DIET AND CANCER - MYTHS AND FACTS

BITTER MELON RESTRICTS CANCER

2015-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

Scientists have found that the warty green fruit used in ancient Chinese medicine, restricts the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to metabolise glucose, cutting the cells’ energy source and eventually killing them.
Previous research has hailed the benefits of the unusual fruit which has been shown to contain natural chemicals which can help treat Type 2 diabetes.

Scientists discovered that it contains four bioactive compounds which activate an enzyme in the human body called AMPK.
The enzyme, also triggered by exercise, helps fat and muscle cells to use blood glucose effectively but is not activated properly in Type 2 sufferers.
Bitter melon extract has been used in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years, with no reported side effects.
Now, new research published in the journal Carcinogenesis shows that bitter melon juice could also be a powerful cancer treatment.
Rajesh Agarwal, co-program leader of Cancer Prevention and Control at the University of Colorado Cancer Centre and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the USA said: “Three years ago researchers showed the effect of bitter melon extract on breast cancer cells only in a Petri dish. This study goes much, much farther.

Bitter melon extract has been used in Chinese medicine

“We used the juice - people especially in Asian countries are already consuming it in quantity. We show that it affects the glucose metabolism pathway to restrict energy and kill pancreatic cancer cells.”
Bitter melon has also been shown to regulate insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells.
After studies in cell cultures, the group showed that mouse models of pancreatic cancer that were fed bitter melon juice were 60 per cent less likely to develop the disease than controls.
Argarwal added: “It’s a very exciting finding. Many researchers are engineering new drugs to target cancer cells’ ability to supply themselves with energy, and here we have a naturally-occurring compound that may do just that.”
The Agarwal Lab is now applying for grants that will allow them to move the study of bitter melon into further chemoprevention trials in mouse models of pancreatic cancer.
Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd or karela (in India), is a unique vegetable-fruit that can be used as food or medicine.
It is the edible part of the plant Momordica Charantia, which is a vine of the Cucurbitaceae family and is considered the most bitter among all fruits and vegetables.
The plant thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, including South America, Asia, parts of Africa and the Caribbean
The bitter melon itself grows off the vine as a green, oblong-shaped fruit with a distinct warty exterior - though its size, texture and bitterness vary between the different regions in which it grows - and is rich in vital vitamins and minerals.

SOURCE
www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/384209/Juice-of-bitter-melons-can-kill-cancer-cells

SELENIUM AND CANCER

2015-11-06T15:19:00.001-08:00

Selenium biochemistry is complex. It is consumed in many forms and at different absorption levels, being used in combination with many different proteins in the body. Each form has its own unique set of abilities. The three forms of selenium most important in cancer prevention are sodium selenite, L-selenomethionine, and selenium-methyl L-selenocysteine.

Possibly the most active is inorganic sodium selenite which has been shown to kill cancer cells in more than 8 studies (For example, Fu L, Liu Q, Shen L, Wang Y. Proteomic study on sodium selenite-induced apoptosis of human cervical cancer HeLa cells. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011 Jul;25(3):130-7; or, Dziaman T, Huzarski T, Gackowski D, et al. Selenium supplementation reduced oxidative DNA damage in adnexectomized BRCA1 mutations carriers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Nov;18(11):2923-8; or, Ma Q, Fang H, Shang W, et al. Superoxide flashes: early mitochondrial signals for oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. J Biol Chem. 2011 Aug 5;286(31):27573-81.).
In particular, it seems capable of generating forms of radical ´oxygen´ molecules that kill off the types of mitochondria that only exist in cancer cells. There is a protein in cancer cells Bcl-2 that stops apoptosis - the cell killing itself. Selenium seems to block this action.
It also increases the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase in healthy tissue, so promoting a double action - killing the cancer cells and protecting the healthy ones. It helps repair damaged DNA and enhances the immune system
The above actions all suggest a role as a complementary therapy in your cancer treatment programme.
But selenium is important in prevention too: In early 2009 German scientists from St. Josef´s Hospital in Wiesbaden presented their findings on selenium, concluding that selenium blood levels were significantly lower in men with benign prostate hypertrophy or prostate cancer. (Acta Oncologica)
In another study (Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 2009) experts suggest selenoproteins have powerful antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects that could make them important in preventing prostate and colorectal cancers.
In the March 2009 edition of Clinical Cancer Research researchers from Penn State College of Medicine showed that isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage, cauliflower and kale) when combined with selenium supplementation became even more potent in treating melanoma.
´Selenium deficiency is common in cancer patients, including those diagnosed with metastatic cancer´, said lead researcher Professor Gavin Robertson.
Importantly, in the prostate cancer studies and in the melanoma research, it was found that a protein, Akt3, develops and this is driven by oestrogen, There are no drugs to stop it, and Akt3 causes the cancer to develop, according to Robertson. ´Selenium is known to destabilise Akt3´, he adds.
Finally, in 2012 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2012 Jul;96 (1) 111-22) scientists from the Department of Nutrition at Norwich Medical School studied the effects of selenium in preventing prostate cancer. Their meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and prospective cohort studies reviewed studies on blood plasma levels: Twelve studies with a total of 13,254 participants and 5007 cases of prostate cancer were included. The relation between plasma/serum selenium and prostate showed that the risk decreased with increasing plasma/serum selenium up to 170 ng/mL.

KETONIG DIET

2015-11-05T14:23:00.001-08:00

Being on a diet isn’t the easiest thing in the world, especially when you don’t know what you should eat. I’ve put together this ketogenic diet food list to help people out there make decisions on what they are eating and shopping for.

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but if I am missing something please let me know in the comments below! We now have a forum to help support people, and answer any questionsthat you may have (new or old): Join Ketogenic Living!

Fats and Oils

Fats will be the majority of your daily calorie intake when you are on a ketogenic diet, so choices should be made with your own digestion system in mind. Fats are very important to our bodies, but they can also be dangerous if you are consuming the wrong types of fats. You can see a more in depth post on fats here: The Importance of Fats in a Ketogenic Diet

You want to have a balance between your Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s, so eating things like wildsalmon, tuna, trout, and shellfish can help provide a balanced diet of Omega-3’s.

If you don’t like fish, or just prefer not to eat it, I suggest taking a small fish oil supplement. You can also take krill oil for Omega-3’s if you are allergic. If you want to know more about essential fatty acids and omegas on a ketogenic diet, you can visit: Essential Fatty Acids: Omega 3 and Omega 6

Saturated and monounsaturated fats such as butter, macadamia nuts, avocado, egg yolks, and coconut oil are more chemically stable and less inflammatory to most people, so they are preferred.

Fats and oils can be combined in a number of different ways to add to your meals – sauces, dressings, or just simple topping off a piece of meat with butter.

Try to avoid any hydrogenated fats, such as margarine, to minimize your trans fat intake. There have been studies linking it to higher chances of coronary heart disease. If you’re using vegetable oils (olive, soybean, flax, or safflower) choose the “cold pressed” options if they are available.

If you tend to fry things up, try to go after non-hydrogenated lards, beef tallow, ghee, or coconut oil, since they have higher smoke points than other oils. This allows less oxidization of the oils, which means you get more Essential Fatty Acids.

