The Scary Truth about Childhood Cancer: Modern Toxins: Childhood cancer is a topic that grabs us emotionally as a society. This disease is reaching staggering heights in our younger populations. However, just because something is familiar, that doesn’t make it normal. Today we will explore childhood cancer and the way that we can harness the power of epigenetics to prevent this trend from growing.
The Scary Truth about Childhood Cancer: Modern Toxins
There’s no doubt about it; childhood cancer statistics in America are booming. In the United States, approximately 11,060 children under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2019. There’s been a 67.1% rise in childhood cancer since the 1950s, that’s an almost 70% increase. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children (after accidents). These numbers are concerning knowing that these young people are the next generation; they are America’s future.
The rise in childhood cancer is rising at different rates across the globe. Approximately 300,000 kids per year are diagnosed with cancer across the world. From country to country, the statistics vary wildly and so it’s not a far reach to suspect that the factors are environmental. Indeed, the science backs this up. It’s about time we start looking in the mirror to see what on earth is going on.
Childhood Cancer: Why Cancer Rates Are Skyrocketing
The childhood cancer rates are rising alongside those of adults, and the cause of cancer is no different. Children take the hit from inside the womb, and having exposure to various harmful elements in these developmental stages of life means cancer comes much sooner. The factors that increase cancer rates include physical, emotional, and mental stressors. Indeed it has been shown that psychological stress on a mother during pregnancy impacts the fetus in utero.
Other significant elements that increase childhood cancer include:
- Toxins in food (GMOs, pesticides, herbicides like glyphosate)
- Toxins in the water (fluoride, chlorine, etc.)
- Chemical toxins applied to the body (found in conventional sunscreen, body lotion, body gels and oils, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soaps, perfumes, hair gels, hair sprays, nail polish)
- Toxic cookware
- BPAs and other chemicals found in plastic
- Air pollution
- Electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs)
- Artificial blue light (especially after sundown)
- Overuse of pharmaceutical drugs and NSAIDs
- Sedentary lifestyles
Western medicine chalks up childhood cancer to bad luck, still to this day.
Major organizations like the World Health Organization state that, “the vast majority of childhood cancers do not have a known cause,” and still refer to cancer as a genetic disease. This belief system is wrong, which is evident by looking at the uneven rise of childhood cancer across the world. It becomes crystal clear when you understand the nature of cellular disease and epigenetics.
Blaming cancer on the genetic propensity to get cancer has been completely disproven with the advent of epigenetic studies. Epigenetics is the study of biological mechanisms that will switch genes on and off. Epigenetics explores how our genes are activated based on their environments. Our environments are, for the most part, in our control, which puts the power back in our hands to switch off those cancer genes so that they never materialize in the body.
Childhood Cancer: Prevention
When a child is diagnosed with cancer in America, there is a forced western medical protocol. If you don’t follow the standard of care recommended by your doctor (which can mean radiation, chemo, pharmaceutical pills, transplant, and surgery), your child will be taken away by childhood protective services. Prevention is the best medicine.
Harnessing the Power of Epigenetics
Both parents should optimize their health (mind and body) before they conceive a child. This way, the baby’s DNA and the environment in which the child is growing is conducive to a thriving child.
The list above highlights some of the top offenders in terms of chemical and physical stressors. Addressing these offenders before pregnancy ensures the body has time to heal. This is a win-win for the baby and the whole family. These toxins are also the root cause of almost all modern-day diseases.
The other major factor is addressing mental stress. Some ways to do this are cutting ties with toxic relationships, implementing a mindfulness practice like yoga or meditation, being happy at work, and making time for self-care. Mental stress is often overlooked, but the body does not distinguish between different types of stress. If you want to ensure your child has every chance at thriving in life, prioritize not only the body but also the mind.
Childhood cancer rates are on the rise, especially in modern-day America.
However, outdated science blames chance or genetics. We know today that epigenetics has the ultimate influence on the likelihood of developing a disease. The factors that negatively influence our genome are chemical, physical, and emotional stress. By addressing lifestyle choices before conception, parents engage in preventative healthcare against childhood cancer. These benefits go far beyond just cancer and will boost the health and longevity of the whole family.
Ryan’s Story
Imagine finding stage IV cancer in your newborn. Life as you know it would be over. This is what happened to Ryan Sternagel and his wife, Teddy. They discovered that the lump in their son Ryder’s back was a form of cancer called neuroblastoma. Ryder had a tumor larger than his kidney growing inside and out of his spinal canal. Worse, he had two secondary tumors, all of which had metastasized into his bones.
But instead of freezing, Ryan and Teddy went on a journey of health to help Ryder beat cancer (and other health issues) with a mix of super nutrition, targeted supplementation, energy medicine, and healthy lifestyle practices to make sure Ryder not only survives but thrives in his health for the rest of his life…
As you’ll discover there, it applies to more than just cancer and can be immensely valuable for ANYONE who wants to heal and realize their highest health potential.
Learn More About Childhood Cancer Here: Health Hunters: Episode 20: Childhood Cancer
References
Brettingham-Moore, Kate H., and Phillippa C. Taberlay. “Cancer Epigenetics.” Drug Discovery in Cancer Epigenetics, 2016, 41–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-802208-5.00002-3.
“Cancer in Children.” World Health Organization. World Health Organization. Accessed August 22, 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer-in-children.
“Global Incidence Estimates for Childhood Cancer.” IARC. Accessed August 22, 2019. https://www.iarc.fr/news-events/global-incidence-estimates-for-childhood-cancer/.
Johnson, Amy R. “Epigenetics, Nutrition, and Cancer.” Nutrition in Epigenetics, 2011, 127–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470959824.ch7.
Reynolds, Rebecca M., Javier Labad, Claudia Buss, Pearl Ghaemmaghami, and Katri Räikkönen. “Transmitting Biological Effects of Stress in Utero: Implications for Mother and Offspring.” Psychoneuroendocrinology38, no. 9 (2013): 1843–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.05.018.
“SEER Cancer Statistics Review (CSR) 1975-2014 Updated April 2, 2018.” SEER. Accessed August 22, 2019. https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2014/.
Steliarova-Foucher, Eva. “How Can Global Incidence Estimates Support Childhood Cancer Control?” The Lancet Oncology20, no. 4 (2019): 460–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(19)30039-7.
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