 to 50
percent of women), mammograms are basically useless for them. Dense
breast tissue and cancer both appear white on an X-ray, making it nearly
impossible for a radiologist to detect cancer in these women. It’s like
trying to find a snowflake in a blizzard.
Some radiologists already provide density information to their patients,
and encourage them to utilize other screening options like
thermography, ultrasound and/or MRI. Recent research, in fact, revealed
that for women with dense breasts, receiving a screening breast
ultrasound after mammography detected an additional 3.4 cancer or
high-risk lesions per 1,000 women screened.7
I believe it reasonable for a woman to trust that her radiologist is not
withholding vital density information. However only California,
Connecticut, New York, Virginia and Texas have passed laws making it
mandatory for radiologists to inform their patients about this issue.
Unfortunately, many have kept this potentially lifesaving data from
women for decades, and our government agencies have failed to protect
them from this unethical practice.
Top Breast Cancer Prevention Strategies
Cancer screening does NOT equate to cancer prevention, and although
early detection is important, using a screening method that in and of
itself increases your risk of developing cancer is simply not good
medicine... Preventing breast cancer is far more important and powerful
than simply trying to detect it after it has already formed, which is
why I want to share my top tips on how to help prevent this disease in
the first place.
In the largest review of research into lifestyle and breast cancer, the
American Institute of Cancer Research estimated that about 40 percent of
US breast cancer cases could be prevented if people made wiser
lifestyle choices.8
I believe these estimates are far too low, and it is more likely that
75 percent to 90 percent of breast cancers could be avoided by strictly
applying the recommendations below, which are the same for young women
and older women alike.
Avoid sugar, especially fructose. All forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer. Fructose, however, is clearly one of the most harmful and should be avoided as much as possible.
Optimize your vitamin D. Vitamin D
influences virtually every cell in your body and is one of nature's
most potent cancer fighters; recent research suggests maintaining your
vitamin D levels may cut your cancer risk by 77 percent.
Vitamin D is actually able to enter cancer cells and trigger apoptosis
(programmed cell death). If you have cancer, your vitamin D level should
be between 70 and 100 ng/ml.
Vitamin D works synergistically with every cancer treatment I'm
aware of, with no adverse effects. I suggest you try watching my
one-hour free lecture on vitamin D to learn more.
Remember that if you take oral vitamin D3 supplements, you also
need to increase your vitamin K2 intake, as vitamin D increases the need
for K2 to function properly. See my previous article What You Need to Know About Vitamin K2, D and Calcium for more information.
Please consider joining one of GrassrootsHealth’s D*Action’s
vitamin D studies to stay on top of your vitamin D performance. For more
information, see my previous article How Vitamin D Performance Testing Can Help You Optimize Your Health.
Get plenty of natural vitamin A. There is evidence that vitamin A also plays a role in helping prevent breast cancer.9
It's best to obtain it from vitamin A-rich foods, rather than a
supplement. Your best sources are organic egg yolks, raw butter, raw
whole milk, and beef or chicken liver.
Lymphatic breast massage can help enhance your
body’s natural ability to eliminate cancerous toxins. This can be
applied by a licensed therapist, or you can implement self-lymphatic
massage. It is also promotes self-nurturance.
Avoid charring your meats. Charcoal or
flame-broiled meat is linked with increased breast cancer risk.
Acrylamide — a carcinogen created when starchy foods are baked, roasted
or fried — has been found to increase breast cancer risk as well.
Avoid unfermented soy products. Unfermented soy
is high in plant estrogens, or phytoestrogens, also known as
isoflavones. In some studies, soy appears to work in concert with human
estrogen to increase breast cell proliferation, which increases the
chances for mutations and cancerous cells. It is believed that
fermentation actually transforms soy phytoestrogens like daidzin,
glycitin and genistin to the more active phytogestrogenic compounds
dadzein, glycitein and genistein. But, these phytoestrogens are
adaptopgenic and can even block out endogenous estradiol and xenobiotic
estrogens, reducing their harm as least in theory.
Improve your insulin receptor sensitivity. The best way to do this is by avoiding sugar and grains and making sure you are exercising, especially with Peak Fitness.
