What we eat has a lot to do with the quality life that we live and what we get out of it. We would never put the wrong kind of fuel into our cars. However, many times, we take very little consideration of what we put into our months. Like a car, the wrong fuel leads to poor performance and eventual malfunctions and can lead to the early appearance of problems. In fact, according to Dr Gonzalez (2019, p. 24), 'It can be safely stated that diet is currently the most important factor for either enjoying health or suffering from disease'. For this reason, knowing what and how to eat is extremely important for reaching optimum health. Furthermore, if we are rundown or ill, a nutritious, simple and healthy health diet is the prerequisite required to get us back on track to reach our optimum health (Rad 2016). Opt4Health Solutions is proud to be able to offer two books to assist the body with repair, optimum health and top quality of life. These books include Food as medicine by Sue Rad (2016) and 101 secrets to a health life by Dr JA Gonzalez (2019).
References
Gonzalez, JA 2019, 101 Secrets to a healthy life, New Lifestyle, 2nd edn, Editorial Safilez, Madrid.
Rad, S 2016, Food as medicine, Signs Publishing Company, Warburton.
Cancer remains a major problem for developed countries such as Australia. In 2018, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 432,400 or 1/50 Australians being diagnosed with cancer. The report also reported that 2.1 percent or 250,900 males were more likely to have cancer as compared to 1.5 percent or 179,700 females (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018). This has led to increased research for more effective, less invasive and less debilitating cancer treatments. New technologies include nanotechnology and immunotherapies. Nanotechnology has the potential to increase potency and specificity while at the same time minimising the collateral toxicity that occurs with many of the conventional therapies such as chemotherapies and radiation therapies (Gmeiner & Ghosh 2015). However, there are concerns over some of the possible dangers of this therapy (Haque et al. 2010). Another new therapy is immunotherapy, which up-regulates the immune system to attack the cancer cell. Immunotherapy also has the potential to treat cancer with less toxicity than conventional treatments (Smith, Oertle & Prato 2014). As good as these new therapies may be, the cause of the cancer is not dealt with and even these therapies may cause residual problems.
There is a need to get back to basics. Firstly, we need to prevent cancer by reducing the risks and removing initiators or carcinogens. In the words of Hippocrates, Illness does not come out of the blue. Rather, it develops from small daily violations against nature. When enough violations have a occurred, disease is initiated (Facchini 2020). This does not mean that if we follow all the right lifestyle practices we will not get cancer. Cancer also has a genetic component (Facchini 2020). However, lifestyle changes can reduce the risk and if cancer is contracted, can improve quality of life, assist with progress through treatment and increase longevity. For this reason, integrative cancer care and management that integrates conventional care with lifestyle changes is important for cancer survival and helps the individual take control of a situation that often seems so hopeless (Block 2009). Furthermore, naturopathic and botanical approaches can also modify the trajectory of the disease by reducing inflammation and increasing the immune response (Abrams & Weil 2009).
Opt4Health Solutions is proud to be able to offer both cancer survivorship navigation and a number of educational resources that can help with the reducing the risk of cancer occurrence and assisting the individual with taking back control and managing their own life with practical lifestyle changes that not only increase quality of life but also help to increase longevity and cancer survivorship. Opt4Health Solutions is excited to be able to accompany you in this journey.
References
Abrams, D & Weil, A 2009, Integrative oncology, Oxford University Press, New York.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018, Cancer, Australian Government, Canberra, viewed 12 April 2022, <https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/cancer/latest-release>.
Block, KI 2009, Life over cancer: the Block Centre program for integrative cancer treatment, Bantam Books, New York.
Facchini, R 2020, Cancer: practical guide to understanding, preventing and coping with the disease, 2nd edn, Editorial Safeliz, Madrid.
Gmeiner, WH & Ghosh, S 2015, 'Nanotechnology for cancer treatment', Nanotechnology Reviews, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 111-122, viewed 12 April 2022, <file:///Volumes/TOSHIBA%20EXT/Opt4Health%20Solutions/Nanotechnology_for_cancer_treatment.pdf>.
Haque, N, Khalel, RR, Parvez, N, Yadav, S, Al-Sharif, S, Hwisa, NT, Awen, BZ & Molvi, K 2010, 'Nanotechnology in cancer therapy: a review', Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 161-168, viewed 12 April 2022, <file:///Volumes/TOSHIBA%20EXT/Opt4Health%20Solutions/Nanotechnology_for_cancer_treatment.pdf>.
Smith, AJ, Orertle, J & Dino, P 2014, 'Immunotherapy in cancer treatment', Open Journal of Medical Microbiology, vol. 4, pp. 178-191, viewed 12 April 2022, <file:///Users/anthonybates/Downloads/Immunotherapy_in_Cancer_Treatment.pdf>.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that about 78.6% of Australians had at least one long-term health condition in 2020 to 2021, with 11.6 million Australians having at least one chronic health disease with mental and behavioural conditions, back problems and arthritis being the most common chronic health conditions (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2022). Many of these diseases are caused by incorrect lifestyle habits and interactions with the environment that lead to influences on the epigenetic profile (Jones 2005).
The general way to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, auto-immune diseases is to control the disease suppress the symptoms through the administration of anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensives medications and steroids. However, there are root causes to chronic diseases, which if taken away improve both the symptoms and the management of those diseases. This is the root principle of functional medicine, which is removing the cause and alleviating the symptoms. Opt4 Health Solutions promotes this approach in order to assist the individual to reach their optimum health potential.
Functional medicine focuses on the bio-unique individual and finding the foods, supplements and lifestyle that help address health issues and lead the individual back to optimum health (Bland et al. 1999). In order to determine root causes and plot the therapeutic direction, functional medicine implements holistic health assessments with the aim of implementing nutrigenomic protocols (Jones 2005). The foods and supplements specifically for the individual contain the nutrients and molecules that enable the pathway back to health (Bland et al. 1999). Thus, the functional medicine approach assists with the identification of the proper focus from a multi-disciplinary approach that is patient centred that can be applied by both individual and caregiver (Jones 2005).
Opt4Health Solutions is excited to join you in your journey to health. From the initial consult, through to follow-up care and the provision of nutriceuticals the support your onward journey as you climb your mountain to reach peak health. Opt4Health is not here to take your lifestyle choices from you but to empower you to embrace your privilege to chose better health.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Health conditions prevalence, Australian Government, viewed 04 April 2022, <https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/health-conditions-prevalence/2020-21>.
Bland, JS, Costarella, L, Levin, D, Liska, Lukaczer, D, Schiltz, B, Schmidt, MA 1999, Clinical nutrition: a functional approach, The Institute of Functional Medicine, Gig Harbor, Washington.
Jones, DS (ed) 2005, Textbook of functional medicine, Institute for Functional Medicine, Gig Habor, Washington.