Keep an eye on your intake for nut or seed based foods, as they can be quite high in inflammatory Omega-6’s – these include things like almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower oil and corn oil.

Some ketogenic diet foods that are great for fats and oils (organic and grass-fed sources are preferred):

Avocado
Beef tallow
Butter
Chicken Fat
Ghee
Non-hydrogenated Lard
Macadamia Nuts

Mayonnaise (watch out for added carbs)
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Coconut Butter
Red Palm Oil
Peanut Butter

Protein

Your best bet when it comes to protein is choosing anything organic or grass fed, and using free-range eggs. This will minimize your bacteria and steroid hormone intake.

Fish. Preferably eating anything that is caught wild like catfish, cod, flounder, halibut, mackerel, mahi-mahi, salmon, snapper, trout, and tuna.
Shellfish. Clams, oysters, lobster, crab, scallops, mussels, and squid.
Whole Eggs. Try to get them free-range from the local market if possible. You can prepare them in a number of different ways like fried, deviled, boiled, poached, and scrambled.
Meat. Beef, Veal, Goat, Lamb, and other wild game. Grass fed is preferred as it has a better fatty acid count.
Pork. Pork loin, pork chops, and ham. Watch out for added sugars in ham.
Poultry. Chicken, Duck, Quail, Pheasant. Free range or organic is the best choice here if possible.
Bacon and Sausage. Check labels for anything cured in sugar, or if it contains extra fillers.
Peanut Butter. Go for natural peanut butter, but be careful as they have high counts of Omega-6’s and carbohydrates. Try to opt for macadamia nut butter if you can.

Ketogenic Diet Protein Source	Calories	Fats (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Bacon, 1 slice (~ 8g), baked	44	3.5	0	2.9
Beef, Sirloin Steak, 1 ounce, broiled	69	4	0	7.7
Beef, Ground, 5% fat, 1 ounce, broiled	44	1.7	0	6.7
Beef, Ground, 15% fat, 1 ounce, broiled	70	4.3	0	7.2
Beef, Ground, 30% fat, 1 ounce, broiled	77	5.1	0	7.1
Beef, Bottom Round, 1 ounce, roasted	56	2.7	0	7.6
Chicken, white meat, 1 ounce	49	1.3	0	8.8
Chicken, dark meat, 1 ounce	58	2.8	0	7.8
Egg, 1 large, 50 g	72	4.8	0.4	6.3
Fish, Raw, Cod, 1 ounce	20	0.1	0	4.3
Fish, Raw, Flounder, 1 ounce	20	0.6	0	3.5
Fish, Raw, Sole, 1 ounce	20	0.6	0	3.5
Fish, Raw, Salmon, 1 ounce	40	1.8	0	5.6
Ham, smoked, 1 ounce	50	2.6	0	6.4
Hot dog, beef, 1 ounce	92	8.5	0.5	3.1
Lamb, ground, 1 ounce, broiled	80	5.6	0	7
Lamb chop, boneless, 1 ounce, broiled	67	3.9	0	7.3
Pork chop, bone-in, 1 ounce, broiled	65	4.1	0	6.7
Pork ribs, ribs, 1 ounce, roasted	102	8.3	0	6.2
Scallops, 1 ounce, steamed	31	0.2	1.5	5.8
Shrimp, 1 ounce, cooked	28	0.1	0	6.8
Tuna, 1 ounce, cooked	52	1.8	0	8.5
Turkey Breast, 1 ounce, roasted	39	0.6	0	8.4
Veal, roasted, 1 ounce	42	1	0	8

Vegetables

On a ketogenic diet, try to go after vegetables that are grown above ground and are leafy greens. If you can, opt for organic as there’s less pesticide residues, but if you can’t then don’t worry. Studies show that organic and non-organic vegetables still have the same nutritional qualities.

Vegetables are an extremely important part of a healthy diet, but sometimes we’re stuck with decisions we might regret later. Some vegetables are high in sugar and don’t cut it nutritionally – so we need to ween them out. The best type of vegetables for a ketogenic diet are high in nutrients and low in carbohydrates. These, as most of you can guess, are dark and leafy. Anything that resembles spinach or kale will fall into this category, and will be the best thing to include into anything you can.

To see a full list of low carb vegetables you can view my post here: Best Low Carb Vegetables

Ketogenic Diet Vegetable Source	Calories	Fats (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Asparagus, cooked, 1 ounce	6	0.1	0.6	0.7
Avocado, 1 ounce	47	4.4	0.6	0.6
Broccoli, chopped, cooked, 1 ounce	10	0.1	1.1	0.7
Carrots, baby, 1 ounce, raw	10	0	1.5	0.01
Cauliflower, chopped, cooked, 1 ounce	7	0.1	0.5	0.5
Celery, 1 ounce, raw	5	0	0.3	0.7
Cucumber, 1 ounce, raw	4	0	1	0.2
Garlic, 1 clove (3 grams)	4	0	1	0.2
Green beans, cooked, 1 ounce	10	0.1	1.3	0.5
Mushrooms, button, 1 ounce, raw	6	0.2	0.6	0.9
Onion, green, 1 ounce, chopped, raw	9	0	1.3	0.5
Onion, white, 1 ounce, chopped, raw	11	0	2.1	0.3
Bell Pepper, Green, 1 ounce, raw	6	0	0.8	0.2
Pickles, dill, 1 ounce	3	0	0.4	0.2
Romaine lettuce, 1 ounce	5	0.1	0.3	0.4
Butterhead lettuce, 1 ounce	4	0.06	0.3	0.4
Shallots, raw, 1 ounce	20	0	3.9	0.7
Snow peas, 1 ounce, cooked	24	0	2.8	1.5
Spinach, 1 ounce, raw	7	0.1	0.4	0.8
Squash, Acorn, baked, 1 ounce	16	0	2.9	0.3
Squash, Butternut, baked, 1 ounce	11	0	2.1	0.3
Squash, Spaghetti, 1 ounce, cooked	8	0.1	1.4	0.2
Tomato, raw, 1 ounce	5	0	0.8	0.3

Dairy Products

Raw and organic milk products are preferred here. Choose full fat everything over low fat or fat free.

Heavy Whipping Cream
Hard and soft cheeses – (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Cream Cheese, Marscapone Cheese, etc.)
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese

Ketogenic Diet Diary Source	Calories	Fats (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Buttermilk, whole, 1 ounce	18	0.9	1.4	0.9
Cheese, Blue, 1 ounce	100	8.2	0.7	6.1
Cheese, Brie, 1 ounce	95	7.9	0.1	5.9
Cheese, Cheddar, 1 ounce	114	9.4	0.4	7.1
Cheese, Colby, 1 ounce	110	9	0.7	6.7
Cheese, Cottage, 2%, 1 ounce	24	0.7	1	3.3
Cheese, Cream, block, 1 ounce	97	9.7	1.1	1.7
Cheese, Feta, 1 ounce	75	6	1.2	4
Cheese, Monterey Jack, 1 ounce	106	8.6	0.2	7
Cheese, Mozzarella, whole milk, 1 oz	85	6.3	0.6	6.3
Cheese, Parmesan, hard, 1 ounce	111	7.3	0.9	10.1
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	108	7.9	1.5	7.6
Cheese, Marscapone, 1 ounce	130	13	1	1
Cream, half-n-half, 1 ounce	39	3.5	1.3	0.9
Cream, heavy, 1 ounce	103	11	0.8	0.6
Cream, Sour, full fat, 1 ounce	55	5.6	0.8	0.6
Milk, whole, 1 ounce	19	1	1.5	1
Milk, 2%, 1 ounce	15	0.6	1.5	1
Milk, skim, 1 ounce	10	0	1.5	1

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are best when they are roasted to remove any anti-nutrients. Try to avoid peanuts if possible, as they are actually legumes which are not highly permitted in the ketogenic diet food list.