Maintain a healthy body weight. This will come
naturally when you begin eating right for your nutritional type and
exercising. It's important to lose excess body fat because fat produces
estrogen.
Drink a half to whole quart of organic green vegetable juice daily. Please review my juicing instructions for more detailed information.
Get plenty of high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. Omega-3 deficiency is a common underlying factor for cancer.
Curcumin. This is the primary active ingredient
in turmeric and in high concentrations, especially when combined with a
phospholipid such as phosphatidyl choline or the black pepper compound
piperine, can be very useful adjunct in the treatment of breast cancer.
It shows immense therapeutic potential in preventing breast cancer
metastasis.10 It's important to know that curcumin is generally not absorbed that well, so I've provided several absorption tips here.
Avoid drinking alcohol, or at least limit your alcoholic drinks to one per day.
Breastfeed exclusively for up to six months. Research shows breastfeeding can reduce your breast cancer risk.
Avoid wearing underwire bras. There is a good deal of data that metal underwire bras can heighten your breast cancer risk.
Avoid electromagnetic fields as much as possible. Even electric blankets may increase your cancer risk.
Avoid synthetic hormone replacement therapy. Breast cancer is an estrogen-related cancer, and according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer rates for women dropped in tandem with decreased use of hormone replacement therapy.
(As mentioned, there are similar risks for younger women who use oral
contraceptives. Birth control pills, which are also comprised of
synthetic hormones, have been linked to cervical and breast cancers.)
If you are experiencing excessive menopausal symptoms, you may
want to consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy instead, which
uses hormones that are molecularly identical to the ones your body
produces and do not wreak havoc on your system. This is a much safer
alternative.
Avoid BPA, phthalates and other xenoestrogens. These are estrogen-like compounds that have been linked to increased breast cancer risk
Make sure you're not iodine deficient, as there's compelling evidence linking iodine deficiency with breast cancer. Dr. David Brownstein,11 author of the book Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It,
is a proponent of iodine for breast cancer. It actually has potent
anticancer properties and has been shown to cause cell death in breast
and thyroid cancer cells.
For more information, I recommend reading Dr. Brownstein's book. I
have been researching iodine for some time ever since I interviewed Dr. Brownstein
as I do believe that the bulk of what he states is spot on. However, I
am not at all convinced that his dosage recommendations are correct. I
believe they are likely too high.
Why Do So Many Skin Care Products
Use These Potentially Hazardous Ingredients?
Simple answer: because they're cheap, readily available, and easy to dilute. Are they in the products you currently use? It's time to check. Go grab your containers of skin care products and check them against the following…
Ingredient
Use
Dangers
Parabens
Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products.
Studies implicate their
connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic
estrogen and could disrupt your body's endocrine system.
Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum
These petroleum products coat
the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of
toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They're implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you'd want to put that kind of stuff on your skin…
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin's moisture barrier,
potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they
easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access.
SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" – a potent carcinogen.
Acrylamide
Found in many facial creams.
Linked to mammary tumors.
Propylene glycol
Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils.
May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems.
Phenol carbolic acid
Found in many lotions and skin creams.
Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure.
Dioxane
Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products.
These chemicals are often
contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane
that's easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first
reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the
National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered
extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use
these things on your face.
Toluene
May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances.
Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.
You see, your skin is not only your largest organ – it's also the
thinnest. Only 1/10th of an inch separates you from all sorts of toxins.
Your skin is highly permeable, allowing what you apply to your skin
access to your bloodstream (and thereby to the rest of your body)…
Which is why I remind you not to put anything on your skin that you wouldn't be willing to eat.
As you've heard before, beauty is more than skin deep. Pampering your
skin with 'beauty' products laced with toxins is playing Russian
roulette with your health. More on that in a minute.
But first…
Four Tips to Make You Quit Singing the "Dry-Skin Blues"
Is smooth skin a hopeless goal for you?
