Holmes County, OH – U.S. researchers say an examination of cancer rates among the Amish underscores the virtues of exercise, not smoking, healthy food and fewer sex partners.
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Researchers at the Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute in Columbus say they were not surprised tobacco-related cancers were 63 percent lower among the non-smoking Amish than in the non-Amish.
Other factors such as eating organic food, having few sexual partners and wearing long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats, may also have helped keep cancer rates 40 percent lower in the Amish community, the researchers say.
However, the researchers say they were surprised to find genetic factors may contribute to the lower cancer rate. At the beginning of the eight-year study that looked at 24 types of cancer, the researchers expected some cancers which run in families to be common among the Amish since they were all so closely related.
The researchers went door-to-door, documenting cancer case-by-case in 92 families in Holmes County, Ohio.
“As we looked and looked we did not find any increased risk of cancer in the Amish,” lead author Dr. Judith Westman said in a statement. “In fact, they may have some genetic factors that actually protect them from cancer that we haven’t yet identified.”
The findings are published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control.
Long sleeves wide brimed hat is a preventitave?so how come we yiddin suffer from cancer? The answer is tsheuvah tsheuvah tsheuvah our tzniyus our teflos have to improve
We also wear long sleves and wide brim hats and have only one partner.
And most don’t smoke.
Were better then the Amish Sgutzim
This study is antisemetic and the same time bull!! Do you think the amish would participate in a study?
A sample size of 92 homes? Seriously?
Maybe Reb Nuchem is right!
If they don’t smoke then tobacco related cancers should be 0. Why is it only 60% lower.
Another bogus study probably funded by tax dollars.
This is clearly a very unscientific study that should be taken with a large grain of salt.
I’ve got a question do the amish use antibiotics?
7th day Adventists probably also have a lower cancer rate, not because they keep “Shabbos” but because of their vegetarian diet.
I would not put stock in that study. When my child was in a Ohio hospital years ago, there was an amish child there for cancer. They are very inbred and have diseases similar to tay sachs. Many are overweight and love junk food. They eat lots and lots of high fat food and although they exercise, they eat more than they exercise. Amish use the same medicines that everyone else uses. They do not shun the use of medication but in some cases they learn to make it themselves (such as special formulas for infants with inborn error of metabolism). They do not believe in divorce so they usually have the same partner through life and they are shomer negiah when they date but not all of the kids are on the derech.
What most people don’t take into account is that we mainly live in cities and breathe pollution a whole day. Could it be that we should be much healthier based on our Frum lifestyle, but it all goes to vain by sitting in polluted cities? The Amish besides exercising are actually breathing clean air a whole day as everything is local. This test as I read it here leaves a lot to be desired.
Its difficult to pinpoint what exactly is the factor which causes less cancer risk, because there are many things the Amish do different, and I’m not sure hats and long sleeves are the main factor.
Its known that many aspects of modern life, which the Amish avoid, contribute to cancer risks. One example: Some 25% of the milk in the US comes from cows injected by hormones and antibiotics from a company called Monsato, known to cause cancer. For some reason the US food authority approved these hormones as safe, whereas in Canada and Europe this hormone is illegal. There are probably many other foods in our supermarkets laced with drugs and hormones and genetic modification which we are not informed.
There is a cancer epidemic now. In the US it has reached a point where one in 2 men and one in 3 women will experience cancer some time in their lifetime. These statistics come from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Maybe it’s time to critically examine the food industry and its contribution to the rise in cancer rates.
Its difficult to pinpoint what exactly is the factor which causes less cancer risk, because there are many things the Amish do different, and I’m not sure hats and long sleeves are the main factor.
Its known that many aspects of modern life, which the Amish avoid, contribute to cancer risks. One example: Some 25% of the milk in the US comes from cows injected by hormones and antibiotics from a company called Monsato, known to cause cancer. For some reason the US food authority approved these hormones as safe, whereas in Canada and Europe this hormone is illegal. There are probably many other foods in our supermarkets laced with drugs and hormones and genetic modification which we are not informed.
