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For decades, cancer has been widely viewed as a disease dictated by genetics. While inherited mutations can play a role, growing evidence shows that most cancers are influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors—factors we can modify. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 40 percent of all cancers in the United States are linked to potentially changeable risk factors, including obesity, poor diet, and physical inactivity.
In my practice, I emphasize that cancer prevention isn’t just about what’s in your DNA—it’s about the environment your cells live in. As Dr. Jason Fung has pointed out, the body’s “cellular soil” and immune system play pivotal roles in determining whether cancer can take root and grow.
Historically, cancer was thought to result mainly from genetic mutations, as outlined in the somatic mutation theory proposed by Theodor Boveri in the early 20th century. High-profile cases, like Angelina Jolie’s preventive surgery after discovering a BRCA1 mutation, reinforced the idea that genetics dominate cancer risk.
Yet research shows that hereditary factors account for a relatively small fraction of all cancers. Instead, the environment in which our genes function, shaped by lifestyle, diet, and exposure to toxins, has a far greater impact. Cigarette smoking, for example, remains the leading preventable cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., highlighting how lifestyle choices often outweigh inherited genetic risk.
Interestingly, cancers tend to manifest in remarkably similar ways worldwide, regardless of genetic differences. Breast cancer, for instance, exhibits consistent morphological and behavioral patterns across populations, suggesting that common environmental and physiological triggers drive its development more than heredity alone.
Obesity has long been recognized as a significant risk factor for several cancers, including breast, colon, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers. Research shows that obesity doesn’t just increase the likelihood of developing cancer; it also worsens outcomes.
Obesity creates a biological environment that encourages tumor growth through chronic inflammation, hormone imbalances, and metabolic dysfunction. One key player in this process is insulin. Elevated insulin levels, common in overweight individuals, act as a growth factor that can stimulate cell proliferation, including cancerous cells. By focusing on diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and supporting metabolic balance, we can reduce the risk and create an environment less favorable for cancer development.
I view cancer as a cellular survival mechanism: when cells experience chronic stress or damage, they may abandon their cooperative role within the body and revert to a primitive, survival-driven state. This “cellular anarchy” allows them to compete for nutrients and blood supply, creating tumors and other malignant growths.
Factors that contribute to this chronic damage include poor nutrition, environmental toxins, smoking, inflammation, and aging. Addressing cancer effectively requires more than just targeting malignant cells, it demands restoring the balance and health of the body’s cellular environment.
One of the most powerful natural strategies for supporting cellular health is autophagy—the body’s internal process of recycling damaged or dysfunctional cells. During periods of fasting or caloric restriction, autophagy is activated, allowing cells to remove damaged proteins, repair organelles, and maintain optimal function.
This process is particularly important for cancer prevention because it helps eliminate cells that could otherwise accumulate mutations or become abnormal. By incorporating controlled fasting periods into your lifestyle, you give your body the opportunity to perform this essential cellular “housekeeping,” supporting both metabolic balance and immune surveillance. Autophagy works hand-in-hand with other healthy habits to create a biological environment less hospitable to cancer development.
While genetics set the stage, the lifestyle and environment you control have a profound impact on your cancer risk. Key strategies include:
By combining fasting to stimulate autophagy with these lifestyle strategies, you optimize your cellular environment, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the conditions that allow cancer to thrive.
Cancer is not solely a product of your genes. While genetics can influence risk, the majority of cancers develop due to modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors. By reducing chronic inflammation, supporting the immune system, managing stress, improving metabolic health, limiting toxic exposure, and incorporating fasting to promote autophagy, you create a cellular environment that is inhospitable to cancer.
Simple, consistent choices—like adopting a low-insulin diet, exercising regularly, detoxifying your body, and protecting your cells—can profoundly reduce cancer risk. Prevention starts with understanding that your lifestyle matters just as much, if not more, than your genes.