Not really. These four strategies can help…
Hydrate your entire system with lots of water and high
anti-oxidant green tea. During winter there's a tendency not to drink as
much due to cool temperatures. You may want to bring your water to room
temperature to encourage drinking more. Or enjoy more warm green tea,
like the Royal Matcha Green Tea sold elsewhere on this website.
Eat a healthy diet of mostly raw foods, foods high in omega-3
fatty acids which produce a hydrating effect from the inside out, and
antioxidants which help fight signs of aging. Winter might be a good
time to increase your intake of Krill oil also, for its omega-3s – and
antioxidants such as Purple Defense and Turmeric.
Take a revitalizing bath – in warm water, not hot! Himalayan
salt baths are rejuvenating, and help dry skin to slough off. Hot water
is damaging to your skin, so stick with warm water.
Moisturize daily with non-clogging organic moisturizers such as
coconut oil or body butter. These nourish your skin instead of clogging
it, as many toxin-impaired moisturizers do.
It's especially important to cleanse and moisturize before you go to
bed at night, to remove impurities from your skin before your
revitalizing sleep time. Just be sure your moisturizer isn't tainted
with toxins.
Why do I stress organic so much?
Because what you don't know – or even what's intentionally hidden from you – really can hurt you.
Continue reading to discover just how dangerous many moisturizer
ingredients can be – even some very high-end (expensive) 'spa' products.
Be sure to check your products against the list of dangerous ingredients that follows.
Who's Watching Out for You?
When it comes to the beauty industry, anything goes…
And money reigns supreme. Which means that it's caveat emptor –
"buyer beware". You need to be the captain of your own ship and know
what's in the products you use.
If you thought the FDA was watching out for you…
Well, let's just let that idea blow off right now. They let the
cosmetic industry, including skin care products, police itself (your tax
dollars notwithstanding). The list of people trying to help you out is
surprisingly small – almost non-existent.
Currently, there are estimated to be more than 10,500 cosmetic and
personal care products on the North American market. Of those products,
the Environmental Working Group estimates that 99% of the products contain one or more ingredients that have never been evaluated for safety.
Who's Responsible for this Mess?
The cosmetic industry and their love of loopholes. Some of the biggies are:
"For Professional Use Only" – This phrase allows cosmetic companies to remove harmful chemicals from their labels.
"Hypoallergenic" – No actual testing is
necessary to claim that a product is "hypoallergenic", "allergy-free" or
"safe for sensitive skin". Neither the FDA nor any other regulating
body even requires the companies to prove these claims.
Harmful Chemicals – Unless they are
intentionally placed in the product, harmful chemicals are not required
to be listed. It's no shocker that you never see these.
What Can You Do?
The cosmetics industry is a $50 billion a year business (in the US
alone). They spend a remarkable $2 billion a year on advertising.
Even more appalling than that is the amount of chemicals you place on
your skin every year. Women who use makeup daily absorb, on average, 5
pounds each year.
As with the Vioxx debacle, the FDA cannot actively act on a product
until after it has already severely injured or killed many people. And
because the cosmetic companies are motivated by their profits, they
won't be pointing out the dangers of their products to you any time
soon. Your only solution is to rely on your own skills of investigation.
Always Avoid Applying Potential Toxins To Your Skin…
Many people – even those who carefully select organic or gourmet
foods to eat choose skin care products that can do serious damage to
their skin.
Now, realize that I'm not suggesting you'd intentionally apply toxins
to your skin. You simply may not realize the extent to which many
common skin care products contain suspect ingredients with
unrecognizable or unpronounceable names.
Do you ever put things onto your skin that you wouldn't think of eating? I hope not…
You see, I believe that what you put on your skin is absorbed into
your bloodstream and integrated into your body's tissues. A number of
these potential toxins have estrogen-mimicking effects that can wreak
havoc on all your good health intentions.
Besides avoiding these hazards, there are some other steps you can take to create that young-looking skin you really want…
What Can You Do to Keep Your Skin Looking Healthy?
First of all, if you're doing many of the things I talk about
elsewhere on this website, you may have already noticed a major
difference in the way your skin looks – as well as other aspects of your
health.
