1. Valley News
Tuesday, May 6, 2014 Valley Courier Page 5
Dr. Fuhrman: How are diabetes and cancer connected?By DR. JOEL
FUHRMAN
VALLEY — More than 25
million people in the United
States have type 2 diabetes,
and that figure doesn’t even
count the 7 million who have
diabetes and remain undiag-
nosed. The dangerously high
prevalence of overweight
and obesity is at the heart
of this problem. Diabetes is
the seventh leading cause of
death in the United States, is
theleadingcauseofblindness
and kidney failure in adults,
and doubles the risk of heart
attack and stroke.1, 2
Diabetes also increases
the risk of several cancers.
In a number of studies,
diabetic patients have been
shown to have an elevated
risk of colorectal cancer and
non-diabetics with elevated
postprandial glucose levels
also have a higher risk of
colorectal cancer than indi-
viduals with normal glucose
tolerance.3, 4
Areviewthatanalyzeddata
from several studies found
that diabetic patients are 30
percentmorelikelytodevelop
colorectal cancer, 20 percent
more likely to develop breast
cancer, and 82 percent more
likely to develop pancreatic
cancer.5-7
How could diabetes influ-
ence the development of
cancer? The high blood glu-
cose levels and the resultant
elevated insulin response as-
sociatedwithtype2diabetes,
affect all tissues of the body.
Ithasbeenhypothesizedthat
dietshighinsugarsandwhite
flour increase the risk of can-
cers because of their impact
on these factors, particularly
elevated insulin.
Scientistsbelievethatinsu-
lin therapy and elevated in-
sulin levels contribute to the
associationbetweendiabetes
andcolorectalcancer.Insulin
in high concentrations may
bind to the receptor for a
growth factor called insulin-
like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
– this interaction has the
potential to promote growth
and division of cancer cells.
Cancerous cells also often
haveelevatedlevelsofinsulin
receptors, and when insulin
binds these receptors it has
growth-promoting effects.6
There is much evidence
supporting the possibility
thatchronicexposuretodiets
rich in refined carbohydrates
may act directly to promote
cancer development. Foods
with a high glycemic load
(suchassugarandwhiteflour
products)producedangerous
spikes in blood glucose, con-
sequently resulting in high
insulin production. Diets
including large quantities
of high GL foods increase
the risk of several chronic
diseases, including cancers.8
Forexample,ameta-analy-
sisofmanystudiesfounda26
percentincreaseincolorectal
cancerriskinpeoplewhocon-
sumedthemosthighglycemic
load foods in their diets.9
I have observed in my
medical practice that a Nu-
tritarian diet combined with
moderate exercise can re-
verse diabetes in 90 percent
of patients, and that an ag-
gressivenutritionalapproach
is more effective and much
saferthanconventionaldrug-
centered care. The best diet
for preventing or reversing
diabetes is also the best diet
for cancer protection. It is a
diet with a high nutrient per
calorie ratio – including lots
ofgreenandnon-starchyveg-
etables, beans, raw nuts and
seeds, and some fresh fruit;
limitinganimalproducts;and
avoidingsweeteners,oilsand
white flour. The high levels
of dietary micronutrients
fuel cellular repair, reduce
body fat and heal the body
from the inside out, result-
ing in a dramatic reversal of
heart disease, and diabetes,
offering dramatic protection
against cancer.
The End of Diabetes is a
must read for all Americans
whoareoverweightandthose
withpre-diabetesordiabetes.
Dr. Fuhrman is a #1 New
YorkTimesbest-sellingauthor
and a board certified family
physician specializing in life-
styleandnutritionalmedicine.
His newest book, The End
of Dieting, debunks the fake
“science” of popular fad diets
and offers an alternative to
dieting that leads to perma-
nent weight loss and excellent
health. Visit his informative
website at DrFuhrman.com.
Submit your questions and
comments about this column
directly to newsquestions@
drfuhrman.com
1. American Diabetes As-
sociation: Diabetes statistics
2. CDC: National Diabetes
Fact Sheet.
3. Eur J Cancer 1991,
27:582-586.
4. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999,
91:1147-1154.
5. EurekAlert!; 2010.
6. Endocr Relat Cancer
2009, 16:1103-1123.
7. Arch Physiol Biochem
2008, 114:63-70.
8. Am J Clin Nutr 2008,
87:627-637.
