Creating a Healing Environment
Key Points
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Some exposures are beneficial to health and wellness. These include nature, clean air and water, bright light in the morning and darkness at night.
Classifying ExposuresThe International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) lists hundreds of exposures in several categories based on research showing connections to cancer:1
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However, a wide range of chemical and physical agents—both natural and human-generated—may damage our DNA and impact our health in many ways. As BCCT founder and author Michael Lerner has stated, it’s hard to be healthy on a sick planet. These exposures include air pollution, many chemicals, and several forms of radiation.
Highlighted VideoBCCT Senior Researcher Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS, offers tips on how to create a healing environment. |
Healing Exposures
Nature
Exposure to or immersion in nature is associated with several health benefits:2
- Reduced stress and a better outlook on life
- Reduced blood pressure and cholesterol
- Decreased risk of mental illness
- Maintaining levels of cells that contribute to preventing the generation and development of cancer
The Japanese practice of "forest bathing" involves mindful immersion in a forested setting to take in all the sensory stimuli. Reviews, meta-analyses and other studies have found that forests and other natural environments have the following beneficial effects on human health:3
- Increase immune function (human natural killer (NK) activity, the number of NK cells) and the intracellular levels of anticancer proteins
- Reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones
- Increase the activity of parasympathetic nerves and reduce the activity of sympathetic nerves
- Increase the levels of serum adiponectin which regulated glucose levels and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, important in sex hormone production
- Reduce the scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion, and increase the score for vigor
- Increase the likelihood of reporting good health or high well-being
These effects all optimize your body terrain for promoting health and resilience against cancer.
Addressing only the symptoms of a problem is unlikely to produce real wellness if the underlying causes are left in place.
Some ways to increase your exposure to nature:
- To regular outings for shopping or other errands, add a half-hour stop for a walk in a park, at a beach, in a wooded area, on a prairie or in whatever natural areas are near you. Engaging in physical activity in nature is likely to increase the health benefits.
Ecologic Models of HealthLooking at situations of health and illness through ecologic models can help discern relationships and leverage points for change. Read more on our Ecologic Models of Health page. |
Clean Food, Water and Air
Consuming food, water and air uncontaminated with the chemicals listed below—or with lead, arsenic, mercury or other metals—is important for giving your body the materials it needs to fight infection and heal.
Some ways to increase your exposure to clean food, water and air:
- Purchase organically grown food when you can. Not only will you be consuming fewer pesticide residues, but you’ll be helping to keep runoff chemicals from our water supplies.
Light in the correct color spectrum and at the right time of day is beneficial to health and healing.
Light
Light in the correct color spectrum and at the right time of day is beneficial to health and healing. Our natural rhythms of hormones promote healthy cycles of wakefulness and sleep throughout the day, and light influences these hormone and sleep cycles. Preliminary research shows that bright light therapy in the morning can improve sleep in people with cancer.5
However, the wrong type of light or at the wrong time of day might be a problem.
Chemical Exposures
Anticancer Lifestyle ProgramUsing expert videos, animation, text and interactives, the Environment Module of the Anticancer Lifestyle Program gives you tools to make informed and wise purchasing decisions to reduce your exposure to toxics common in daily living. This course is offered on a “pay-what-you-can” basis for 90-day access to all course modules. |
Air Pollution
Indoor air in many buildings is likely to contain toxics in harmful concentrations.
Outdoor air pollution comes to mind when many people think of air pollution, and without a doubt the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and other air toxicants from vehicles, industry, burning and mining create an unhealthy environment. However, indoor air in many buildings is also likely to contain toxics in harmful concentrations.
