GARDEN ROUTE HEALTH NEWS - One in four people in the Western world dies of some form of cancer and most of these deaths are lifestyle related.

According to local surgeon Dr Claude Gose, breast, prostate and colon cancer are seven times more prevalent in the West than in Asian countries. "This is due to lifestyle differences. As little as 10% of cancers can be linked to genetic reasons, the overwhelming majority are due to diet and other bad habits."

Gose is presenting a series of lectures at six week intervals at the Sentrum Clinic in George on different cancers and other pathologies in a bid to educate people on ways to safeguard themselves against this and other dreaded diseases.
Gose kicked off his lectures with a talk on prostate cancer and told the mostly male audience that healthy eating can prevent and even fight prostate cancer.

"Our bodies produce defective cells all the time, but we are also equipped with defence mechanisms that detect and keep such cells in check. Cancer lies dormant in all of us, but 75% of the population’s defence me-chanisms will hold out. A healthy lifestyle will strengthen your immune system."

Gose advised men to eat at least two cloves of fresh garlic every day. "It has been proven that garlic contains properties that fight prostate cancer. If you leave it in your fridge for a few days these properties increase and the garlic becomes even more effective. Unlike raw tomato, cooked tomato like whole peeled tomatoes in a tin, is also excellent to protect the prostate against cancer. Remember, prevention is better than cure."

He advised the audience to avoid ketch-up because of the high sugar content. "Cancer cells love sugar."
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene that reduces the risk of prostate, cervical and ovarian cancer.
Garlic promotes the immune system due to its compounds, thus fighting cancer and will also slow down the progression of cancer. In addition it also lowers cholesterol and protects the heart.

Gose strongly advocates the use of these complementary ways to combat cancer. "Of course traditional treatments are imperative, but if you eat right, this will definitely increase your chances of a speedy recovery. The active chemicals in fruit and vegetables can do wonders."

He says research at very reputable universities across the globe has identified a variety of super foods that kill cancer cells. "Apart from garlic and tomato, other fantastic foods with anti-cancer properties are berries, broccoli, leeks and turmeric."
Gose says these super foods will be the medicines of the future. "If I could only get the message across to everyone. Many people are highly resistant to the message and refuse to give up their bad habits. If all the diabetics in the Southern Cape would only realise that many cases can be cured by simply changing your lifestyle, but every day I see many people who, regardless of all the threats to their health, refuse to give up sugar or lose weight."

His next lecture will be on 8 December at 15:00 at the Sentrum Clinic behind the George municipal offices just off York. The topic is breast cancer and entry is free.

ARTICLE AND PHOTO: ILSE SCHOONRAAD