Belly fat ups risk of 10 cancers

This morning I was sitting in my office talking with a patient about the obesity epidemic. We were talking about how important it is to prevent obesity, especially in the younger population.

Now I should state, off the bat, that this was a very well-informed patient. She’s miles ahead of most Americans when it comes to understanding health issues. Just like you are.

But even she was shocked when I pointed out an important fact about obesity. She knew it was bad, but she had no idea that it’s implicated in at least 10 types of cancer. And those are just the ones we know of so far.

And what’s the No. 1 contributor to obesity in this country? Sugar!

Over the years we’ve imposed controls on other substances that put lives at risk. Just look at tobacco and alcohol. Can you imagine, these days, if parents gave kids beer and cigarettes at a birthday party? But we’re perfectly fine with cake, cookies, and sodas being part of kids’ upbringing.

Even though we know, without a doubt, that sugar kills.

The things you eat cannot be taken for granted or excused or overlooked when you are trying to prevent disease and live a long, healthy life. Lifestyle’s role in obesity cannot be ignored.

And neither can abdominal fat, according to a new study.

I’ve talked about this before, but research is continuing to find links between belly fat and health risks. And this recent study shows that abdominal fat in particular is just as much a concern when it comes to cancer risk as overall body fat.

The paper looked at data from more than 43,000 people. It showed that increases in body mass index (BMI) upped the risk of developing 10 obesity-related cancers by 11 percent. But increased waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were even more deadly, upping cancer risk by 13 and 15 percent respectively.

There’s no arguing this point: That stubborn fat around the mid-section will do you in. It stimulates inflammation throughout your body. Which is precisely the reason I developed the amino boost to go along with the A-List Diet. Those amino acids specifically target the weight around the midsection.

As you know, I’m not a fan of using BMI as an indicator of fitness. That’s because it doesn’t take into account muscle mass, wasting, body shape, etc. BMI measurements can be (and often are) misleading. But measuring your midsection is not.

Any way you slice it, being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing certain cancers, including breast and bowel. I think if more people knew this, they’d get the message that there are concrete ways you can reduce your risk of cancer.

In fact, I would argue that cutting the No. 1 contributor of obesity — sugar — will do more to protect you from cancer than any other lifestyle change you can make.

The medical establishment is hiding the fact that sugar kills. But if people only knew, then perhaps we would have a shot at changing behaviors. We did it with cigarette smoking, and we can do it with sugar. The after-dinner cigarette has gone the way of the dinosaur. Perhaps the after-dinner dessert will too, once more people know it will give them cancer.

Granted, just like one cigarette isn’t going to kill you, neither will a bite of a cupcake once in a while. But judging by the obesity rates in this and many other countries, a small indulgence once in a while is not what we’re dealing with.

For a complete rundown on all the safe, natural steps you can take, starting today, to protect yourself — and your family — from cancer, see my special report Cancer-Free for Life. You can learn more about it or order a copy by clicking here.

 

Source:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/880719


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