Air Pollution and CancerSome evidence suggests that exposure to air pollution may play a role in some types of cancer. Some examples:
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What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Reduce the use of products that off-gas toxic chemicals into your home:
- Air fresheners
- Dryer sheets
- Plastic items, especially vinyl products
- Cleaning products containing chlorine, ammonia or solvents
Endocrine-disrupting ChemicalsEndocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can alter the hormonal signals that control and guide many of our body’s functions. EDCs are a particular concern with cancers that respond to hormone signals. Many of the chemicals and chemical types listed on this page are EDCs:
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Bisphenol A (BPA)
BPA has been removed in recent years from many baby products due to safety concerns—concerns that also relate to hormone-affected cancers. BPA—and replacement chemicals that unfortunately may not be any better—is still added to many plastic products and other everyday items. Some examples:
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Avoid food and beverages packed in containers containing BPA, including many plastic bottles and steel cans. BPA-free plastic products made with BPA replacements may have similar health effects as BPA.
- Use metal or glass food and beverage storage containers.
- Avoid heating polycarbonate plastic (#7), or indeed any plastic, in a microwave oven, as heating can increase the rate of leaching or degrade the plastic over time. Washing plastic in hot water, such as in a dishwasher, also degrades it.
- Avoid handling cash register receipts.
Flame Retardants
Flame-retardant chemicals are added to fabrics and upholstery, polyurethane foam cushions and mattresses, and many appliances and electronics. Over time, these chemicals leach from products into dust and into the air, from which they can be inhaled. Chemicals may also adhere to hands and are transferred to food.
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Keep dust levels down by dusting with a damp rag, wet mopping and vacuuming with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to help remove contaminants from your home.
Pesticides
Highlighted Video: Organic FoodIntegrative oncologist and BCCT advisor Donald Abrams, MD, explains why all cancer patients should eat organic food. |
Pesticides include all products meant to kill, repel or control living organisms: herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, nematacides, fungicides, and so on. Hundreds of pesticides, in many classes, each have their own toxicological effects. Exposures to certain pesticides are associated with several types of cancers. Besides agricultural use, pesticides are used in huge quantities in many other places:
- Parks and playgrounds
- Golf courses and lawns
- Home gardens
- Inside homes and other buildings
- On our bodies in the form of insect repellents, lice treatments, preservatives in cosmetics and other products
A large prospective study in France found that higher frequency of organic food consumption was associated with a reduced risk of cancer.14
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Make pests unwelcome in your home or office: remove entry points and sources of food and water.
Plastic
Plastic is so endemic in our world that we use it in all aspects of our lives: clothing, furniture and appliances, building materials, transportation, entertainment, dishes and cookware, and packaging—including food packaging. Unfortunately, many types of plastic are associated with cancer and cancer processes such as hormone disruption and immune-system depression.15
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Take an inventory of all the plastic items in your home and workplace and determine what you might find alternatives for. Focus on those items which involve food or that are exposed to heat, which may promote off-gassing. Some examples of alternatives:
- Ceramic, glass, wood or metal dishes, cookware and storage products
- Fabric shower curtains or glass shower doors
- Wool, cotton, bamboo and hemp clothing and fabrics instead of polyester or nylon. Rayon is better than plastic fibers but not ideal.16
- Do not heat food in plastic containers, using glass or ceramics instead. Washing plastic in hot water, such as in a dishwasher, also degrades it and increases the movement of toxic chemicals into food.
- Reduce the amount of needless plastic you bring into your home, such as plastic grocery bags and superfluous packaging.
Solvents and Alcohol
Highlighted VideoBCCT advisor Brian Bouch, MD, explains the importance of toxicity and genes in integrative cancer care, plus a functional medicine approach to diagnosis and care. |
Hair Products and Breast Cancer RiskChemicals in hair products may play a role in breast carcinogenesis, according to a 2019 analysis. Nonprofessional use of these products was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer:17
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Solvents are used mainly in cleaning products and processes, although ethanol—consumed in wine, beer and liquor—is also a solvent. Common sources of exposure:
- Dry-cleaned fabrics
- Paints and furniture finishes, plus products used to clean or remove these
- Cosmetics, especially nail polishes and nail polish removers
- Cleaning products, especially de-greasers, vehicle cleaners, glass cleaners and stain removers
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Check cleaning product and cosmetic labels for ingredients that have solvent endings of -ol, -one, -ene or -ane and find alternatives if possible. Some examples of solvents in cleaners:
- If you must use solvent-based cleaners, store products in tightly-closed containers away from your living space if possible. When using these products, open a window or use an exhaust fan.
