Health: Why many of our devotees die specifically due to cancer, any vedic insights?

In a word: lifestyle.

Dr Gupta, the devotee Ayurvedic doctor, told me:

"The best lifestyle in the world is the Vedic lifestyle.
The next best is the Western lifestyle.
The absolute worst is the Vedic lifestyle done the Western way."

As Bir Krishna Goswami explained:

"Lets take eating for example. Most of us were brought up in Kcon eating tons of Halvah, Sweet Rice, fried foods, etc. We thought: Its prasadam, so how can it be bad for our bodies?" Well I got news for you. A saturated fat or sugar even if it offered to Krishna has the same affect on our arteries, kidneys, liver, etc. that a saturated fat has when it is not offered to Krishna.

That may be a radical statement but it is true. Ask any devotee who is suffering from high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes,etc. whether it is true or not.
...
Another example is that we ignore the fact that the byproducts of combustion (ie: incense, etc.) may cause cancer or lung disease even if it is spiritual combustion or even if the ingredients are completely natural and organic.

Interestingly enough, we oftentimes ignore even Ayurvedic injunctions in the name of religion. But, the Ayurveda has been given to us by Krishna."

read his whole article here: http://www.bkgoswami.com/Blog/Blog%205,%20May%204,%202007.html

It might be that Krsna is giving notice of death to these devotees so they can become more Krsna conscious before leaving their bodies...

rasa108:It might be that Krsna is giving notice of death to these devotees so they can become more Krsna conscious before leaving their bodies...

Yes, maybe in some cases... but especially in case of cancer metastasis somewhere in the body dying person feels such increasing pain (many weeks before leaving the body), that keeping at least normal consciousness and remembering Krishna in last moments is often almost impossible. The consciousness is darkend either by unbearable pain or by the drugs against pain like morphium, which in final stages doesn't help anyway. Only very rare personalities such as HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami or some other exemplary devotees are able to endure such suffering in high state of Krishna consciousness. Therefore I'm afraid, for devotees who are not on transcendental level yet, this modern, Kali-yuga way of leaving their bodies because of cancer is big complication on the way back to Krishna and doesn't help them become more Krishna conscious at the time of leaving the body. Any other explanation of this illness aflicting devotees from KC point of view? Please...

[quote][cite] Sathiya Ramakrishnan:[/cite]I know that material world is a place of misery and death can come in any form :) I would like to hear more deep insights..[/quote]
Modern food as well as impure water and air are killing more and more people on this planet,which is getting more and more "civilised!"
Even sacred Ganga is not spared,as it is polluted by industrialists,pouring heavy metals in it,and others with sewage etc.
The use of chemicals and pesticides are also causes of cancer,when we eat heavily doped vegetables.
The new threat is the use of depleted uranium in weapons,as soldiers come back from Iraq with a special atrocious cancer,that kills within days.
If we followed the instructions of Srila Prabhupada,to create self-sufficient farm communities,we could avoid such posionous food and water!
http://varnashram.org [Iskcon farms]
http://cadu.org.uk [depleted uranium]
http://rainwaterharvesting.org [purer water]

cancer is simply a breakdown of the immune system after being under heavy pressure for at least 8 years and usually finally started after a severe emotional crisis.
The system ceases to catch and destroy the cancerous cells we all produce.
It is the easier illness to prevent, and once is there the most difficult to cure.
I have seen that persons that cure mainly show a change in their psyche and that is the main cause of healing.
A long time of living with heavy emotional restrictions can cause the immune system to break down. That is "helped " with chemicals in the environment, bad nutrition, anxiety and probably not resting well.

So, in a nutshell,

chemicals
incorrect nutrition (lack of nutrients, dehydration, eating too much, etc)
incorrect or insufficient rest
anxiety
unresolved issues

In regards to disease management, I can attest that if the devotee is strong and sincere Krishna will help with the pain management w/o heavy pain killers that will cloud the consciousness.

mishra:In regards to disease management, I can attest that if the devotee is strong and sincere Krishna will help with the pain management w/o heavy pain killers that will cloud the consciousness.

This is a very good point..I know mishra you have had first hand experience of this situation and have witnessed this yourself.

We need to eat simple, but one time a week fried foods, little excess of sweet, etc is normally well tolerated by the body. Hence, the Sunday Feast :)