Friday, March 11, 2011

Is Cure of Cancer Really The Goal? by Dr. Iva Lloyd, ND

“Cure” is a popular slogan when it comes to fundraising for different cancers. Don’t get me wrong, anyone who has had a loved one or friend touched by cancer wants them to find a cure, wants them to live and to enjoy life. The concern with the primary focus of fundraising being on “curing” cancer is that over 90% of fundraising dollars are being spent on researching new drugs versus looking for ways of preventing cancer in the first place.

Recently the emphasis has been on detecting cancer sooner, to increase the chance of a cure, which is honourable, but the medical system is still missing the boat. If cancer rates are ever going to decrease there needs to be much greater focus on prevention.

It is only by recognizing that health and disease are logical and that there are reasons why cancer and other diseases develop that any headway is going to be made. Less than 10% of cancers are due to genetic factors, which mean that 90% or more are preventable. Even when there is a genetic predisposition it is often lifestyle and environmental factors that determine whether or not the genes are turned on or not.


There are many factors that contribute to rising rates of cancer including lifestyle, mental-emotional stress and some medications. There is also a growing concern about the impact of water and environment on health.
Don’t wait until you need a cure. There is a lot that you can do to stay healthy today and in the future.  To get on the path of disease prevention, talk to your naturopathic doctor.