- Look for cosmetics and personal care products that do not contain solvents.
- Reduce your consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Radiation Exposures
Ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation is a well-established cause of cancer. By 2006, almost half of the typical American exposure to ionizing radiation had come from medical devices such as x-rays and especially from computed tomography (CT) scans.19 Other sources of ionizing radiation exposures:
- Radon seeping into buildings from the ground and becoming concentrated in indoor spaces
- Cosmic rays, which increase at high elevations (such as when flying)
- Airport security backscatter x-ray machines
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Check your house radon levels and if needed reduce them through improved ventilation or by addressing cracks and gaps that allow seepage into your home.
Electromagnetic Energy/Non-Ionizing Radiation
Electromagnetic Fields and SleepElectromagnetic fields (EMFs) may interfere with sleep-activity cycles—your circadian rhythms. The idea is considered controversial, but some evidence shows that EMFs may affect melatonin metabolism and circadian rhythms. |
Electromagnetic (EM) energy, specifically non-ionizing radiation, comes from both wired and wireless devices. Cell phones and their towers emit radiofrequency radiation (RF) while power lines and appliances emit extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF). Other sources of non-ionizing radiation:
- Ultraviolet radiation from sunshine, tanning beds and to a lesser degree artificial lights (mercury vapor, halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights)
- Microwave devices
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Protect your skin from excess sunshine and limit exposures from 10am to 3pm.
Other Exposures
Some Sources of Exposures Related to CancerThe 2008-2009 report from the President’s Cancer Panel noted these sources of exposures tied to cancer:23
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Particulates in air, loud sound and noise, mold, and bacterial or viral pathogens can also affect your health and well-being.
What you can do to reduce exposures:
- Reduce sources of particulates in your home, car and other environments
- Inefficient wood stoves and fireplaces
- Cigarettes, cigars and candles
- Inadequately vented gas stoves, furnaces and space heaters
Integrative Programs, Protocols and Medical Systems
For more information about programs and protocols, see our Integrative Programs and Protocols page. |
- Programs and protocols
- Alschuler & Gazella complementary approaches24
- Block program25
- Cohen & Jefferies Mix of Six anticancer practices26
- Geffen Seven Levels of Healing27
- Lemole, Mehta & McKee protocols28
- MacDonald breast cancer program29
- McKinney protocols30
- Traditional systems
Written by Nancy Hepp, MS, and reviewed by Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS; most recent update on November 9, 2020.
More Information
Environmental exposures and cancer
- Science & Environmental Health Network's The Networker: Cancer & The Environment: A Symposium Report
- 2019 Cancer and the Environment Symposium: Priorities for Research, Policy and Clinical Practice: Event Materials
- Laffall LD, Kripke ML. Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now. President’s Cancer Panel. 2010.
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Cancer Research and Resources
- International Agency for Research on Cancer: List of Classifications
- Silent Spring Institute: Breast Cancer and the Environment
- Field RW, Withers BL. Occupational and environmental causes of lung cancer. Clinics in Chest Medicine. 2012 Dec;33(4):681-703.
- Verywell Health: Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Cancer
Nature
- Florence Williams: The Nature Fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative
- Verywell Fit: How to Find and Join a Walking Club
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Global Environment (last section, Natural Environment)
- Harvard Health Blog: Can forest therapy enhance health and well-being?
- Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Body of Wonder podcast: Episode #10 Forest Bathing—Combating Modern Society's Nature Deficit with Suzanne Hackenmiller
Light
- Harvard Health Letter: Blue light has a dark side
- ResMed: Darkness Matters—How Light Affects Sleep
- Polyphasic Society: Night lighting—protecting your hormones
Air pollution
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Built Environment
- Tox Town: Particulate Matter
- Because Health: Thinking of Buying an Air Purifier?
