My husband Brian and his sister Pat were young children when their parents moved the family to the mining town of Wittenoom asbestos , Western Australia. Now a ghost town Wittenoom remains heavily contaminated with asbestos, the main cause of mesothelioma.
Brian and Pat were less than two years apart in age. They were best friends and almost always in the company of another. They are not expensive toys to play with, but they do not mind. They had fun making mud pies and playing hide and seek in their backyard.
There was no way Brian and Pat could have known about asbestos dust in their backyard or their innocent game could one day cost them their lives.
The family left Wittenoom after less than a year. While Brian and Pat had similar levels of exposure to asbestos, that the future for them could not be more different.
Brian has developed pleural mesothelioma at age 52, he died of the disease two years later. Pat, however, showed no signs of illness related to asbestos and remain healthy to date.
I can not help but wonder why. What caused Brian to develop mesothelioma factors while her sister did not? I think the answer may involve the immune system of Brian.
long history of good health
Brian had excellent health until a year before his diagnosis of mesothelioma. In our 30 odd years of marriage, I only saw him suffer a disease outside the cold, and he always bounced back stronger than ever.
After taking a job at a local factory shrimp, things started to change. Each morning after waking up, he spent much time blowing his nose. When I asked where all the mucus was, he said it could be related to his work.
Brian explained the factory used a chemical preservative called sodium metabisulfite which prevented black spots from forming on the shrimp. He said he and his colleagues could not avoid inhaling chemical vapors loaded every day.
Around the same time, the health problems of Brian began. I noticed his energy was lower than usual, and he tired more easily. I put it on his long hours at the factory and used to go fishing in his free time rather than resting.
When he experienced dyspnea and came down with a cold that never seemed to go further, I am convinced that he had a lung infection. I could not be more wrong.
Brian visited her doctor and was diagnosed with pleural effusion, an accumulation of fluid in his chest cavity. After the doctor drained the fluid from his body, pathology tests confirmed a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma. Prognosis of less than a year has been devastating.
weak immune system may have played a role
For me, this sad time, it seemed terminal illness Brian came out of nowhere. Looking back, I can see that it may have been seriously ill for some time.
I believe that the immune systems of Brian was a contributing factor to her cancer. In 01, a groundbreaking study confirmed the immune system plays a key role in protecting the body against cancer, often blocking tumors from developing.
The Brian problem with accumulation of mucus may have been his immune system to try to rid the body of toxic chemicals it daily inhaled at work. Fatigue, endless cold -. Perhaps these signs were his immune system was more capable of protecting it from disease
I can not help wondering what would have happened if Brian heed warnings, quit his factory job shrimp and concentrated on improving her health. Would that have protected mesothelioma? Was it more susceptible to cancer than her sister because of his genetics?
I know I'll never find definitive answers to these questions.
Focusing on immune system health
Whatever the role of the immune system in the diagnosis of Brian, his illness has changed my approach to my own well-being physical. I no longer take my health for granted. After doing research on the immune system, I now have the tools I need to keep my body healthy enough to prevent disease.
The immune system is our defense against infection and all forms of the disease. Its main objective is to identify and destroy foreign cells. It kills germs, viruses and parasites that invade our bodies and make us sick.
It also relates to the abnormal cells and destroys them before they form cancerous tumors in the body. But the immune system often difficult to target tumor cells, making it difficult for our body to fight against cancer once it develops and spreads.
The researchers are making impressive progress with immunotherapy, a type of treatment that gives the immune system a fighting chance against cancer.
The best way to help your immune system is to live a healthy life. There are a number of ways to boost the immune system, including adopting healthy habits, get good nutrition and stress reduction.
Strategies for Healthy Living
The immune system develops when we have an excellent overall health. Boost your immune system with these healthy habits:
- exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight
- Get plenty of sleep
- Maintain good personal hygiene
- Avoid known toxins such as asbestos, chemicals and fertilizers.
- regularly and always wash hands before handling food.
- Consult your doctor for regular health checks and examinations.
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- I do not smoke.
Good nutrition tips
A nutritious diet and regular exercise to keep your immune system at its best. Here are some ways to improve your diet:
- Know what you eat and where it comes from. Whenever possible, stick to organic food that has not been treated with chemicals or fertilizers.
- Eat at least 2 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables daily.
- Limit your consumption of red and processed meats. Choose fish, poultry or beans as an alternative.
- When you do eat red meat, choose lean cuts and limit your portions.
- Choose whole grain breads, pasta and cereals instead of food made from white flour.
- Avoid high calorie foods such as french fries, ice cream and candy.
- reduce sugar consumption. Research shows obesity and a diet high in sugar are linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Reducing stress
The management of stress, especially chronic stress or long term, may empower the immune system and helps prevent diseases. Ways to manage stress:
- Reduce stress as much as possible
- Take a break from sources of stress when you can .. Sometimes walking away for 20 minutes can help.
- Do not let depression, anxiety and other disorders untreated mood.
- Reduce stress with breathing exercises or taking a walk.
- Meditate or pray to relax your mind and body.
Of course there are no guarantees that we will stay completely clear of the disease in our lives, but there is much we can do to lessen the chances. Our immune system is the key to our survival, and it is our duty to keep it healthy.
