John Stossel has looked healthy and energetic during his recent broadcasts on FOX News. So it came as a shock when he announced recently that he has lung cancer.
And here’s another surprise about his diagnosis: Stossel says he has never smoked.1
Lung cancer is the nation’s number one cancer killer. About 160,000 Americans die from it each year. It is still viewed largely as a “smoker’s disease.” Sure, it’s also associated with occupations such as coal mining and asbestos work. But when most of us hear about someone getting lung cancer, we assume they are a smoker.
Stossel, 69, says his cancer was caught early. He had surgery to remove the tumor at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. One-fifth of one of his lungs was removed. He expects to make a full recovery.
So if he didn’t smoke… What gave him cancer?
The fact is, many people get lung cancer without tobacco ever touching their lips. Two recent studies show that as many as 28% of lung cancer patients are nonsmokers.2
5 Surprising Ways You Can Get Lung Cancer
Researchers say there are five major factors that cause lung cancer in people who don’t smoke:3
- Secondhand smoke: As a libertarian, Stossel has long bashed antismoking laws.4 But there is clear evidence that secondhand smoke is deadly. Nonsmokers who live with a smoker have a 24% greater risk for lung cancer. About 3,000 lung cancer deaths a year in the U.S. are attributable to secondhand smoke.
- Radon gas: This naturally occurring radioactive gas gets into homes through the soil and leaches through cracks in the foundation. One out of 15 homes in the U.S. has dangerous levels of radon gas, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year are caused by radon.4
- Asbestos: This material was used as ceiling insulation. It is now banned. But some buildings still contain it. The fibers can break loose, become airborne, and be inhaled into the lungs. Asbestos workers were found to have a five-fold greater risk of lung cancer.
- Heredity: Studies show lung cancer can run in families. Even among nonsmokers.
- Air pollution: Dirty air causes up to 2,000 lung cancer deaths a year in the U.S., according the National Institutes of Health.
5 Ways to Protect Yourself
- Test for radon. Test kits are widely available at hardware stores. A basic test kit costs less than $20. If your home tests high, you can install a radon removal system.6
- Breathe clean air. Don’t exercise near busy streets or pollution-spewing industrial areas. Keep your distance from people when they are smoking.
- Take the natural form of vitamin E. D-alpha tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant that can reduce the risk of lung cancer.7 Take a supplement or eat foods high in natural vitamin E. These include wild-caught salmon, hazelnuts, almonds, and avocado.
- Get sun. People who get less sun exposure are more likely to get lung cancer, according to a study from the University of California at San Diego.8 Aim for 15 minutes of sun exposure a day with arms and legs uncovered. Sun exposure causes the body to produce vitamin D. Numerous studies show vitamin D fights cancer.
- Drink green tea. One cup or more of green tea a day dramatically cuts lung cancer risk among both smokers and nonsmokers, according to a study from Taiwan.9
Here’s one other thing you should know about cancer prevention…
A small group of holistic doctors were quietly discovering cancer breakthroughs.
Then, when word of their effective therapies started getting out, something terrible started happening… The doctors started disappearing.
Get all the details HERE.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Executive Director, INH Health Watch
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References:
1https://twitter.com/gregbishop1/status/722835962217123842
2http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/850708
3http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53012
4http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/dec/11/john-stossel/fox-business-pundit-no-good-data-deaths-secondhand/
5http://www.medicinenet.com/radon_symptoms_poisoning_tests_cancer_causes/article.htm
6http://www.medicinenet.com/radon_symptoms_poisoning_tests_cancer_causes/article.htm
7http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3380426/
8http://www.naturalnews.com/035282_vitamin_D_lung_cancer_prevention.html
9http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20100112/green-tea-may-cut-smokers-lung-cancer-risk