9. Am J Clin Nutr 2008,
87:1793-1801.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman
DENVER — Three Trini-
dad State-Valley Campus
students who competed in
the Phi Beta Lambda state-
wide competition in Denver
qualified for the national
competitioninJune. Inaddi-
tion Trinidad State’s Shawn
Cavalli was chosen Advisor
of the Year. Trinidad State
was also honored for the size
of its local program.
Colleges from across the
state sent representatives
to the two-day competition
at Johnson and Wales Uni-
versity in Denver on April
12 and 13. Phi Beta Lambda
is the college counterpart of
Future Business Leaders of
America, which runs at high
schools all over the country.
Student Marcos Trujillo
won 1st place in Computer
Concepts as well as 1st Place
Trinidad State students excel at state business competition
inNetworkingConcepts. Ja-
son Delman had a 2nd place
finishinRetailManagement.
The team of Trujillo, Delman
and Jessie Hinkley also won
2nd place in Parliamentary
Procedures.
Those who finish in the
top three at the state level
automatically qualify for the
national Phi Beta Lambda
competition, this summer in
Nashville in late June.
Hinkley also took fifth
place in Word Processing.
Trujillo had taken home a
2nd place plaque last year
in Computer Concepts.
“They’rebasicallyhundred
questionexamsandyouhave
an hour to complete it. So
you’re definitely under the
gun; less than a minute a
question,”saidTrujillo. “The
more interesting part is the
group events that we were
able to compete in. Jason
and I did Business Decision
Making. We didn’t place, but
we actually had to present in
frontofapanelofjudges.You
have 20 minutes to prepare
yourpresentationfromacase
study that they provide you.
And it’s just completely off
the top of your head.”
“There were four-year col-
leges, there were community
colleges,” said Cavalli. “The
two certificates that we got
forhighestincreaseinenroll-
mentandmostmemberswas
onthecommunitycollegelev-
el. But all these awards—we
were competing against the
Air Force Academy, Adams
State University, business
schools from Colorado.”
In addition, the Trinidad
StateChapterwontheaward
for raising the most money
to support the state PBL-
sponsored charity Rachel’s
Challenge, which seeks to
combat bullying in schools.
Rachel was the first stu-
dent shot and killed during
the Columbine tragedy and
the idea behind the char-
ity is based on her attitude
and journals that focused
on including students who
struggle socially.
“Part of the evaluation is
softskills—dress,demeanor,
professionalism, all of that
is taken into consideration,”
said Cavalli. “So all the
students needed to present
themselves very profession-
ally, which is a good reflec-
tion on our school.”
Trujillo will graduate next
month from Trinidad State
with an Associate of Applied
Science in Computer Net-
working and Technologies.
This will be his second time
to go to the national compe-
tition. Delman and Hinkley
willbebackatTrinidadState
in the fall to continue their
studies.
Trinidad State’s competitors at the statewide Phi Beta Lambda competition are shown
with their awards. From left are Advisor Shawn Cavalli and students Jason Delman,
Jessie Hinkley and Marcos Trujillo.
Courtesy Photo
SLV TA announces annual conference
SAN LUIS VALLEY—
The San Luis Valley Tour-
ism Association announces
its annual tourism confer-
ence and auction which
will be held on Thursday,
May 8 at the Bistro Rialto
in Alamosa.
This year's theme will be
"Communicating, Network-
ing and Branding Together."
Registration begins at 2:30
p.m., and Karla Shriver will
be kicking off the event by
introducing the new SLV
GO campaign.
All San Luis Valley tour-
ism entities will be encour-
aged to give updates of their
news and marketing efforts.
John Ricks, associate
director of the Colorado
Tourism Office, will be the
keynote speaker highlight-
ing how the tourism indus-
try has led the recovery in
Colorado and how promo-
tion of the state has paid off.
Proceeds from the auction
to follow will go towards
matching funds for a CTO
grant to promote the San
Luis Valley as a tourism
destination.
The registration fee is $25,
and any tourism business
that attends will receive
a one-year membership to
the association. For more
information or to register
email sanluisvalley.org@
gmail.com.
Habitat Store
hours given
ALAMOSA — Habitat
StoreisopenTuesdaythrough
Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at
507 Main Street, Alamosa.
Habitat offers gently used
building supplies and home
furnishings for discounted
prices.Todonate,callRhonda
at 588-3689; for information
call 589-8688; or check out
www.slvhabitat.org
Donationshelpbuildhomes
in the San Luis Valley.
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