Macadamias, walnuts and almondsare the best in terms of your carb count and can be eaten in small amounts.
Cashews and pistachios are higher in carbs, so make sure you track these carefully.
Nuts are high in Omega-6 Fatty Acids, so try to be careful with over consumption.
Nut and seed flours, such as almond flour and milled flax seed are great to substitute for regular flour. This means baking can be done in moderation.

Ketogenic Diet Nuts/Seed Source	Calories	Fats (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Almonds, raw, 1 ounce	170	15	3	6
Brazil Nuts, raw, 1 ounce	186	19	1	4
Cashews, raw, 1 ounce	160	13	7	5
Chestnuts, raw, 1 ounce	55	0	13	0
Chia Seeds, raw, 1 ounce	131	10	0	7
Coconut, dried, unsweetened, 1 ounce	65	6	2	1
Flax Seeds, raw, 1 ounce	131	10	0	7
Hazelnuts, raw, 1 ounce	176	17	2	4
Madadamia Nuts, raw, 1 ounce	203	21	2	2
Peanuts, raw, 1 ounce	157	13	3	7
Pecans, raw, 1 ounce	190	20	1	3
Pine Nuts, raw, 1 ounce	189	20	3	4
Pistachios, raw, 1 ounce	158	13	5	6
Pumpkin Seeds, raw, 1 ounce	159	14	1	8
Sesame Seeds, raw, 1 ounce	160	14	4	5
Sunflower Seeds, raw, 1 ounce	150	11	4	3
Walnuts, raw, 1 ounce	185	18	2	4

Beverages

Drink liquids day and night, drink it like it’s going out of fashion.The ketogenic diet has a natural diuretic effect, so dehydration is common for most people starting out. If you’re prone to urinary tract infections or bladder pain, you have to be doubly prepared.

Those 8 glasses of water we are supposed to drink a day? We suggest drinking those, and then some. Water plays a substantial role in our body (considering it’s made up of 2/3 water), and it’s extremely important to keep hydrated.

Water, water, water. Drink plenty.
Coffee
Tea (Herbal and non)
If needed, you can get flavor packets such as crystal lite, but be careful with these as they do use sweeteners and can contain carbs.

KETONIC DIET AND CANCER

2015-11-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Carcinogenesis is a complex process involving multiple sequential mutations, which occur randomly in the DNA of normal cells over many years, even decades, until finally specific genes are mutated and cell growth becomes out of control resulting in the full neoplastic phenotype and often metastasis.

There is evidence that hyperinsulinaemia, hyperglycaemia and chronic inflammation may affect the neoplastic process through various pathways, including the insulin/IGF-1 pathway, and most cancer cells express insulin and IGF-1 receptors. Insulin has been shown to stimulate mitogenesis and it may also contribute by stimulating multiple cancer mechanisms, including proliferation, protection from apoptotic stimuli, invasion and metastasis. Considering the obvious relationship between carbohydrates and insulin (and IGF-1) a connection between carbohydrate and cancer is a possible consequence, and some links have been recognized since the 1920s when the RussoGerman physician Dr A Braunstein observed that glycosuria falls off notably in diabetic patients who developed cancer. Later Warburg et al. of the Kaiser Wilheim Institute fur biologie described what was later known as the Warburg effect—where energy is predominantly generated by a high rate of glycolysis followed by lactic acid fermentation in the cytosol, even in the presence of plentiful oxygen. The Warburg effect has been confirmed in many studies and today is a well-established hallmark of many types of cancers, and rapidly growing tumour cells typically have glycolytic rates up to 200 times higher than those of their normal tissues of origin. As stated above, the stimulus of the insulin/IGF-1 pathway is involved in cancer development, but also mitochondrial damage or dysfunction may have a role.
Hence, it seems a reasonable possibility that a very-lowcarbohydrate diet could help to reduce the progression of some types of cancer, although at present the evidence is preliminary.
. Therapeutic uses of ketogenic diets A Paoli et al European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) & 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited In the 1980s, seminal animal studies by Tisdale and colleagues demonstrated that a ketogenic diet was capable to reduce tumour size in mice, whereas more recent research has provided evidence that ketogenic diets may reduce tumour progression in humans, at least as far as gastric and brain cancers are concerned. Although no randomized controlled trials with VLCKD have yet been conducted on patients and the bulk of evidence in relation to the influence of VLCKD on patient survival is still anecdotal, a very recent paper by Fine et al. suggests that the insulin inhibition caused by a ketogenic diet could be a feasible adjunctive treatment for patients with cancer. In summary, perhaps through glucose ‘starvation’ of tumour cells and by reducing the effect of direct insulin-related actions on cell growth, ketogenic diets show promise as an aid in at least some kind of cancer therapy and is deserving of further and deeper investigation—certainly the evidence justifies setting up clinical trials.

SOURCE
A Rubini, JS Volek and KA Grimaldi, 2013 Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets A Paoli1 , European Journal of Clinical Nutrition A Rubini, JS Volek and KA Grimaldi, 2013

TOMATO AND PROSTATE RISK

2015-10-24T07:04:00.002-07:00

Tomatoes contain a chemical called lycopene. This is found in all forms of tomatoes and tomato products including fresh, tinned, paste, juice and ketchup. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and mops up free radicals that could damage DNA.

It is unclear if lycopene could actually reduce the risk of prostate cancer. A large study of 47,000 men found that eating 2-4 weekly servings of tomatoes reduced prostate cancer risk by a quarter. And the EPIC study found that people who have the highest levels of lycopene in their blood have lower risk of advanced types of prostate cancer, but no decreased risk of developing prostate cancer overall.
However, not all studies agree and there are questions still to answer. For example, we still don't know how large a dose of lycopene you would need to reduce the risk of cancer. Even so, eating lots of tomatoes can help you get your recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. They are also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E.

source
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/diet-and-cancer/

WATERCRESS FIGHTING CANCER

2015-10-18T10:33:00.004-07:00

It is not often that a single food item becomes identified as a potential cure or preventative for disease, much less for cancer.
However, a growing body of evidence increasingly suggests that watercress in many ways stands alone and above other ‘super-food’ for it’s prowess as a cancer-fighter and preventer.
With amazing health benefits due to its high levels of phytochemicals known as isothiocyanates, the same disease fighting components found in broccoli and cabbage. With all of these healthy properties, it’s important to add more watercress in your diet.
If you’re confused on how to prepare and eat this underappreciated vegetable, learn how to master the art of eating watercress, go to How To Enjoy Watercress, on this site.

