(NaturalNews) The number of breast cancer cases in England have increased by 81 percent in the last three decades, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), though breast cancer death rates have fallen since 1989.
From 1971 to 2004, breast cancer cases in England rose 81 percent to 36,939 cases, though deaths fell by a fifth in the last 15 years to 12,417. Experts say the lower death rate can be attributed to earlier detection and better treatment, and blame the rise on a wide range of factors. Lifestyle changes, national screening, obesity, alcohol consumption and aging could all contribute to the drastic rise in cases, experts say.
Mark Matfield, a scientific consultant for the Association for International Cancer Research, says that women's modern-day tendencies toward smaller families and less breast-feeding could also contribute. Other experts, such as Sir Richard Peto, a cancer expert at Oxford University, say people are focusing too hard on the rise in cases, and not hard enough on the decrease in the death rate.
However, natural health advocates say the true cause of the rise in cases is English citizens' lack of exposure to the sun. "It's astounding that doctors in the UK and United States continue to completely miss the real cause of breast cancer in the UK -- lack of sunlight and subsequent vitamin D deficiency," said nutritionist Mike Adams, coauthor of "The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D,"
a free, downloadable report from www.TruthPublishing.com. "The northern latitude and frequent cloud cover in the UK makes the nation's population especially susceptible to vitamin D deficiency, a condition that allows breast cancer tumors to grow unchecked."
Dr. Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK says women can take certain precautions to lower their risk of breast cancer. "A balanced diet and regular exercise can help women maintain a healthy weight which lowers the risk of several common cancers," Walker said. She also recommends women keep tabs on their family history of the disease.
The ONS data shows that one in three new cancer cases in women in England are breast cancer, followed by bowel and lung cancers. Adams says up to ninety percent of all cancers can be prevented through diet, sunshine and avoidance of toxic chemicals in food, pharmaceuticals and personal care products.
According to Adams, pharmaceutical companies refuse to acknowledge sunlight as a therapy because it is "competition" for the high-profit drug industry. "Sadly, Big Pharma refuses to recognize the lifesaving potential of something that patients can get for free," he said.
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