Revealed: Two hidden causes of cancer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that every year 7.6 million people die from cancer worldwide. Luckily, you can avoid becoming another cancer statistic. Read on to discover the two hidden causes of cancer and what you can do to reduce your risk…

Believe it or not, more people die from cancer than from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC adds that the World Health Organisation projects that, without immediate action, the global number of deaths from cancer will increase by nearly 80% by 2030.

One thing is certain: When it comes to cancer, you’re better of preventing it.

How can you do this?

Avoid these two suspected causes of cancer in your everyday life

Health 24 gives you two of the less well known, but likely or suspected, environmental carcinogens, and what you can do to lower your exposure to them and reduce your chances of getting cancer.

#1: Bisphenol A and plastic bottles: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a man-made chemical used to manufacture certain plastic products. It crops up in almost everything from credit cards to car interiors to children’s toys and even baby bottles.

BPA has hormonal activity similar to the female hormone oestrogen and can disturb biological processes at very low concentrations if it enters your body.

Several studies have indicated that BPA may increase the risk for breast cancer.

How are you exposed to BPA?

If BPA-containing plastics are heated, the BPA can be released. For example, if you pour hot milk into a BPA-containing baby bottle, the BPA can enter the hot milk and the baby who drinks it.

It’s been found that 55 times more BPA is released from bottles filled with hot water compared to those with cold water, says Health 24.
How to avoid BPA?

In the report, Dr Devra Davis, Professor recommends you avoid avoiding plastics stamped with the number 7 (contains BPA), as well as 3 and 6 (contains similar chemicals that may be cause for concern).

Meanwhile, Dr Carl Albrecht, Head of Research at the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) says it’s the very hard plastic ones you need to beware of, they will say ‘PC’ for ‘polycarbonate.

He adds “the softer plastic ones, like those for bottled water, have not been shown to be harmful. But rather don’t reuse them a lot, taking them repeatedly in and out of the fridge. Still, the main potential danger with that is bacterial contamination.”

As a general rule, the two doctors recommend you avoid heating any plastic bottle. Use glass instead. You can also boil water or milk in another container and then allow it to cool before pouring it into a plastic bottle.

#2: Trans fats or trans fatty acids are made (inadvertently) when plant oils are converted to margarine.

“In the 1990s, scientists realised that trans fats increased the risk of coronary artery disease. There is still no clear scientific consensus about whether trans fats cause cancer, but some studies have linked them with breast and prostate cancer,” says Health 24.

How are you exposed to trans fats?

You can ingest trans fats in many margarines and a lot of baked and fried goods.

How can you avoid trans fats?

Margarines made by Unilever are free from trans fats, says the report. Examples include Flora, Rama, Stork and the SPAR house brand.
Woolworths foods also don’t contain trans fats. So get into the habit of reading food labels; many reputable brands advertise the fact that they’re trans-fat free.

Trans fats are just bad news. Not so long ago, the Natural Health Club reported a study had found the link between junk food and depression.

The culprit? Trans fats: The ingredient that helps to make junk food tasty and dangerous.

Now that you know about the two hidden causes of cancer, make sure you avoid them or limit their use.

Tags: cancer, hidden causes of cancer, bisphenol a and plastic bottles, bpa and cancer, trans fats and cancer