And while the evidence is strong and growing, even us watercress purists would not be so bold as to claim watercress as a cure. But all things considered, there’s no harm and significant potential gain from adding watercress to your daily diet.
Here’s the evidence. You decide for yourself.
1. Key Findings of the South Hampton Breast Cancer Study;
Says Dr. Steve Rothwell, “This study was unique in that we not only identified a biological pathway by which the anticancer compound found in watercress, PEITC, stops cancer development: we went on to show that when a person eats watercress the same pathway is disrupted in their blood cells. These findings provide further evidence that the well documented anticancer properties of PEITC, established through many hundreds of in vitro and animal studies, are manifest in the body after eating a bunch of watercress.
Here are more highlights;
• significant reduction in DNA damage to lymphocytes (white blood cells), by 22.9 per cent.
• reduction in DNA damage to lymphocytes (white blood cells) when a sample was challenged with the free radical generating chemical hydrogen peroxide, by 9.4%
• reduction in blood triglyceride levels, by an average of 10%
• significant increase in blood levels of lutein and beta-carotene, which have antioxidant activity, by 100% and 33% respectively(higher intakes of lutein have also been associated with a lower incidence of eye diseases such as cataract and age-related macular degeneration).
2. American Association of Cancer Research.
ScienceDaily — Chemicals in cruciferous vegetables, specifically watercress, appear to stop human prostate cancer cells from growing in mice by affecting the expression of proteins, says a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute study, abstract number 5601, being presented today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
3. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several cancers in epidemiologic studies. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of watercress supplementation on biomarkers related to cancer risk in healthy adults.
Watercress supplementation was associated with reductions in basal DNA damage (by 17%) in basal plus oxidative purine DNA damage (by 32%), and in basal DNA in response to ex vivo hydrogen peroxide challenge. Beneficial changes seen after watercress intervention were greater and more significant in smokers.
Links to All these studies, and more are available in their full text under ‘Cancer Research Archives in this section of the website.

ROSEMARY HAS ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY

2015-10-10T00:56:00.002-07:00

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody herb with fragrant needle-like leaves. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region and possesses a bitter, astringent taste and highly aromatic characteristics that complement a wide variety of foods. Rosemary is a member of the family Lamiaceae, and it contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants such as carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Other bioactive compounds include camphor (up to 20% in dry rosemary leaves), caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and rosmanol.

Due to its high antioxidant activity, crude and refined extracts of rosemary are now widely available commercially . While the data are difficult to interpret, when rosemary is added along with other herbs to a balsamic vinegar preparation used in soups and salads, it appears to provide protection again oxidative stress in humans .
Considerable evidence also suggests that rosemary extracts, or its isolated components, can retard chemically induced cancers. For example, topical application of a rosemary extract has been reported to block the initiation and promotion phases of B(a)P- and DMBA-mediated skin tumorigenesis . Adding rosemary or carnosol has also been shown to retard DMBA-induced mammary cancer in rats ).
Rosemary extracts and the active compounds carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid have been found to inhibit the proliferation of various human cancer cell lines, including NCI-H82 (human, small cell lung carcinoma), DU145 (human prostate carcinoma), Hep-3B (human [black] liver carcinoma), K-562 (human chronic myeloid leukemia), MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma), and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinoma; Carnosol was the most effective in reducing tumor proliferation. Carnosol is also known to induce apoptotic cell death in high-risk pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia Overall, these data suggest that carnosol, and possibly other constituents in rosemary, may block the terminal apoptotic events induced by some chemotherapeutic drugs and therefore may decrease the effectiveness of some standard therapies for leukemia.

Sourse
Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. by Christine M. Kaefer and John A. Milner (2ndEdition)

ALKALINE DIET: A TESTIMONIAL

2015-10-05T12:12:00.001-07:00

Television presenter Tim Lovejoy is visibly bereft when he recalls his brother’s cancer diagnosis – the start of a swift, unstoppable decline that doctors were powerless to prevent.

‘It’s unbelievable, for someone you love to be told they’re not going to live any more,’ says Tim. ‘It’s the most horrific thing anyone could go through. Disbelief takes over. You sit around for hours asking, are the doctors right? I broke down.’

For James, who was just 37, the disease was particularly merciless. Within three months, doctors had given up hope.

‘The tumour just took over,’ says Tim. ‘After a few treatments of chemo the doctors said there was nothing more they could do. They basically just sent him home to die.’

But Tim, angry at the lack of treatment, refused to accept the prognosis. Unable to believe that his brother had little time left, he set about trying to fix James.

The illness had started innocuously – stomach pains that the doctor first dismissed as irritable bowel syndrome. Halfway through 2003, James got married and on his honeymoon the pain became so intense he had to return home, and was referred to a gastroenterologist.

Tim recalls: ‘The specialist said to him, “You’ve got more chance of winning the Lottery than anything major being wrong with you.” Then I got the call from my dad saying they’d found a tumour.’ It was pancreatic cancer.

Tim, now 45, knew nothing about the disease, and how low the chances of survival are. ‘The oncologist said, “We’re going to fight this, we can beat this.” But I now know only a tiny percentage of people live with pancreatic cancer longer than five years.’.............................

The two brothers, whose lives were once so different, were now locked together again – in a battle against terminal cancer.

So close: Tim Lovejoy, right, with his brother James, who died aged 37, as young boys in their football tracksuits

In the absence of any medical help, Tim discovered there were alternative practitioners all too willing to take on such desperate cases.

He found a holistic therapist who persuaded James to rid his diet of meat and acidic ingredients in favour of juices and alkaline foods.

‘The juices were made from things like broccoli and beetroot – a lot of vegetables.

‘The only things we used to sweeten them with were apples. He couldn’t eat any fried food or anything acidic. He became a vegetarian.’

The rationale for the alkaline diet is that cancer cells thrive in a slightly acidic environment in laboratory conditions, so an alkaline body should be unfriendly to cancer cells.

The diet involves eliminating sugar and all processed foods, dairy and meat and eating lots of raw vegetables, fish and pulses.

TUMOUR THAT IS RARE BUT RELENTLESS

Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare – about 8,000 people are diagnosed with it each year in Britain. But over the past three decades, survival rates have barely increased.

Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Steve Pereira, who is a medical adviser to Pancreatic Cancer UK, says: ‘In most of the other cancers there’s been definite improvements – real gains in public awareness, people looking out for symptoms, screening programmes, drug tests, and a whole host of specifically targeted drugs to compliment chemotherapy.

‘But in pancreatic cancer none of those areas have really resulted in any significant gains for mortality.’

Part of the problem is the difficulty in detecting it early. The pancreas is nestled behind the stomach, between the kidneys and close to the spleen, liver and gall bladder, so a tumour that spreads will likely affect any number of other organs, making surgery difficult if not impossible in many cases.

Worse still, a pancreatic tumour often creates no symptoms, allowing it to grow unnoticed.

A few studies are looking at ways of improving diagnosis in primary care. If, for example, a patient has three of the following: upper abdominal pain, back pain, jaundice or weight loss, they could be automatically referred to a specialist.