Water pollution and water filters
- Minnesota Department of Health: Point-of-Use Water Treatment Units for Lead Reduction
- NSF International: Drinking Water Filters, Testing and Treatment
BPA and endocrine-disrupting chemicals
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Bisphenol A
- The Endocrine Disruption Exchange: Endocrine Disruption
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
- Because Health: What’s the Deal with BPA?
- Unpacked
- Verywell Health: Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Cancer
Flame retardants
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Flame Retardants
- Tox Town: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
- Because Health: What Are Flame Retardants?
Metals
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Arsenic
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Lead
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Practice Prevention: Mercury
Pesticides
- Beyond Pesticides: Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Pesticides
- Tox Town: Pesticides
- Environmental Working Group:
Plastics
- Plastic Is Rubbish: A Guide to Living Plasticless
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Practice Prevention: Plastics
Solvents
- Tox Town: Solvents
- The Best Organic Skin Care: The Best Non-Toxic Nail Polish Brands and Where to Buy Them
Radiation
- The Bioinitiative Report 2012
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Practice Prevention: Electromagnetic Fields
- World Health Organization: Ionizing radiation, health effects and protective measures
- Environmental Protection Agency: Radiation and Airport Security Scanning
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Radiation and Your Health: The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Non-ionizing Radiation
- Radiation and Your Health: The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Ionizing Radiation
- Ultraviolet Radiation
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Non-Ionizing Radiation
- Environmental Working Group: 8 Little-Known Facts about Sunscreens
Noise
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: Built Environment
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Controls for Noise Exposure
- Apartment Therapy: How To Reduce Ambient Noise at Home, Inside and Out
- Because Health: Noisy Neighbors Making You Mad?
Purchasing guides
- National Library of Medicine: Household Products Database
- Environmental Working Group:
Ecological Models of Health
- Collaborative on Health and the Environment: The Big Picture
More from Our Resources Database
- University of Arizona: Body of Wonder
- Kelly A. Turner: Radical Hope: Ten Healing Factors from Exceptional Survivors of Cancer and Other Diseases
- Gurdev Parmar and Tina Kaczor: Textbook of Naturopathic Oncology
- Lise Alschuler and Karolyn Gazella: Managing Stress during Difficult Times
- Anticancer Lifestyle Foundation: Anticancer Lifestyle Program
- Live by Living
- Dr. Michael Ruscio: Dwight McKee Podcast
- Blake Gossard, editor: Disease Prevention and Treatment
- Lise Alschuler and Karolyn A. Gazella: iThrive Plan
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America: What are environmental risk factors, and how can I avoid them?
- J. Christopher States, Ming Ouyang and C. William Helm: Systems approach to identify environmental exposures contributing to organ-specific carcinogenesis
- The New School at Commonweal: Dwight McKee, MD: 40 Years Practicing Integrative Cancer Medicine, Part 1
- The New School at Commonweal: Dwight McKee, MD: 40 Years Practicing Integrative Cancer Medicine, Part 2
- The New School at Commonweal: Ted Schettler: The Ecology of Breast Cancer
- Ted Schettler, MD, MPH: The Ecology of Breast Cancer: The Promise of Prevention and the Hope for Healing
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Cancer Health Check
- Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella: The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition
- Keith I. Block, MD: Life over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment
- Lorenzo Cohen and Alison Jefferies: Anticancer Living: Transform Your Life and Health with the Mix of Six
- Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary: The C-Word
- Jeremy R. Geffen, MD, FACP: The Seven Levels of Healing®: Celebrating Life and Spirit on the Journey through Cancer
- Michael Lerner: Choices In Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer
Related Pages
Our Blog
In the News
- Breast cancer and air pollution linked by new marker
- FDA issues final guidance for certain labeling recommendations for breast implants
- Personal use of permanent hair dyes and cancer risk and mortality in US women: prospective cohort study
- Lifestyle choices may reduce breast cancer risk regardless of genetics
- Can forest therapy enhance health and well-being?