Eating according to your nutritional type with plenty of fresh raw
organic foods in your diet, and getting enough omega-3 fats are ways to
improve your health on many fronts…
And need I mention exercise? Through exercise, your skin detoxifies impurities from your system – what you know as perspiration.
But beyond that, here's a critically important issue you need to be aware of…
Just 5 Minutes Per Day Gets You on the Road
to a More Youthful-Looking, Vibrant Face
Every day of your life, pollution, grime, and dust attach themselves to the surface of your skin.
If you don't take a couple minutes daily to cleanse your face and
unclog your pores, your skin may look sluggish – instead of at its
bright and shining best.
Cleaning your skin is important, just like keeping your internal organs clean and healthy is.
But here's a caveat…
Take Your Own Hippocratic Oath for Skin Care ("First, Do No Harm")
Avoid or minimize damage from hot water and chlorine.
Although taking baths and showers may seem like it's health-promoting
and relaxing, your skin may disagree – especially if you have
chlorinated water, which is almost certainly the case (unless your water
comes from a well).
Chlorine causes oxidative damage. The hotter the water, the more
potential for damage – because the rate of chemical reactions increases
with temperature. Hot water may cause your skin to age faster.
So what can you do? Adjust your water temperature to be a bit
cooler, limit your showers to one per day, and decrease your soak time
in the bath.
Use gentle and safe skin care products – organic whenever possible. Your skin absorbs it all. Don't compromise your health and the health of your skin by using potential poisons.
Be very sure to remove your makeup each evening.
It's a really bad idea to flop into bed, leaving makeup – not to
mention environmental grime – on your face while you sleep. Take a
couple minutes to remove it, and you'll find your face looking and
feeling younger.
Sleeping on your back reduces gravitational pull on your face. Be
sure you remove your make-up before sleeping. Leaving it on during sleep
creates extra stress on your skin. Use botanicals from nature for a
nutritional approach to your beauty.
Sleep on your back. Gravity creates a downward
drag on your skin all day. Give your skin a break at night. By sleeping
on your back, you reduce gravitational pull on your face. If you press
your face to your pillow, you will likely experience increased puffiness
in the morning.
Don't smoke… for your general health's sake,
and for younger looking skin. Smoking causes free radical production,
which is one cause of the signs of aging.
If you will be in the sun for extended periods of time, use sunscreen with safe and effective ingredients, such as Mercola Natural Sunscreen.
Limit exfoliation to twice per week and use a gentle exfoliator.
Exfoliation refreshes your skin's surfaces and brightens your
appearance as it removes dead cells from the surface of your skin. But
if you exfoliate too often or too aggressively, you risk damaging living
cells.
Apply your skin care products to warm skin in order to help your skin appear healthier. This maximizes absorption. If your skin is cold, use a warm towel to warm your skin.
Never pull or rub your skin. Apply your skin
care products gently, and lightly tap for a few moments to help your
skin absorb them. Rubbing stretches your skin and can promote sagging
and wrinkles. (Note: This principle includes leaning your face on your
hand while sitting at a desk, which also stretches your skin.)
Don't expect overnight changes. Even if you start doing everything right today, don't be discouraged with seeming lack of progress tomorrow.
It may take a month or even two to three months to notice
changes. Plus, it's quite possible that others will notice your
increasingly youthful-looking face before you do.
Remember: it took years to get where you are today, so show patience when expecting changes and improvements.
Now that you're taking these practical steps as well as choosing not
to use dangerous and damaging products on your skin, let's explore your
skin care alternatives – organic food products from nature's storehouse.
Nourishing Botanicals for Your Skin's Healthy Appearance
Whenever you apply skin care products, it is ideal to use products
from nature that nourish your skin the same way you nourish your body.
Look for products that encourage rejuvenation and work synergistically
with your own skin to support its efforts toward a healthy appearance.
The potentially dangerous ingredients listed above concerns me
greatly. And you know me to be passionate about changing the existing
health paradigm. So it should be no surprise that I considered it
imperative to locate a wholesome source of skin care products for you.
Last year we introduced USDA Certified Organic Body Butter, which has been enormously popular.