James’s mother would prepare a lot of the meals and, to ensure everything was indeed alkaline, put a piece of litmus paper on all his food. But it was rather joyless for James, who mourned the loss of his favourite foods.

Tim remembers: ‘He would say. “I’m not allowed my roast dinners or fish and chips. Is there any point in living?” ’

But James made the changes, bolstered by the holistic specialist’s advice that while these dietary adjustments wouldn’t affect the cancer, it would help him live with it.

‘I helped him do it, but he made the conscious decision,’ Tim says. ‘And his quality of life was so much better once he went alkaline. I remember quite early on he ate a bacon sandwich and felt really sick after it and said, “I’m not doing that again. I don’t feel well.”

‘The alkaline diet provided easily digestible foods that didn’t upset his stomach and cause greater stress on his internal organs.’

Once established on the new regime, James even felt well enough to leave the house. He would go with friends to watch football at Watford FC and occasionally dine out at a vegetarian restaurant.

‘He was able to live his life,’ says Tim. ‘The great thing about doing the diet is, rather than sitting around waiting for other people to do stuff for you, you’re being proactive. It gave my brother the feeling he had more control.’

The impact on James of his diagnosis was profound. He sent for a vicar, despite having no religion, who said God would look after him. James then turned to a spiritualist whose positive approach to the disease helped him feel happier.

‘He wanted to latch on to any glimmer of hope,’ Tim says. ‘He wasn’t ready to die. He became very positive, talking about his future and where he was going to travel to next.’

The rest of the family rallied round as, Tim recalls, James’s wife ‘went through hell’. Tim juggled his visits with looking after his then one-year-old twin daughters Grace and Rose. James moved back in with his parents so he could be given 24-hour care with the help of cancer nurses, whom Tim heaps praises upon.

‘When James was struggling, my parents could speak to them to get painkillers. They could have proper conversations with the nurses about the process of him dying.

‘Everyone has dark thoughts and it’s hard to share those with each other, but you can share those with the nurses because they understand.

‘My brother could tell them how he was feeling. Cancer sufferers don’t want to upset their friends and family and say, “I’m scared of dying.” Those nurses have to take on the role of therapist, doctor, everything. They have to show charm and tact and empathy. They’re real heroes.

‘I can’t tell you how much heartache you go through. The stress on the family is phenomenal.’

Making the most: Tim says his brother James, left, was able to enjoy his last days thanks to the change in the way he ate, following the alkaline diet instead

As autumn 2003 turned into winter, James deteriorated. In December Tim went to see him to find him feeling terrible. The next day, James was taken to hospital.

His parents rang Tim. ‘They said, “Come now. He’s dying.” ’ He rushed to the ward to find James in a coma. ‘As we talked to him you could see he was listening because his heart rate would go up on the monitor when we spoke,’ he says.

‘I witnessed him take his last few breaths. After we said our goodbyes, that’s it, he went.’ To cope with the loss, Tim immersed himself in work.

‘As a family we just carried on. A little while later the reality hit. But the pain I go through is nothing in comparison to my parents.

‘They are strong, but sometimes I see how very sad they are. Christmas is always particularly tough because he died just before then.’

Although the strict diet regime did nothing to slow the progression of the disease that would finally claim James’ life, Tim still advocates the radical alkaline approach. ‘Doing things like eating the right foods definitely helps,’ he says.

‘Not just because James felt better and not because he felt he was being cured but because he believed he was living with cancer the best way possible.’

In reaction to his brother’s death, Tim has tried to maintain the positivity he surrounded James with by doing everything he can to look after his and his children’s health.

‘I always thought I was immortal, that cancer would never happen to our family, so when it did and James died, I realised it could happen to anyone. That made me look at what I do to my body.’

He cut down on alcohol, started eating healthily and still exercises regularly – which is why he has agreed to take part in a swimathon for Marie Curie. He’s also focusing on another positive: the latest addition to his family.

His partner Tamsin Greenway, 30, the professional netball player, gave birth last month.

Tim says: ‘We’ve called the baby Jamie Jeane, after my brother. Tamsin was happy about that.’

For information about Swimathon 2014, visitswimathon.org.

To donate to Marie Curie Cancer Care via Swimathon 2013, call 0845 367 0036.

Source
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2337913/The-alkaline-diet-save-brother-cancer--Im-glad-I-persuaded-try-says-TIM-LOVEJOY.html

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2337913/The-alkaline-diet-save-brother-cancer--Im-glad-I-persuaded-try-says-TIM-LOVEJOY.html#ixzz3niol9OPK
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

APRICOTS/ LAETRILE AND CANCER (AN OPINION)

2015-10-01T13:43:00.002-07:00

Apricot pits are the source of laetrile, a discredited cancer drug, and of amygdalin (sometimes inaccurately called "vitamin B-17") found in the seeds of other fruits and in some raw nuts.

Amygdalin was isolated in 1830, and first used as an anticancer agent in Russia in 1845. Laetrile is a synthetic version of amygdalin. It was patented in the United States but has not been FDA-approved as a cancer treatment and cannot be sold in this country. However, laetrile, amygdalin, "vitamin B17," and apricot pits are all sold as dietary supplements, and all can be potentially toxic.

Laetrile gained popularity in the 1970s as part of a cancer therapy consisting of a special diet, high-dose vitamin supplements, and pancreatic enzymes. Although many studies - both laboratory and human - have been conducted on it over the years, little evidence supports laetrile’s efficacy. Patients in some studies did respond to the drug, but their cancer recurred as soon as treatment was discontinued.

Furthermore, laetrile can cause serious side effects including symptoms of cyanide poisoning: nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood, liver damage, abnormally low blood pressure, droopy upper eyelids, difficulty walking due to damaged nerves, fever, mental confusion, coma, and even death. Laetrile’s side effects can be intensified by eating celery, peaches, bean sprouts, and carrots or by taking high doses of vitamin C. Side effects are more severe when laetrile is given by mouth rather than by injection because intestinal bacteria and some commonly eaten plant foods contain enzymes that activate the release of cyanide.

In my opinion, laetrile and apricot pits are worthless for cancer treatment.

When dealing with cancer, first determine what conventional therapies have to offer. For an excellent overview of complementary cancer therapies, I suggest reading Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer by Michael Lerner (The MIT Press, 1996) and Integrative Oncology by Donald Abrams M.D. (Oxford University Press, 2009).

Source:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400528/Apricot-Kernels-A-Natural-Cancer-Treatment.html

BARLEY GRASS AND CANCER

2015-09-29T13:48:00.001-07:00

Barley has written its own history since the era of the ancient Egyptians. More than ten thousand years ago, ancient Egyptians were using barley, one of the earth’s oldest grains. They used it as food for humans and animals. The grain was also used in making alcoholic beverages and barley water for medicinal purposes.

On the other hand, the ancient Greeks used barley for making bread and served it as food for their athletes. They believed that barley bread contributed to the athlete’s overall strength. Even in ancient China, they recognized this special grain as a symbol of male virility.

In 1494, Christopher Columbus introduced barley to the land of America. However, even with barley’s ancient history, Americans do not include it as one of their staple foods. Unlike wheat and oats, barley was unpopular, until now! Barley has recently gained some recognition not only in the culinary field but also in the medicinal field as scientists have uncovered its astounding health benefits. Today, Canada, the United States, Russia, Germany, France and Spain are the world’s largest producers of barley.

