I sometimes wonder what would happen to the businesses that are built around specific forms of cancer if they were to disappear. You know, if scientists were to suddenly announce that they have a CURE for those cancers.
The most obvious one, of course, is breast cancer. The number of “pink ribbon” companies running off the back of breast cancer is staggering. I suppose they would instantly go belly up. But prostate and colon cancers have a good number of coattail riders too.
Meanwhile, one of the deadliest forms of cancer… liver cancer… gets very little attention from the industry. In fact, if liver cancer days, ribbons, and merch DO exist, I’m betting you, like me, have never heard of them before.
Yet even when it’s caught early, only 33 percent of folks diagnosed with this killer will survive five years. Meanwhile, the darlings of the cancer industry… breast cancer and prostate cancer… have a 91 percent and nearly 100 percent survival rate, respectively.
Now don’t misunderstand me. Of course, ANY cancer diagnosis is a tragedy. And one life lost is far too many. But it’s time we stop playing favorites when it comes to which cancers get all the attention and the research and relief funding to go with it.
In the meantime, I’ve got a liver-protecting tip you’re going to LOVE. I’ll share that with you in just a moment. But first, let’s quickly take a closer look at the threat.
Liver cancer cases on the rise
Unlike many other forms of this disease, liver cancer cases aren’t just growing… they’re skyrocketing. Since 1980 the number of folks diagnosed with it has tripled.
This year alone, over 42,800 people will hear the dreaded words, “You have liver cancer.” And what was once a disease mostly confined to heavy drinkers is no longer discriminating. The unhealthy Western diet has put ALL of us in its sites.
We’re quite literally eating ourselves into the grave with junk carbs, ultra-processed foods, and bad fats. As we pack on the pounds, our livers struggle to keep up with the excess fat. Some of it ends up squatting right there in the liver, building up over time.
Eventually, you can end up with fatty liver disease. In fact, experts say over 100 million Americans are walking around with the condition. But most don’t know it since fatty liver often doesn’t have any obvious symptoms early on.
But left unchecked, it can progress to cirrhosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and eventually liver cancer. Which is why the disease has been on such a steep rise.
Coffee drinking linked to plummeting risk
Now back to that tip, I promised you. If you’re a coffee fan like me, you’re going to LOVE this.
It turns out America’s favorite breakfast beverage may help us fight back against hepatocellular carcinoma, the form of the disease responsible for 90 percent of all liver cancer cases.
Research has revealed that a regular coffee habit was linked to an incredible 50 percent lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
But for java lovers, the good news doesn’t end there. Another study confirmed that coffee could be your liver’s best friend.
Drinking coffee daily was linked to a…
- 27 percent lower risk of liver fibrosis
- 29 percent lower risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- 39 percent lower risk for cirrhosis of the liver
Other research linked two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day to a 38 percent lower risk of HCC. And over four cups was associated with a 71 percent lower risk of death from chronic liver disease.
Micronutrients in the coffee, including polyphenols, are likely behind at least part of that protection. Polyphenols naturally fight cellular damage and could help stop liver cancer tumors from gaining any traction.
But don’t make the mistake of dumping sugar into your coffee. Overloading on processed sugars can lead to even more fatty buildup in your liver, reversing much of the good that your coffee habit could be providing. Drink it black or with a small splash of real cream instead. Learn more about the link between liver problems and sugar in “Could your Christmas cookies cause liver damage.”
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