But Body Butter was hardly a complete skin
care line. So we've been working diligently to find additional skin care
products to promote your skin's healthy appearance…
Nature's Skin Care – For Outer Beauty that Looks and Feels Healthy
How to Apply Your Organic Skin Care
It's hardly a secret that plant foods nourish your body. For years,
I've heartily encouraged you to eat plenty of raw, uncooked foods
directly from nature for your best health and wellbeing.
Applying skin care products that are derived from these foods is a
smart and natural way to make your skin appear both healthy and
beautiful… to make your face feel and look as vibrant, radiant and
flawless as your healthy body does.
My new USDA Certified Organic Skin Care
line uses organic ingredients straight from nature's storehouse to
promote both your natural beauty and a healthy appearance. After all,
why strive to make large health improvements in your life, only to
compromise them when you cleanse and moisturize your skin?
Now you have a smart alternative available that does everything you
want it to… promote young- and healthy-looking skin with vital
phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Top quality ingredients from around the world – like acai juice, green tea, sea buckthorn oil, cupuacu butter, and more…
First, let me introduce my brand-new USDA Certified Organic Skin Care line-up – just six quick daily steps for your more youthful appearance and healthy living…
Twice weekly after cleansing.USDA Certified Organic Sugar Exfoliator – Refining Face Scrub – twice weekly
As you might imagine, there are a large number of ingredients in these seven different products.
However, it is important to understand that, they're all natural or
organic, so they skip the additional (petroleum-based, suspect)
chemicals that are in the vast majority of skin care products.
Multiply Your Skin Care Benefits
My USDA Certified Skin Care line will
provide you with incredibly comprehensive benefits when you apply it as a
total package to supply the wide spectrum of nutrients to your skin.
Each product complements the rest to maximize your skin's healthy and
youthful appearance.
As mentioned above, you'll want to demonstrate a degree of patience
just as you would when improving your diet. Consider this your skin's
diet for nutrition.
But over the next couple of months you may be surprised by what
others are saying about your amazing good looks. Some who notice might
not mention anything, but they will likely think about it.
And now you can be prepared with your new more beautiful face for all your upcoming holiday parties and family get-togethers.
Why 'Organic' Ingredients?
It's important to use only ingredients that promote your healthy appearance without doing any potential harm whenever possible.
You eat organic foods to avoid many of the chemicals in commercial
foods. Now you can do the same for your skin. This is important because
what you apply to your skin invariably winds up in your blood.
"Certified organic" means agricultural products are grown and
processed per the USDA's national organic standards… then certified by
USDA-accredited state and private certification organizations.
There is a specific process – and a price tag – to becoming certified.
Set standards must be met and extensive paperwork filed to verify
that those standards are met. Certifying agents then review applications
for certification eligibility.
Qualified inspectors conduct annual onsite inspections of organic
operations, observing their production and processing practices to see
if they're in compliance with organic standards…
But in general, your product ingredients are the pre-eminent issue.
Do they qualify as food? Are they organic, and free of potentially
harmful pesticides?
We use ingredients that the USDA permits in its certified organic
food – using the same standards for these items as for those items that
are intended specifically for human consumption. And we proudly list
every ingredient in our products – hiding nothing – so you can examine
them for yourself.
All to give you another option to stay healthy.
So now, just check out this sampling of food ingredients from the new Mercola USDA Certified Organic Skin Care line that enhance both your healthy appearance and your beauty…
Astounding Natural Beauty – Compliments of Nature
You'll probably recognize a number of the ingredients in this skin
care line… things like apple juice, apple cider vinegar, green tea, aloe
vera, coconut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and vitamin E.
But we didn't stop there…
Aromatherapy is the art and science of using volatile plant oils to
promote relaxation and wellbeing. There is much ongoing research into
the interrelationships between psychology and fragrances. Mercola Organic Skin Care products utilize aromatherapy ingredients to contribute to your peaceful relaxation, energize you, and much more.
Take a look at some of these key organic aromatherapy ingredients in the Mercola Organic Skin Care line, and the astonishing ways they promote your skin's healthy appearance and your overall wellbeing:
Sweet Orange Oil
A valuable herb that originated in India. This essential oil is
refreshing, fruity, tangy – as if you've just peeled a fresh juicy
orange. It lifts your spirits at the same time it calms you. Its light
and airy aroma is cheering, refreshing and uplifting, at the same time
contributing to your tranquility.