It is a rich source of fiber, minerals and phytochemicals that combat several types of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Including barley in your meals is an appetizing way to combat these diseases since it has a rich, nutty flavor with a chewy consistency.

Barley resembles wheat berries but is lighter in color. It is also notable for its maltose content which is used for making malt syrup sweeteners. Breweries also use the grain for making beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.

How barley fights cancer
It was mentioned earlier that barley has the ability to combat cancer. Since it is naturally rich in fiber, it can boost your intestinal health; hence, protecting you from colon cancer. The fiber component of barley decreases your risk of colon cancer by increasing the bulk activity and decreasing the transit time of fecal matter which makes your colon healthier.

It’s not only the barley grain which wards off cancer, but the greens are also beneficial because of their superoxide dismutase component. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a type of enzyme that destroys harmful free radicals in the body. Based on a study conducted at the University of Iowa, there is a relationship between the levels of SOD and the occurrence of cancer. Diminished amounts of SOD were found in cancer cells. Researchers concluded that this relationship may help clinicians to formulate appropriate cancer treatments.
It is also believed that the barley greens’ antioxidant component, called alpha-tocopherol succinate, can fight cancer. Alpha-tocopherol succinate is a relative of vitamin E, which is known for its anti-cancer mechanisms. Alpha-tocopherol succinate has relative effects for several types of cancer such as brain tumors, prostate cancer and leukemia.

Based on an experimental study conducted at George Washington University, the researchers used dehydrated barley grass extract to kill leukemic cancer cells. All of the leukemic cancer cells were killed. The researchers also tested the effects of the extract on brain cancer cells. Results revealed that the dehydrated barley grass extract eradicated 30 to 50 percent of the brain cancer cells. And on their third trial, the extract inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells which was from 90 to 100 percent.
Barley grass is also rich in vitamin B-17 which has the potential to destroy cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed.

Source

http://thetruthaboutcancer.com/barley-cancer-killing-powers/

VITAMIN C AGAINST CANCER

2015-09-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

Vitamin C is a nutrient found in food and dietary supplements. It is an antioxidant and water solyble which also plays a key role in making collagen . A severe deficiency (lack) of vitamin C in the diet causes scurvy, a disease with symptoms of extreme weakness, lethargy, easy bruising, and bleeding. The lack of vitamin C in patients with scurvy makes collagen thinner in texture; when vitamin C is given, collagen becomes thicker again.

    High-dose vitamin C has been studied as a treatment for patients with cancer since the 1970s . A Scottish surgeon named Ewan Cameron worked with Nobel Prize-winning chemist Linus Pauling to study the possible benefits of vitamin C therapy in clinical trials of cancer patients in the late 1970s and early 1980's.

High-dose vitamin C may be given by intravenous (IV) infusion (through a vein into the bloodstream) or orally (taken by mouth). When taken by intravenous infusion, vitamin C can reach much higher levels in the blood than when the same amount is taken by mouth .



Surveys of healthcare practitioners at United States CAM conferences in recent years have shown that high-dose IV vitamin C is frequently given to patients as a treatment for infections, fatigue, and cancers, including breast cancer.

    Laboratory studies have shown that high doses of vitamin C may slow the growth and spread of prostate, pancreatic, liver, colon, and other types of cancer cells .

    Some laboratory and animal studies have shown that combining vitamin C with anticancer therapies may be helpful, while other studies have shown that certain forms of vitamin C may make chemotherapy less effective .

    Animal studies have shown that high-dose vitamin C treatment blocks tumor growth in certain models of pancreatic, liver, prostate, and ovarian cancers, sarcoma, and malignant mesothelioma .

    Some human studies of high-dose IV vitamin C in patients with cancer have shown improved quality of life, as well as improvements in physical, mental, and emotional functions, symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, and appetite loss . A study of IV vitamin C and high doses of vitamin C taken by mouth was done in patients with cancer that could not be cured. Vitamin C was shown to be a safe and effective therapy to improve quality of life in these patients, including physical, mental, and emotional functions, symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, and appetite loss.
Vitamin C has been shown to be safe when given to healthy volunteers and cancer patients at doses up to 1.5 g/kg, while screening out patients with certain risk factors who should avoid vitamin C. Studies have also shown that Vitamin C levels in the blood are higher when taken by IV than when taken by mouth, and last for more than 4 hours.

    Intravenous high-dose ascorbic acid has caused very few side effects in clinical trials . In patients with a history of kidney disorders, kidney failure has been reported after ascorbic acid treatment. Patients with a tendency to develop kidney stones should not be treated with high-dose vitamin C.
    Case reports have shown that patients with an inherited disorder called G-6-PD deficiency should not be given high doses of vitamin C, due to the risk of hemolysis (a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed).
    Since vitamin C may make iron more easily absorbed and used by the body, high doses of the vitamin are not recommended for patients with hemochromatosis (a condition in which the body takes up and stores more iron than it needs).

    While generally approved as a dietary supplement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of IV high-dose vitamin C as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition .

SOURCE

National Cancer Institute
cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/vitamin-c-pdq

THE SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E CANCER PREVENTION TRIAL (SELECT),

2015-09-27T06:19:00.002-07:00

The selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial (SELECT),

Prostate cancer is a good candidate for studies on primary prevention due to several specific features such as high prevalence, long latency, hormonal dependency, serum markers for monitoring.The specific causes of prostate cancer remain unknown. The primary risk factors are age, family history (genetic factors) and ethnic origin. Prostate cancer is very uncommon in men younger than 45, but becomes more common with advancing age. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 70. Men who have first-degree family members with prostate cancer appear to have double the risk of getting the disease compared to men without prostate cancer in the family. This risk appears to be greater for men with an affected brother than for men with an affected father. Men with high blood pressure are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

Geographic variations in incidence rates are considerable and, therefore, it has been suggested that environmental factors may also play a role. Data from migration studies clearly show that men with the same genetic background raised in different environments present the risk of the disease associated with their country of residency. Evidence from epidemiological studies supports a possible protective role in reducing prostate cancer for dietary vitamin B6, selenium , vitamin E, minerals (calcium, selenium), lycopene, cooked meat, and soy foods.

Most studies reported to date are case-control analysis. Recently the selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial (SELECT), however, is a population-based, prospective, randomized clinical trial to examine the effect of selenium and vitamin E alone or in combination on prostate cancer risk reduction. The trial was discontinued recently as there was no evidence of a benefit from either agent. Nevertheless, lifestyle changes could be recommended to men at risk for developing clinical prostate cancer.

Schmid HP, Fischer C, Engeler DS, Bendhack ML, Schmitz-Dräger BJ. Recent Results Cancer Res. Nutritional aspects of primary prostate cancer prevention.. Recent Results Cancer Res. 2011;188:101-7.

KANGLAITE AGAINST CANCER - JOB'S TEARS

2015-09-26T03:23:00.002-07:00

One of the latest ‘miracle’ cancer cures hails from China, and it is Kanglaite, a preparation made from a traditional staple food. It highlights the nature of Chinese remedies and the Chinese approach to health.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho reports.

