For Giving Tuesday, Colorado Aromatics will donate a portion of our sales to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Cancer has always been an interest of mine. As a child I went door to door collecting money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. My biochemistry Ph.D. research and postdoctoral work was centered around mechanisms for cancer cell growth. I worked on growth factors, protein kinases and signal transduction mechanisms that are involved in cancer growth. The most remarkable conclusion I came away with from this research is knowing how complicated the disease is and that cancer is a much easier disease to prevent than to treat. I have also lost two siblings to cancer, so cancer touches me in many ways on many levels.

AICR was formed in 1982 and I have always supported them, only morally initially until I was able to support them financially. AICR does a number of things. They raise funds to provide grant support for cancer research, they analyze studies to make recommendations for cancer prevention and they educate the public on what they can do to lower their risk for cancer.

AICR’s research focuses on how food, nutrition, physical activity and weight management affect the development, treatment and survival of cancer. Self responsibility can sometimes be hard for people to hear. Its far easier for us to insist on a cure, a pill that we can take to stay healthy or to cure our illnesses. When the responsibility comes back to fall in our lap its a little harder to swallow. But yes, very good scientific studies show that there are steps each of us can take to decrease our risk of cancer.

Based on the results of scientific research, these are the recommendations the AICR makes for cancer prevention:

1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. Limit sedentary habits.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods.
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day.
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
8. Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer.
9. * It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods.
10. * After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

*Special Population Recommendations

And do not smoke or use chewing tobacco.

Even better is that by following these guidelines you also decrease your risk for diabetes and heart disease.

I try to follow these guidelines, but have to admit that I could definitely be more lean, exercise more and decrease my alcohol consumption. I always hope that being vegetarian makes up for some of this.

The AICR estimates that over 1/3 of all cancers could be prevented if these guidelines were followed. How do you feel knowing that you have that kind of power over your health? The power to decrease your cancer risk by over 30%?

I think the work that AICR does is important which is why I am supporting it with a donation for Giving Tuesday. This includes not just sales made on Giving Tuesday but for sales made through our website all week long. Shop here.

Even if you do not purchase from Colorado Aromatics you can still donate here.

In Memory of Jody Jones and Gary Jones.