I'm sure you know oranges are rich in vitamin C. They also
contain bioflavonoids like hesperidin that continue the work of vitamin
C. In other words, the hesperidin complements the antioxidant effects of
vitamin C.
But the oils found in the orange peel also contain a
phytonutrient called limonene which does some remarkable things for you,
like providing antioxidants.
The oil of the sweet orange is rich in nutrients that promote
skin rejuvenation… plus its refreshing, fruity scent is uplifting and
cheery – at the same time as it leads to tranquility.
Sweet orange oil is considered an excellent skin tonic and supports rejuvenation, so it has an important role to play in Mercola Skin Care.
You'll find sweet orange oil in Mercola Skin Care Organic Citrus Cleanser, Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum, Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer, and Organic Sugar Exfoliator.
Calendula
Calendula is a versatile herb with fiery red and yellow petals,
similar to a marigold, although a different variety from the marigolds
you commonly see in gardens.
Calendula dates back to the days of the ancient Egyptians. Yet
even today it remains one of the most popular herbs for supporting
healthy-looking skin. When mixed with other oils such as olive oil,
calendula becomes even more nourishing.
It's widely used to moisturize and soften all skin types,
rejuvenate your skin and reduce the appearance of the natural signs of
aging.
Relaxation is an additional benefit of calendula.
You can enjoy the spicy-sweet bitter-warm aroma of organic calendula in Mercola Organic Skin Care Chamomile Toner, Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum, and Acai Night Moisturizer.
Lavender
Lavender is the most popular and widely-used essential oil,
enjoyed by both aromatherapists and individuals. It's very versatile,
with many different uses.
Lavender's smooth and sometimes sweet floral aroma has a
definitive calming effect, helping you forget about everyday stresses in
your life.
Try it in our Chamomile Toner and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer.
Lavender is widely used and widely treasured for its skin care benefits and calming influence. Check it out in the Mercola Organic Skin Care Chamomile Toner and Acai Night Moisturizer.
Chamomile
Chamomile is considered by many to be the world's most soothing herb. Its sweet, herbal and fruity scent promotes relaxation.
Not only that… it also soothes your skin. And it's generally regarded as safe – with few or no known side effects.
Constituents include the bioflavonoids apigenin, luteolin, and quercetin.
Chamomile is included in the Mercola Organic Skin Care Citrus Cleanser, Chamomile Toner, and Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum.
But these aren't all the special ingredients in Mercola Organic Skin Care products. In fact, this is just a fraction of the story…
In My Opinion, Plant Oils are Far Superior to Petroleum Oil
Not only do you receive benefits from aromatherapy – you also obtain
natural and refreshing plant oils and butters that your skin will
delight in.
No petroleum products allowed… because I want you to look and feel at
your greatest each and every day of your life, to fulfill your purpose
and to enjoy all the people and events of your life. And you can do that
by using true nutrients that help keep your skin looking its best.
Let's look at a couple of these special, exotic oils here – more details will follow on each individual product page.
Discover Today How the Many Marvelous Qualities of Sea
Buckthorn Oil Promote Your Youthful-Looking Skin
Legend has it that before the 12th century, certain Greek warriors
released some weak horses to die, but they came back looking better than
ever.
The turn-around was traced to the whole berries of a scrubby shrub
called Hippophae rhamnoides, which means "tree that makes the horse
shine".
Native to Russia, northern China and northern Mongolia, sea
buckthorn's seeds produce thick reddish-orange oil with the viscosity of
syrup.
Since its discovery, it's been revered for its nourishing and rejuvenating properties. And no wonder…
Sea buckthorn seed oil is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition. It
provides protein, plus over 100 nutrients, such as linolenic acid,
vitamins E and A, carotene, polyphenols, flavonoids, and trace elements
including iron, copper, manganese, and selenium.
Moreover, scientists are always on the hunt for antioxidants. They found a real gem in sea buckthorn oil.