Box 1
Chinese pearl barley the latest cancer cure
It has long been suspected that the low cancer rates in southeast China could be due to a dietary staple in the region, Coix lachryma-jobi, or Jobs’s tears, a relative of maize.
The species appears to be widely distributed throughout the world. The seeds, shaped like tear drops and coloured greyish white to dark brown, are often used as beads in necklaces because they come with a perforating hole from one end to the other. When shelled, the kernel is white and looks like barley; and indeed, is referred to as such. Its Chinese name, yi-yi-jen, or yi-mi (in southeast China) is the same as that used for barley, or yang-yi-mi, ‘yang’ meaning ‘foreign’, or ‘across the ocean’.
Yi-mi is used in soups and porridges and is a common ingredient in many herbal medicines for treating a variety of ailments including cancer. It has also been widely used as a diuretic, analgesic and antispasmodic agent.

Kanglaite has gone through a four-month clinical trial on 15 to 18 volunteers in a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, making it the first drug derived from a traditional Chinese herbal remedy to go into clinical trials in the United States. The drug is patented in China, United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union.
No one knows exactly how Kanglaite works, but the drug has been taken by more than 270 000 patients in some 2000 hospitals in China, and has proven effective against malignant tumours such as carcinomas in the lung, liver, stomach and breast.
It appears to fight cancer on many fronts. Apart from inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and killing them directly, it also stimulates immune functions that get rid of cancer cells, and improves the quality of life for cancer patients by decreasing cancer pain and prevents the loss of body weight. It has no harmful side effects on vital functions of the heart, liver, kidney and blood. It reduces toxic side effects of radio- and chemotherapy, and increases the effectiveness of these conventional treatments. When used in combination with surgical intervention, it helps kill tumour cells. It is, to all intent and purposes, the perfect cancer cure, so it is claimed (see Box 2).

Box 2
How Kanglaite works
Studies published in a collection from Zhejiang University Press and elsewhere claim that Kanglaite has the following effects.

Inhibits mitosis of tumour cells during G2/M phase of the cell cycle.
Induces death of tumour cells.
Increases expression of genes – FAS, Apo-1 – that inhibits the growth of cancer cells and represses expression of the gene Bel-2 that promotes the growth of cancer cells.
Inhibits formation of new blood vessels that promote tumour growth.
Counteracts weight loss due to cancer.
Reverses multi-resistance of tumour cells to anti-tumour drugs.

At the beginning of 2003, FDA approved a phase II trial on non small-cell lung cancer, a hitherto untreatable cancer once it has gone past the very early stages when surgical intervention is feasible.
But what exactly is Kanglaite?
Kanglaite is a "neutral lipid fraction" extracted using organic solvents in a several purification steps (see Box 3) and formulated as an injection for patients. It is a mixture of rather ordinary lipids, the precise role of each of which in the large spectrum of effects remains unknown.

Box 3
What is Kanglaite?
Kanglaite is the "neutral lipid" of the endosperm of Job’s tears, extracted with an organic solvent, such as acetone, and further refined and washed in several simple steps, then combined with glycerol and lecithin from soy or egg to make an emulsion in water that can be injected intravenously into patients.
The anti-tumour action of lipids extracted from the endosperm of Job’s tears was known much earlier: it was reported for the first time by Japanese scientists Tyunosin Ukita and Ako Tanumura in 1961, and again in the 1980s by Chinese scientist, Si Pei-hai. But the earlier extracts were not economical enough for the market, and the formulations were not pure enough for clinical use.
The "neutral lipid" turns out to be a rather unremarkable mixture of triglycerides (over 90%) with smaller amounts of diglycerides (about 1.5%), monoglycerides (about 6 %) and alkylacylacetin (about 1%). These lipids have a rather ordinary profile of saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids (16 and 18 carbons).
Despite the wide spectrum of benefits claimed for the "neutral lipid", based both on in vitro studies in cell cultures and in vivo studies in mice, and later in human subjects, it is unclear whether different components of the mixture are responsible for specific effects, or it is the mixture per se that has all those effects.

There is a strong underlying assumption, nevertheless, that the different effects are due to different components in the grain, and indeed, a number of pharmacologically and physiologically active substances have been isolated from different parts of the Coix plant that show specific anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-microbial, hypoglycaemic, and ovulatory effects.
A team of researchers at the National Taiwan University has recently identified 6 phenolic compounds in the hull (shell) of Job’s tears that have strong anti-oxidant activities. The researchers showed that different parts of the grain vary in their content of anti-oxidants, with the greatest amounts in the hull, followed by the testa (seed membrane) and the bran, and the smallest amounts in the polished grain. And the six phenolic compounds also had different degrees of anti-oxidant effects.
Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation of lipids in cell membranes, leading to impairment of cell function. Antioxidants neutralise reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxygen free radicals. Excess ROS is implicated in diseases such as inflammation, aging, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and liver toxicity. (See Organic agriculture helps fight cancer, ISIS report.)
Despite these clear successes, however, there are critics who claim, justifiably, that the present penchant for extracting and purifying herbal medicine is anathema to the very tradition of Chinese medicine. Chinese herbal medicines frequently involve not just the single unprocessed herb, but especially mixtures of many herbs in different proportions, according to the needs of individual patients (see Globalising Chinese medicine, this series). The aim is to restore the patient to physiological balance that’s synonymous with the state of health.
The experience of conventional Western medicine has amply demonstrated that knowing the molecular mechanisms of a compound is no guarantee that it will have the desired benefit for the organism, for the simple reason that all parts of the organism are interconnected and intercommunicating. Nevertheless, knowledge of molecular mechanisms can contribute to understanding the whole, once we stop seeing the organism as a collection of separate molecular nuts and bolts. Besides, identifying the different components in a mixture could contribute to quality assurance and standardisation, discouraging forgeries and malpractice in medications that are going to be increasingly important for global healthcare.
In view of the numerous health benefits of this widely distributed staple food, why not incorporate the Coix grain into everyone’s diet? It serves to bring home the most distinctive aspect of traditional Chinese medicine: good nutrition is indistinguishable from health promotion, and food shades insensibly into medicine that’s widely available and affordable.
I believe that the tension between the analytical reductionist and the synthetic holistic approaches will be resolved in the spirit of the organic materialism and eclectic pragmatism characteristic of the Chinese culture through the ages (see Traditional Chinese medicine & contemporary western science, this series).
The more important tension is between corporations that want to extract maximum profit from patented medicines and the health needs of ordinary people as well as the danger of over-harvesting of wild plant species.

Source: i-sis.org.uk/GCM2.php

THE AMAZING ALLAN TAYLOR STORY

2015-09-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

This story shows that cancer can be eliminated by special diet and supplements that change the inner environment from cancer promotion....to cancer elimination.

Daily Mail Report:
"Did this grandfather, 78, really beat 'incurable' cancer just by changing his diet? Extraordinary story of the man who got 'all-clear' after swapping red meat and dairy products for 10 fruit and veg a day." (Daily Mail)

Note: This is not about a man simply"changing his diet" as inferred by the news reports, but doing something in line with scientifically understood principals employed within many alternative cancer protocols. The fact that this has worked for this man, is no mere coincidence. If there was no validity to these anti-cancer methods, this man would not have reversed his (terminal) cancer. Had he instead been given a brand new chemo drug undergoing trials, this would have been hailed as a major breakthrough with massive publicity worldwide!. Instead this mans achievement will be totally ignored by the medical profession.

