The mainstream media is abuzz with new reports that claim taking an aspirin a day will supposedly help keep cancer away. But just a few years ago, mainstream science was declaring the exact opposite, as a study published in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute back in 2004 found that daily aspirin intake is linked to a significantly increased risk of developing cancer.
Dr. Eva S. Schernhammer, M.D., Dr.P.H., from
Brigham and Women's Hospital and
Harvard Medical School in Boston, and her colleagues conducted an extensive investigation into the long-term effects of taking aspirin. They found that prolonged use can trigger cancer development in humans, and that there is no evidence that taking aspirin in any way helps prevent cancer.
Based on data gathered as part of the comprehensive
Nurses' Health Study, which began in 1980, the team found that, compared to women who consumed fewer than two aspirin tablets per week, regular users taking two or more aspirin tablets a week were a whopping 58 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer -- and those taking more than 14 aspirin a week were found to be 86 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
"Our findings do not support a protective effect of analgesic use (of aspirin) on the risk of pancreatic cancer," wrote Dr. Schernhammer at that time, which was also a rebuttal to other studies that had claimed taking aspirin helps prevent cancer. "Rather, aspirin appears to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer after extended periods of use."
So which is it? Does aspirin cause cancer or prevent it? Based on the aforementioned evidence, aspirin appears to be a promoter of cancer rather than a preventer of it. And yet the mainstream medical-industrial complex is currently going hog-wild claiming that individuals can avoid getting cancer if they simply pop a few aspirin every day -- do not be fooled by this terrible advice.
Regular use of aspirin linked to heart attack, stroke, intestinal bleeding, organ damage, and death
Acetylsalicylic acid, the more technical name for aspirin, is actually a synthetic derivative of natural willow bark, which has pain-relieving and blood-thinning properties. But since this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) was first developed, it has been observed to cause severe health problems and even death, especially when taken regularly.
In 2010, a group of researchers, medical experts, and public health officials came forward denouncing recommendations that people take an aspirin a day to protect their hearts. It turns out that aspirin actually destroys the protective lining in the intestines, which can lead to severe bleeding, colitis, or even intestinal perforations, which can cause systemic infections and other very serious health problems and death (
http://online.wsj.com).
"It is important to remember that all NSAIDs, including over the counter aspirin, have the potential to damage the tissue of the gastrointestinal tract," wrote Dr. Neena S. Abraham, a gastroenterologist at the
Michael E. DeBakey V.A. Medical Center, in a 2010
New York Times piece. "Damage can occur anywhere, from mouth to anus ... Aspirin is not a nutritional supplement -- it is a medication with real risks and side-effects" (
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com).
Aspirin can also exacerbate heart conditions rather than mitigate them, as is popularly believed, because the drug is actually an "anti-nutrient" that depletes your body of vital minerals and nutrients. And as far as your bodily organs are concerned, this effect can be disastrous in the long term.
Sources for this article include:http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/466695(If this link does not work, do a Google search for "Prolonged Regular Aspirin Use May Increase Pancreatic Cancer Risk")
Despite what the television news says aspirin is not a miracle cure. In fact it can be deadly. Our bodies are not designed to handle chemicals on a daily basis, even ones that are modeled after natural substances. There are many herbs and essential oils that help relieve pain. We don't need to reach for chemicals.