Sea buckthorn – nicknamed "tree that makes the horse shine"
because weak horses sent out returned quite revived after eating their
berries – offers you a powerhouse of nutrition for skin rejuvenation.
Sea buckthorn is found in Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer.
Its rich content of flavonoids, glucosides, phenols, terpenes,
vitamins E, A, and C, beta-carotene, and trace elements (iron, zinc,
selenium, manganese) are all antioxidants with very low molecular weight
that neutralize free radicals. Collectively, they are even far more
beneficial than alone.
The Irish curse could be true, according to the latest findings of a Belfast based professor.
Irish
men have smaller penises than their US and European counterparts, new
research published in the scientific journal Personality and Individual
Differences claims.
The study revealed
that the average British man's penis is 5.5 inches when erect, while
those of the French were at 5.3, followed by Australians at 5.2, reports
the Telegraph.
British men also beat the Australians at 5.2in, Americans 5.1, and Irish 5.
Out of the 113 nations, the Congo and nigeria came out on top, with an average of 7.1.
At the other end of the table, North and South Korea measure in at 3.8.
Richard
Lynn, professor of psychology at Ulster University in Belfast, says his
research confirms the previous theories of 'race differences in penis
length'.
“For most populations penis length are predictable and confirmed,” he said.
Jelte
Wicherts, professor of methodology at Tilburg University in the
Netherlands, said the paper should not have been published.
He
told the The Sunday Times: “This is a brave paper in a controversial
area but the data has no methodology and Lynn’s paper should not have
been published."
Average penis sizes by country:
Republic of Congo 7.1
Nigeria 7.1
Ecuador 7
Ghana 6.8
Colombia 6.7
Iceland 6.5
Italy 6.2
South Africa 6
Sweden 5.9
Greece 5.8
Germany 5.7
New Zealand 5.5
UK 5.5
Canada 5.5
Spain 5.5
France 5.3
Australia 5.2
Russia 5.2
USA 5.1
Ireland 5
Romania 5
China 4.3
India 4
Thailand 4
South Korea 3.8
North Korea 3.8
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
Most people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
1. Mandela’s tribal nickname is “Rolihlahla,” meaning “Troublemaker.”
Other accounts translate Rolihlalhla to mean “to pull a branch from a
tree,” which, of course, is something only a troublemaker would do. It
was his teacher, Miss Mdingane, who gave him the English name “Nelson,”
much to the relief of journalists everywhere when he became famous.
2. Mandela was expelled from university after less than a year.
After finishing boarding school, Mandela headed to Fort Hare
Missionary College. Less than 12 months later, he was expelled from
college for helping to organize a strike against the white colonial rule
of the institution. One might call this foreshadowing. 3. The United Nations decreed his birthday as Mandela Day.
In 2009, the U.N. declared Mandela’s birthday, July 18, as Mandela
Day to mark his contribution to world freedom. The holiday calls on
individuals to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others,
reflecting the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the
anti-apartheid movement. 4. Mandela is often referred to as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name
Mandela is a member of the Thembu, a Xhosa clan, and is often
referred to by his clan name, Madiba. It is a sign of the incredible
diversity of people and languages in South Africa. The country has 11
different official languages. 5. Mandela’s father had four wives, and Nelson is one of 13 children.
Mandela’s father, a local chief and councellor to the Thembu king,
died from tuberculosis when his son was 9. Before that, he fathered 13
children by four wives, four boys and nine girls. After his father’s
death, Mandela was put under the guardianship of Jongintaba, the Thembu
regent
.6. Mandela has received more than 250 awards for his accomplishments.
Among these awards is the shared 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de
Klerk, the last president of the apartheid government of South Africa
(he too is widely credited as an instrumental force in ending
apartheid). Additionally, Mandela has received more than 50 honorary
degrees from international universities worldwide, became the first
honorary Canadian citizen in 2001, and received the last Lenin Peace
Prize from the Soviet Union. 7. Stevie Wonder dedicated his 1985 Oscar for “I Just Called to Say I Love You” to Mandela.