There is a cancer epidemic now. In the US it has reached a point where one in 2 men and one in 3 women will experience cancer some time in their lifetime. These statistics come from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Maybe it’s time to critically examine food industry and its contribution to the rise in cancer rates.
I wonder why this study ignored the link between technology and cancer. A doctor I know recently went to a conference where they pointed out links between cell phone use and brain tumors. Of course the Amish don’t use cell phones as much as we do.
10 reasons they have less Cancer. 1)no cars hence no traffic tickets no alternate parking tickets ne cell phone tickets no high gas prices.
2)No cel phones hence no annoying interuotions, no corny voice mails and they can just tell thei wives they’re by Shiur.
The list goes on and on. Stress is one of the main causes of cancer due to the chemicals stress relreases in the body.
I find it interesting that this study did not mention the fact that the Amish refrain from using technology. Their limited use of many gadgets surely increases their ability to fend off cancer. At a recent medical convention, cell phone usage was linked to incidents of brain tumors.
throw away your blackberries, cell phones, microwaves computers & washing machines. Start doing some real work like chopping wood and maybe that will get you to be healthy and fit.
Unfortunately, while it’s true that the majority of us frum Yidden adhere to tzinus and try to eat healthy, many of so called who call themselves frum need improvement in the above areas. The Skulener Rav Shlita says we should make our clothing “brieter” to make our lives “breiter”, meaning widen clothing to widen our lives. There are still too many walking around clothing that should not be as tight or short. Some people are not aware what they look like , they should look into a full length mirror and walk when buying clothing. There are programs even for children to make aware of laws of tzinus. Taking care of our bodies are a mitzva, fressing is not. Chulent in moderation will not make anyone fat. It is protein! Just leave out the fat!
First, there are many misconceptions about the Amish. There are also different sects of Amish. There are some who actually use electricity. There are different groups who have different customs (much likes us).
That being said, Amish people are not typically exposed to the same things that the rest of us are. They don’t eat processed foods that are full of preservatives and chemicals, their communities are not polluted (air and otherwise), they don’t smoke, they don’t drink, and they do a great deal of physical labor. They live a lifestyle that promotes better health.
It all seems simple enough to me.
We live in polluted cities where we breathe in carcinogens almost continuously, we eat foods that are pumped full of chemicals to give them “shelf-life”, we smoke, we drink, and we are typically (not all of us) not the most physically active people. All of these things combined lower our level of “health”. It should be no surprise to anyone that we are more prone to all sorts of ailments.
The criminal rate of the Amish compared to the general population is among the lowest
If you read the article carefully, you realize that there are so caveats that the study is worthless. A waste of money.
they have “few” partners.they limit themselves to their sisters,mothers,& daughters!
“the virtues of exercise, not smoking, healthy food and fewer sex partners.”…..Does a bear crap in the woods? I think this is pretty obvious
You are what you eat: it is not just an adage. It is true. Stop fressing and start eating those greens!
One thing proven to stave off cancer, tumors and general body infection & fungus is getting a higher concentration of oxygen to ur body’s cells.
Besides for the obvious, good quality air (outdoors, lots of plant-life), natural food & drink/water (fruits/vegetables, citrus & antioxidant juices), moderate physical activity, there are also other natural substances that boost cell oxygenation!
Obvious risk factors for cancer and general disease are exposure to that which reduces cell oxygenation, bloodflow & and are toxic:
preservatives, processed foods of nearly any kind, modified dairy, modified meat, modified plants & grains (genetically modified or refined foods such as corn syrups, crystal sugar, strong alcohol, modified flour), bad quality air, bad hygiene, exhaust, pollution, smoking, radios/wireless/bluetooth, cellphones, microwaves, tvs/computer screens, xrays, overexposure to sunlight, cleaning chemicals, hairspray/air-refresheners, anti-perspirants, vaccines, and last but NOT LEAST pharmaceuticals!
hmmm
I wonder why certain groups in society are much less disease prone and are much less medicated.
Obviously ‘sur merah’ as much as possible, but at-least ‘ASEH TOV’!!!