We hear their stories in the news or from friends and family but never understand what caused them. There are specific causes that people who smoke are aware of, but there are causes that might just shock you. In this blog post, we explore four common causes of cancer that many people don’t know about. Knowing all these causes may help us take the right precautions to be protected and to protect our loved ones.
What is Cancer, Anyway?
Before we go through some possible causes of cancer, let’s take time to see what cancer is. Imagine your body as if it is a big city. In that city, there are millions of people, each one with their work to accomplish. Cancer is when some of those individuals in the town become unruly. They reproduce at the wrong time and die at the inappropriate time. You’re having a group of goons in the city who never abide by the law, causing trouble.
Now, here are some surprising causes that may lead to cellular misbehavior.
Chronic Inflammation: The Silent Troublemaker
You must have heard the term ‘inflammation.’ This occurs when you cut yourself or get a bruise—the area becomes red, swollen, and warm. This protects against germs immediately and initiates healing. But what if inflammation does not recede?
Chronic inflammation could be compared with the fire alarm that never stops ringing. Initially, it’s doing its job: warning you of possible danger. But if it just won’t stop ringing even without fire, it creates problems. Long-term inflammation in our bodies hurts our cells and DNA.
So this is how it works: When inflammation persists, all the cells are still under attack, like a small stone continually being thrown in that room. Initially, you can dodge stones, but eventually, you’ll get hit too often. The way it works with constant inflammation is that changes are orchestrated in your cells, which may transform into cancer.
What causes chronic inflammation?
There are many culprits. Being overweight, consuming too much food that is high in sugar or fat, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, and, indeed, stress itself for prolonged periods can all trigger chronic inflammation. Inflammation can also cause severe illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Here’s some good news: ultimately, we are using it to help us fight back against chronic inflammation. We can eat better, exercise more, and find ways to manage our stress. It’s like flipping the switch off on that constant fire alarm and letting our bodies rest and heal.
Lack of Sleep: More Than Just Feeling Drowsy
We understand the need to sleep, but have you known that lack of sleep increases your risk of cancer? Sleeping has been proven to be an antidote to many things. It sounds strange, but there is science behind it.
Think of your body as a factory. A factory makes stuff all day, and sometimes it gets a little messy. But the night cleaning crew comes in during the night. And then, during your sleep, your body goes to work doing its daily maintenance. It fixes wrong DNA, removes toxins, and builds your immune system.
When you do not sleep enough, you deprive the cleaning crew of the time necessary to complete the work. This problem can occur over time. Your immune system will not function at all. Your body won’t kill off some new cells that may become cancer. Your body mightn’t repair DNA damage correctly, leading to mutations and cancers.
But how much do we need?
An individual should get a good night’s sleep for seven to nine hours. Quality counts as well. Good sleep means you’ve gone through some sleep cycles, having had deep sleep and REM sleep.
It doesn’t need to be rocket science: if you can go to sleep and wake at a similar time every day, weekends inclusive, most people would agree that you are better rested. Use a computer, cell phone, or tablet no more than one hour before bed in a dark, quiet, cool bedroom. Try winding down with a book or some gentle stretches in bed.
Remember that good sleeping always doesn’t denote a lazy bone. It helps your body remain healthy, thus lowering the risk of cancer.
Some Viruses: Unwanted Guests That May Cause Troubles
When we think about contracting a virus, colds or the flu usually come to mind. But did you know that some viruses can cause cancer? It sounds and feels like a sci-fi movie, but it is true.
Okay? Let me break it down. Viruses are tiny little germs that can attack our cells. For most of them, our immune system battles, and we recover. But some viruses are slyer than those. They could secrete inside our cells for years-sometimes even decades. But if they get in there in their way in there, they can begin changing the cells that develop into malignancies.
For instance, there is a human papillomavirus or HPV. There are many various subtypes of HPV, and most of them do not pose a health threat to humans. But some can make cells in the cervix turn into cancer. This is sometimes the case. Yet another cancer type induced by HPV is throat cancer or anal cancer.
Another virus that causes cancer is hepatitis B. This virus attacks the liver. If a person has hepatitis B for years, this damage might turn into liver cancer.
So now that we’ve all decided to freak out about every virus we get, it’s time to remember that most don’t cause cancer. And even with the ones that do have some link to cancer, not everyone who is infected will ever get the disease. Our bodies are very good at fighting viruses and repairing cell damage.
So, what can we do to protect ourselves?
For some viruses-for example, HPV-vaccines are available. These vaccines educate our immune system on how to combat a virus before it can do any damage. For other viruses, including hepatitis B, our risk is minimized by safe practice and testing if we suspect we have been exposed.
We must also keep our immune system strong. A good diet, exercise, and enough rest can help the body to respond effectively to viruses.
Environmental Toxins: Silent Death Around Us
Nowadays, we think about what causes cancer; it’s actually about our habits—what we eat, smoke, and how much exercise we get. However, there is another factor to consider, which sometimes has no role in our thinking about this illness: the environment around us.
Around us, there are chemicals and other substances we can’t even see or smell. Most of them are artificial. Though not all of them will prove hazardous, many can increase our chances of developing cancer if we are exposed to them for a long time.
For example, there is radon. Radon is a natural gas coming from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it, but it can trap in buildings, especially the basement. Through time, if we inhale radon, it breaks the cells of the lung and causes lung cancer.
Asbestos – a natural mineral included in many construction materials because of its superior strength and heat resistance. We now that if inhaled while airborne, asbestos fibres are capable of causing a specific kind of cancer known as mesothelioma.
Other worrying chemicals are those produced by humans. For example, a particular pesticide used on farms has been known to cause specific types of cancers. Conversely, others, such as bisphenol A or BPA, used in the manufacturing of plastics, pose a risk or enhance the possibility of cancer when people are exposed to considerable amounts over a long period.
Now that you have heard about all these environmental toxins, you may wish you lived in a bubble. Do not despair; the good news is that we can’t avoid everything, but there are ways to limit exposure.
- Radon—test your home and take steps to minimize levels if necessary.
- However, if you have an older home, there may be asbestos. It is better that you hire a professional to inspect the possible presence of asbestos before renovation commences.
- Chemicals in your products: You should have “BPA-free” items and use natural pesticides instead of chemical pesticides.
- Buy organic food as much as it is possible to limit your exposure to pesticides.
- Use air purifiers in your home to eliminate some airborne carcinogens.
Remember that our bodies are pretty robust and can take in a certain amount of toxins. The point is to reduce our exposure to those things we can control so our bodies have every chance of staying healthy.
Wrapping It Up: Knowledge is Power
It may get even more overwhelming while learning about these little-known causes of cancer. But still, knowing them will empower us to protect ourselves and our families against these risks.
Also, do not forget that if you possess one or many of the threats mentioned above factors, you are going to establish cancer. Cancer is not a straightforward ailment. There are many unknown causes of why one person will develop cancer and another will not.
But we know that good options reduce our risks of getting cancer. A good life style and a good understanding of our environment – those are all good things. Then there are routine check-ups and screening – often it’s when we find out about the cancer that the treatment makes all the difference.
Remember, health care isn’t about fear. It’s about taking control of your choices to live the life you want to live. So, use this knowledge to empower yourself, not scare yourself. Every little change you do toward a healthy lifestyle keeps you on the right track.
Keep up with your reading, keep yourself healthy, and be happy above all. Good health is all about it, after all!
REFERENCE LINKS:
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12194-cancer
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714
- https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/6-common-carcinogens-everyone-should-know-about
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer