Eating THIS increases lung cancer risk 50%

The number of Americans who smoke cigarettes is at an all-time low. [Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3AAXDttLGLx) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AAXDttLGLx) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] April 18, 2022 [] Reader, The number of Americans who smoke cigarettes is at an all-time low. Yet lung cancer rates in the U.S. remain stubbornly high.1,2 A recent study of 12,103 lung cancer patients in three U.S. hospitals found that the number of never-smokers with the disease jumped from 8% in 1995 to nearly 15% in less than 20 years.3 Additional research found an even bigger increase: In this study, the proportion of lung cancer patients who never smoked skyrocketed from 13% to 28% in less than a decade.4 Air pollution and our toxic environment are certainly part of the problem. But the biggest culprits are the ultra-processed foods that make up an increasing proportion of our daily diet. In fact, recent research from scientists from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that people who regularly eat these foods have a staggering 49% higher risk of developing lung cancer – even if they’ve never smoked a single cigarette.5 The economics of industrial food manufacturing means you can buy ultra-processed foods cheaper than unprocessed meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables – and they’re often marketed as healthy. Government “health” gurus perpetuate this lie, playing directly into the hands of food manufacturers who claim these fake foods an an inevitable part of our modern world. This is unforgivable. All of these foods contain unnaturally high amounts of refined sugar and salt, processed industrial oils and trans fats, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, chemical sweeteners, and additives that imitate the texture and taste produced by natural foods. And it’s not just the incredible damage the foods themselves cause. A steady diet of ultra-processed foods will also leave your body starving for the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, micronutrients, and healthy fats you need to ward off diseases. Studies by researchers at Harvard predict that in a few years obesity could overtake smoking as the leading cause of cancer deaths in America and Europe.6 A quick look at the U.S. consumption rates for ultra-processed foods is shocking:7,8 - 57.9% of the foods eaten by adults are ultra-processed. - 67% of the diet American children and teenagers eat is ultra-processed. Even though the government’s 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting refined sugars to no more than 10% of daily calories, that goal is almost impossible to meet with the level of ultra-processed foods in the typical American diet. Choose to eat an anti-cancer diet The good news is that avoiding these fake foods and switching to a healthy diet is much easier than you might think. Here are three easy changes you can make that will help you reduce weight and get your body back on the health track. I’ve been warning my patients about unnatural, ultra-processed foods for decades. They’re the root of almost every modern chronic ailment – heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity, cancer...and more. I recommend eating the way your ancestors did... - First, stop eating fake foods. Start by eliminating ultra-processed foods altogether and greatly reduce your carbohydrate intake. That means avoiding products that contain refined sugars, fructose, and processed grains. Keep grains like wheat, rice, and corn, as well as breakfast cereals, cereal bars, and low-fiber or sweetened foods to a minimum. Also limit the amount of high-carb fruits and vegetables you eat. These include apples, pears, grapes, bananas as well as vegetables that grow underground, such as potatoes, yams, and parsnips. Instead, eat plenty of above-ground and green, leafy vegetables, onions and garlic, berries and other fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds. Carbs should never make up any more than 5% or 10% of your total calorie intake. - Choose the right fat. Be sure to strictly avoid trans fats and vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, soy, and canola. Instead, choose fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, butter, ghee, and heavy cream. Remember, eating dietary fat isn’t what’s making you overweight and sick. It’s refined sugar and grains that lead to obesity and increased cancer risk. - Next, eat the right protein. For decades, doctors and our public health officials warned us that eating meat causes cancer. It’s true that processed meat can increase your risk – as much as 42%, according to some studies.9 But grass-fed red meat (including organ meat) is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Also include wild-caught fish, pastured poultry, lamb, and eggs continue to be your best sources of protein. Nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashews, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds also have plenty of protein. To Your Good Health, [Al Sears, MD] Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: 1. American Lung Association. “Overall Tobacco Trends.” Available at: [www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/tobacco-trends-brief/overall-tobacco-trends](1770d7/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AAXDttLGLx). Accessed on April 11, 2022. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Lung Cancer Statistics.” Available at: [www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/statistics/index.htm](1770d7/ct2_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AAXDttLGLx). Accessed on April 11, 2022. 3. Pelosof L, et al. “Proportion of never-smoker non-small cell lung cancer patients at three diverse institutions.” J Natl Cancer Inst. 2017 Jan 28;109(7):djw295. 4. Cufari M, et al. “Increasing frequency of non-smoking lung cancer: Presentation of patients with early disease to a tertiary institution in the UK.” Euro J Cancer. 2017 Oct;84:55-59. 5. Melkonian SC, et al. “Glycemic index, glycemic load, and lung cancer risk in non-Hispanic whites.” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Mar;25(3):532-9. 6. Press Association. “Obesity causes one in five cancer deaths.” The Guardian. May 2015. 7. Shim J, et al. “Association between ultra-processed food consumption and dietary intake and diet quality in Korean adults.” J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022;122(3). 8. Wu L, et al. “Trends in consumption of ultra-processed foods among us youths aged 2-19 years, 1999-2018.” JAMA. 2021 August 10;326(6):519-30. 9. Micha R, et al. “Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Circulation. 2010;121(21):2271-83. alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AAXDttLGLx) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States