Research over the past decade is revealing that vegans rarely get cancer. Is this because they do not eat meat? And they follow a whole food, plant-based diet? Is there truth in the rumour that meat is full of cancer-causing toxins these days? What are we feeding our cows, pigs and sheep that is causing cancer in humans? Vegetarians have significantly lower incidents of cancer than meat eaters, and vegans have even lower cancer rates than vegetarians! Vegans rarely get cancer because they eat foods straight from the Earth – seeds, fruits, vegetables and pulses are naturally grown and picked, without being changed in any way after harvesting.
The Harvard Women’s Health Watch sums it up like this:
Cancer. Hundreds of studies suggest that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and there’s evidence that vegetarians have a lower incidence of cancer than nonvegetarians do. But the differences aren’t large. A vegetarian diet can make it easier to get the recommended minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, but a purely vegetarian diet is not necessarily better than a plant-based diet that also includes fish or poultry.
Build up the Immunity with Plant-Based Eating
Eating vegan foods makes the body so healthy that cancer cells have no hope of living here. The immune system and central nervous systems function in a balanced way. Tests were done on meat eaters who went vegan and their bloodstream became so anti-cancer because there was a marked reduction in a growth hormone that promotes cancer. This IGF-1 hormone increases when the person eats animal protein but decreases significantly when the animal proteins are omitted completely. This helps slow the growth of cancer cells, even preventing them from forming at all.
It follows that vegans (as per tests done in America) are less obese, have lower blood pressure and very low cancer risk. Going vegan can switch on genes that prevent cancer and switches off genes that cause cancer and heart disease. So, even if you have cancer in the family, and you think you are doomed, switch over to a meat-free, vegan diet and set yourself free of your genes.
Meat Eaters are Prone to Blood and Bowel Cancers
Doctors have noticed that meat eaters get stomach cancer a lot and that they also are prone to blood cancers – whereas vegans rarely get cancer. Researchers still don’t know why vegans don’t get blood cancers. More research needs to prove that the higher intake of fruits, vegetables, fibre and healthy fats actually reduce the risks of getting cancer. Fish eaters and vegetarians get cancer less often than meat or animal protein eaters. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there is a link between bowel cancer and eating red and processed meat. They advise people to eat only 300g of red meat a week, not the 970g English men are used to. Taking several days off meat eating a week is good for the body and mind. Other research warns meat eaters that eating simply a bacon sandwich and a fillet steak per day increases the risk of getting bowel cancer by 35%. The consumption of fruit and vegetables, fibre and whole grains reduced the risk and justifies the fact that vegans rarely get cancer.
Save the Planet – Become a Vegan
The Vegetarian Society acknowledges research that points out that one third of cancers are obviously related to diet. Becoming a vegetarian or a vegan is healthier for the body and also better for the planet. Producing meat is complex, from the feeding of the animals to the keeping of the animals in a healthy condition, the amount of land they need and the kind of gases that are emitted. Meat production contributes to about a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.
A Typical Vegan Diet
- Whole grains – rice, cereals, quinoa, millet, maize
- Proteins – tofu, beans, pulses, peanuts, nuts, seeds
- Oils – cold pressed plant oils and nut/seed butters
- Snacks – popcorn, corn snacks, dried fruits
- Eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you feel you need.
Being a vegan is taking the plunge to live closer to the Earth. It shows compassion to animals, to the soil and to your inner needs. Treat the body as your temple. Who needs to eat so much meat and who needs to treat animals in such a way that humans can eat? Growing vegatables may take up land but it can be farmed organically. Avoiding cancer means also avoiding chemicals, pesticides, fungicides and other additives found in and on foods. Vegans rarely get cancer because they avoid meat and animal proteins which cause cancer and the proof is in the research.