Every American who reads these words is more than 1.5 times more likely to die of cancer than a person otherwise exactly like you who lives in England or in West Germany.

Every American is more than 1000 times as likely to die of cancer of the colon than a person exactly like them in every way except that they live in Zambia or Nigeria.

Every American woman is more than 1000 times as likely to die of cancer of the breast or of the epithelium than a woman who lives until the age of 75 in Bangladesh or Sikkim. An American woman is also more than a 1000 times more likely to have appendicitis than a poor woman in these primitive countries.

Except for cancer of the uterus, skin cancer, lymphomas and cancers of the blood the rate of survival after the diagnosis of cancer has improved only because of the reduction of side effects of surgery, radiation or toxic treatment. The single greatest failure of modern politics and science is the utter bankruptcy of the so-called "War on Cancer". Thank you Mr. Nixon.

Yes, according to the most conservative medical authorities, certainly 50% and possibly 90% of cancer is utterly preventable. Only two simple actions need to be taken which will almost completely eradicate cancer of the lung, breast, colon and epithelium. Moreover, six other simple habits seem to guarantee that the health of 75 year olds can be as good as that of 35 year olds and the same practices carried out for a lifetime seem to extend the period of good health by 30 years.

It may be startling to you to think that only eight simple habits can so radically extend good health; but, only two other actions seem absolutely to guarantee lifelong good health. You can extend your vigorous health for 30 years by taking up ten positive habits.

One: the second most dangerous habit you can have is to smoke or to live or associate with an active smoker. Each smoker is spending a minute of life for a minute of smoking. Nonsmokers tolerating the smoke pay almost the same price for the pleasure of the smoker's company - especially if you tolerate smokers regularly.

Two: the third most dangerous thing you can do is to eat sugar and empty foods and put on weight. After tobacco, the most dangerous drug is stripped or pure carbohydrate. Don't snack, if you do snack on carrots.

Three: Your weight at age 20 is the weight you should be now. Fat is not only ugly, it kills. There is no way a sagging gut improves anything except the medical income.

Four: There is a little good news! Up to half a liter of wine a day, or the equivalent in other forms of alcohol is actually healthier than being a teetotaler; however, alcohol is dangerous and only slightly more alcohol exacerbates every danger factor. Drink a liter a day and you'll be in big trouble. There is serious objection to this finding but it apparently still stands.

Five: Your grandmother was right, you should sleep 7 or 8 hours a night. Too much is almost as bad as too little.

Six: Eating breakfast regularly, or seeing that the first meal you eat is a hearty one is almost as important as the other practices. Granny was right again.

Seven: The body loves movement. Regular activity that makes you sweat and breath hard, every day, is as essential as vitamins in your food.

Eight: People who eat lots of fiber (roughage), and who eat little fat and sugar, almost never get appendicitis, diverticulosis and other systemic diseases; and seldom have cancer of the breast, epithelium or colon. If they don't smoke they almost never get lung cancer; if they do smoke they get lung cancer less often than those who don't eat fiber. If they are exposed to asbestos and don't smoke they get cancer of the mesothelium (the cancer which killed Steve McQueen) less often than smokers.

In fact, smokers who eat a lot of sugar and who are exposed to asbestos for a week almost certainly will die of this gruesome and painful cancer within 20 years of that unfortunate week.

I had the great pleasure of hearing the discoverer of Burkitt's lymphoma speak at Cancer Dialogue 80 and I not only earned 34 AMA credits, but I learned a few things. Dr. Burkitt has one of those charmingly high pitched, British sing-song accents and he chanted to us:

"In twenty-five years in Africa, in a cantonment with full medical service, I never saw a single case of appendicitis; I never saw a single case of diverticulosis; I never saw a single case of cancer of the colon. In fact, the rule is, 15 years after the introduction of Western diet, we see the beginning of an epidemic of appendicitis; 20 years after the appendicitis we begin an epidemic of colon cancer.

"These third world people eat diets high in fiber, low in sugar and low in fats. They have large soft stools which float and they need only have small hospitals.

"Western people eat too much, they eat much sugar, much fat, and almost no fiber. They have small, hard stools which sink and they need enormous hospitals. They suffer appendicitis, colitis, diverticulosis and all the other diseases of civilization and they die miserably of cancer of the colon, cancer of the breast and epithelium and of lung cancer."

TWO CONTROVERSIAL POINTS

I seriously doubt that any modern doctor will disagree with the eight points made above. Now I am going to make two controversial points. The first is strongly supported by conservative medical research; but is almost universally rejected by practicing physicians for obvious reasons. The second is now accepted by about half of practicing physicians.

Nine: the single most dangerous habit you can have is regularly to see a medical doctor. If you compare healthy twenty year old people who are identical in every respect except in the habit of regular visits to a physician the non-addicts live almost 20 years longer. Cigarettes only steal 8 years of your life.

Ten: when I first wrote this essay, in 1980, the following advise was very controversial but now a substantial number of practicing physians agree with it - and especially more than half follow the principle but may not prescribe it.

For the rest of your life take four grams of vitamin C every day; if you feel poorly, are under stress, smoke, drink more than moderately, or are at risk for heart disease take ten grams in divided doses every day. If you are at risk for heart disease, also take 500 mg of lysine, the amino acid; and 800 mcg of folic acid.

If you have none of the habits I've recommended above you are likely to die markedly young. Moreover, you are likely to be in loathsome shape and horrible health all the while you survive. Adding only one of these habits adds some longevity, add all ten and you will significantly improve your life.

Avoid doctors, sugar, fat, processed foods. Don't smoke. Drink moderately, and eat sparingly. Exercise regularly; sleep 7-8 hours a night; always eat breakfast; and take vitamin C. Eat plenty of high fiber food, you'll have big soft stools that float and little chance of being ill.

REMEMBER! BIG STOOLS MEAN LITTLE HOSPITALS.

High fiber, low fat, low sugar and no cigarettes mean almost no change of cancer of the colon, breast, epithelium and lung. Moderation in food and drink; regular exercise and sleep; and eating breakfast extend the period of vigorous enjoyable health by about 30 years. When these simple habits are followed, avoiding doctors and cigarettes, and taking vitamin C almost completely reduce the risk of hospitalization unless you wreck your car which you are also less likely to do if you have these good habits.