After Stevie accepted his award in honor of Nelson Mandela, the
government-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation banned Stevie’s
music from the airways. It wasn’t until Mandela was elected in 1994 that
Stevie was finally allowed back in South Africa. 8. Mandela outlived his two oldest sons.
Mandela had six children, but tragically lost his two oldest sons.
Thembi died in a car crash at age 25. Mandela was in prison at the time
of the death and was unable to attend the funeral. Another son died of
AIDS in 2005 at age 54. While Mandela’s administration was criticized
for not doing enough to fight the AIDS epidemic in South Africa, he
established the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 1999 following his
retirement to help fight the spread of AIDS. 9. Mandela ran away from home at age of 19.
When his guardian tried to arrange a marriage, Mandela ran away from
home in 1941 and headed to Johannesburg. He began to work as a night
watchman at Crown Mines, but was fired after it was discovered that he
was the Thembu regent’s runaway.
10. Mandela spent his first night after being freed from prison in Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s home.
Tutu had his helpers prepare his own favorite meal of chicken curry,
rice and green salad, followed by rum raisin ice cream and custard.
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
Most
people know Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South
Africa, a man who became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, and
one who gave up nearly 30 years of his life in prison. He remains a hero
to South Africans as well as to the international community, and will
continually represent the struggle for freedom. But it’s easy to forget
that even legends are human. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know
about Nelson Mandela.
*For the conspiracy theorists out there, I regret to inform you that
Mandela is not in fact a part of the Illuminati, does not lead a
Satanist cult, and did not die in Robben Island 30 years ago, only to be
replaced by an impersonator.
- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/1772/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-nelson-mandela/#sthash.UOBHKddy.dpuf
Finally the debate is over: size matters, and women prefer men with
larger packages because it predicts a man's sex appeal, according to a
new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The study, conducted by the Australian National University, revealed
that the taller the man, the bigger the effect his penis size had on his
sex appeal.
The group of researchers showed life-size, computer-generated figures of
men that varied in body shape, height, and penis size to 105 women.
The females then rated the figures' sexual attractiveness.
Professor Michael Jennions, from the ANU Research School of Biology, explained:
"This is a topic that has captured the imagination of people
all over the world for a very long time. If you look at the magazine
rack in your local newsagent, sooner or later you'll see an article
entitled 'Does size matter?' We wanted to answer this age-old question
with a valid scientific approach - " facts not opinions."
The findings showed that women preferred taller men with broader shoulders and narrow hips (V-shaped, instead of pear-shaped), which supports earlier research.
However, this study indicates that penis size is also relevant.
Outcomes showed: the bigger, the better. Females documented the most
appealing penis size was even bigger than the researchers tested,
surpassing the penis size of 98% of Italian males.
Professor Jennions said, "We've found that penis size did influence a
man's sex appeal, and it was just as important as height, which is a
well-known factor in male attractiveness."
The study also noted that larger penises are ideal but were much more
attractive on taller men than shorter men. "To put it bluntly, if you
are short and pear-shaped, a large penis is not going to increase your
attractiveness," Dr Mautz said.
Females Quick to Judge
The females were critical judges, making decisions on a figure's
attractiveness in about three seconds, and even more quickly when seeing
less attractive figures.
The quickness of the judgement implies that the women did not
consciously go through the pros and cons of each figure - which means
that rating is a total impression of attractiveness, not just an opinion
on a certain body part.
Dr Mautz explained, "The only previous study of this topic in humans
used five small drawings of male figures that differed only in penis
length. It was very obvious to the female participants which character
they were being asked to assess; in that situation, it's easy for people
to self-deceive or lie and distort the results."
This judgement setting was also unique because several body parts were
seen at once in 3D figures - a more realistic situation than looking at a
figure drawn on paper.
The authors believe this topic is not just a comical topic to the general public, but also a serious scientific question.
Professor Jennions concluded:
"Humans have slightly longer, and notably thicker penises
for their body size compared to other primates. It's been suggested that
(before humans wore clothes) females used penis size as one of the
deciding factors when choosing a mate, but until now there has been very
little data to support that. Our results hint that humans might have
larger penises because females in the past were more likely to mate with
well-endowed males."
