For years, scientists have been trying to solve the mystery–why do people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a greater risk of developing some forms of cancer? A 2019 study has discovered a reason for this double whammy. When blood sugars rise, your DNA sustains more damage. It also is repaired less when compared with people who have healthy blood sugars. This reason increases your risk in contracting more cancer.
Other reasons include a condition known as hyperinsulinemia. Insulin controls your blood sugar levels but this hormone can also stimulate cell growth which can lead to cancer. Also, many people with diabetes are overweight and their excess fat tissues produce higher levels of adipokines which promote chronic inflammation.
The bottom line is–type 2 diabetes can double your risk for certain cancers, including cancer of the colon, breast, liver, pancreas, uterus, and bladder. Diabetes doubles your risk for liver, pancreas and endometrial cancers. It also increases your risk 20-50% for cancers of the colon, breast, and bladder.
RISK FACTORS LEADING TO CANCER
- Age – As you get older, your risk for cancer and type 2 diabetes goes up.
- Gender – Overall, cancer occurs more often in men. Men also have a slightly greater risk of developing diabetes than women.
- Race – African Americans and non-Hispanic whites are more likely to develop cancer. African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans are also at higher risk.
These are all factors we have no control over. But you can greatly reduce their impact by reducing the risk in the following group.
- Weight – Being overweight can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
- Inactivity – Higher physical activity lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
- Smoking – Smoking is linked to several types of cancer. Studies show it is also a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes.
- Alcohol – Drinking more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men raises the risk for both diabetes and cancer.
HOW TO LOWER YOUR RISK
Eat More Plants. The Eat-2-Beat Diabetes plan can also help you beat cancer. Choose a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, whole grains and fruit. Also include more beans, peas and lentils in your meals. They are a healthier source of protein and are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals.
The best choices for fruit and vegetables are fresh, frozen and canned (without added sodium, fat or sugars). Try to eat at least 5 daily servings of vege-tables, especially from the cruciferous family (i.e. cabbage family), such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, brussel sprouts and all varieties of cabbage.
Shop for cereals and grains that list a whole grain as the first ingredient. Examples of whole grains include 100% whole wheat, bulgar, steelcut or rolled oats, whole grain cornmeal, brown rice or quinoa. Eating just 6 ounces of whole grains daily may decrease your colorectal cancer risk by 21%!
Choose fruits that are fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugars. Common fruits include apples, pears, peaches, and all kinds of berries.
Get More Active. Set a goal to exercise daily. 30 minutes of brisk walking or similar activity will work. If you are dealing with diabetes, add 15-20 minute walks after eating. This will prevent blood sugar spikes and help you to burn fat more effectively. It has been found to be one of the key strategies to reversing diabetes along with a whole food plant-based diet. If you haven’t been walking much, start out slow. Try 5 minutes after eating at least 2 meals a day, but gradually increase. 60 minutes of walking a day should be your ultimate goal. This is great for overall fitness even if you are not dealing with diabetes.
Lose Weight. If you are overweight, even losing 7% of your body weight (15 pounds if you weight 200 pounds) can make a big difference.
Quit Smoking. If you smoke, find a stop smoking class or talk to your physician about ways you can stop. Prepare by setting a date to quit, throw away your cigarettes, or ask others for help. Get plenty of non-caffeinated liquids during this time. Shower or bathe daily. Water in and water out is a great recovering strategy.
BENEFITS OF EATING MORE PLANT FOODS
The same way of eating that can help with preventing common cancers in America just so happens to be the same way of eating that can also prevent and reverse heart disease, type 2 diabetes and many other leading causes of death. Unlike drugs, which tend to only target specific conditions and can have dangerous side effects and may only treat symptoms, a healthy diet can benefit all organ systems at once, has good side effects and treat the underlying cause of illness.
The truth is that adhering to these 4 simple lifestyle factors (eating whole plant foods, being active, losing weight and not smoking) can have a strong impact of preventing and even reversing chronic diseases. These 4 factors alone have been found to account for 78% of chronic disease risk.
If you start from scratch and tick off all 4, you may be able to wipe out more than 90% of your risk for developing diabetes, more than 80% of having a heart attack, cut by half your risk of stroke, and reduce your overall cancer risk by more than one-third. For some cancers, like the number 2 cancer killer—colon cancer—up to 71% of cases can be preventable by using a simple diet and lifestyle changes.