The Mirror Report:
When doctors told Allan Taylor he had incurable cancer, he decided he wasn’t just going to give up and die.
Instead the 78-year-old grandfather determinedly searched the internet for help.
And when he found what he was looking for, he began an intensive alternative diet to try to cure his sickness.
It included powdered grass, curry spices, apricot seeds and selenium tablets.
Now, four months later, retired oil rig engineer Allan has had the “all-clear” from doctors.
“I got a letter on April 30 and I was told there was no point having any more chemotherapy, it wouldn’t cure me and neither would an operation,” he says.
“They said if they cut out the cancer it would just pop up somewhere else. But I was determined to stay positive and decided to find my own cure.
“On August 6 I got a letter from North Tees hospital to say a scan had shown my cancer had gone and ‘the abnormality is no longer visible’. I’m all clear.

Allan’s ordeal began when he noticed a two-inch lump in his abdomen last February. He was sent for a scan and told he had colon cancer.

Looking at the photo's of this man with his supplements, the pictures could have been taken in MY kitchen, using MY supplements. And it's clear we have used similar reasoning and come to do something very similar having trawled through the Internet and weighed the evidence.

His basic devised protocol is stated to be:

An alkaline diet, with bottled water.
10 raw fruit and veg portions every day.
Barleygrass powder
Selenium
Vitamin C
CurcuminX4000
Bitter apricot kernels
75 mg aspirin

Cost: Around £32.00 per week!

(Note: Barleygrass contains, amongst other things, 25 times the potassium of bananas, 10 times the calcium of milk, 45 times the vitamin B2 of lettuce and 5 times the iron of spinach.)

SOURCE:
http://healing-cancer-with-logic-and-reason.blogspot.gr/2013/06/incurable-cancer-bites-dust.html

Incurable Terminal Cancer Cured with a Few Cheap Supplements!

Incurable Cancer Bites the Dust! The Allan Taylor Story

Yet another story confirms that natural cancer cures work...or is it just one huge coincidence?

This story shows that cancer can be eliminated by special diet and supplements that change the inner environment from cancer promotion....to cancer elimination.

Daily Mail Report:

"Did this grandfather, 78, really beat 'incurable' cancer just by changing his diet? Extraordinary story of the man who got 'all-clear' after swapping red meat and dairy products for 10 fruit and veg a day." (Daily Mail)

Read Full Story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2204080/Grandfather-incurable-cancer-given-clear-swapping-red-meat-dairy-products-10-fruit-veg-day.html#ixzz2VIGYfJw2

Note: This is not about a man simply"changing his diet" as inferred by the news reports, but doing something in line with scientifically understood principals employed within many alternative cancer protocols. The fact that this has worked for this man, is no mere coincidence. If there was no validity to these anti-cancer methods, this man would not have reversed his (terminal) cancer. Had he instead been given a brand new chemo drug undergoing trials, this would have been hailed as a major breakthrough with massive publicity worldwide!. Instead this mans achievement will be totally ignored by the medical profession.

The Mirror Report:

When doctors told Allan Taylor he had incurable cancer, he decided he wasn’t just going to give up and die.
Instead the 78-year-old grandfather determinedly searched the internet for help.
And when he found what he was looking for, he began an intensive alternative diet to try to cure his sickness.
It included powdered grass, curry spices, apricot seeds and selenium tablets.
Now, four months later, retired oil rig engineer Allan has had the “all-clear” from doctors.
“I got a letter on April 30 and I was told there was no point having any more chemotherapy, it wouldn’t cure me and neither would an operation,” he says.
“They said if they cut out the cancer it would just pop up somewhere else. But I was determined to stay positive and decided to find my own cure.
“On August 6 I got a letter from North Tees hospital to say a scan had shown my cancer had gone and ‘the abnormality is no longer visible’. I’m all clear.

Allan’s ordeal began when he noticed a two-inch lump in his abdomen last February. He was sent for a scan and told he had colon cancer.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-cures-himself-of-cancer-using-1325900#ixzz3AertFAMc
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

As reported here: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-cures-himself-of-cancer-using-1325900 (The Mirror)

Looking at the photo's of this man with his supplements, the pictures could have been taken in MY kitchen, using MY supplements. And it's clear we have used similar reasoning and come to do something very similar having trawled through the Internet and weighed the evidence.

His basic devised protocol is stated to be:

An alkaline diet, with bottled water.
10 raw fruit and veg portions every day.
Barleygrass powder
Selenium
Vitamin C
CurcuminX4000
Bitter apricot kernels
75 mg aspirin

Cost: Around £32.00 per week!

(Note: Barleygrass contains, amongst other things, 25 times the potassium of bananas, 10 times the calcium of milk, 45 times the vitamin B2 of lettuce and 5 times the iron of spinach.)

- See more at: http://healing-cancer-with-logic-and-reason.blogspot.gr/2013/06/incurable-cancer-bites-dust.html#sthash.wLpS3us7.dpuf

Incurable Terminal Cancer Cured with a Few Cheap Supplements!

Incurable Cancer Bites the Dust! The Allan Taylor Story

Yet another story confirms that natural cancer cures work...or is it just one huge coincidence?

This story shows that cancer can be eliminated by special diet and supplements that change the inner environment from cancer promotion....to cancer elimination.

Daily Mail Report:

"Did this grandfather, 78, really beat 'incurable' cancer just by changing his diet? Extraordinary story of the man who got 'all-clear' after swapping red meat and dairy products for 10 fruit and veg a day." (Daily Mail)

Read Full Story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2204080/Grandfather-incurable-cancer-given-clear-swapping-red-meat-dairy-products-10-fruit-veg-day.html#ixzz2VIGYfJw2

Note: This is not about a man simply"changing his diet" as inferred by the news reports, but doing something in line with scientifically understood principals employed within many alternative cancer protocols. The fact that this has worked for this man, is no mere coincidence. If there was no validity to these anti-cancer methods, this man would not have reversed his (terminal) cancer. Had he instead been given a brand new chemo drug undergoing trials, this would have been hailed as a major breakthrough with massive publicity worldwide!. Instead this mans achievement will be totally ignored by the medical profession.

The Mirror Report:

An alkaline diet, with bottled water.
10 raw fruit and veg portions every day.
Barleygrass powder
Selenium
Vitamin C
CurcuminX4000
Bitter apricot kernels
75 mg aspirin

Cost: Around £32.00 per week!

(Note: Barleygrass contains, amongst other things, 25 times the potassium of bananas, 10 times the calcium of milk, 45 times the vitamin B2 of lettuce and 5 times the iron of spinach.)

- See more at: http://healing-cancer-with-logic-and-reason.blogspot.gr/2013/06/incurable-cancer-bites-dust.html#sthash.wLpS3us7.dpuf

Incurable Terminal Cancer Cured with a Few Cheap Supplements!

Incurable Cancer Bites the Dust! The Allan Taylor Story

Yet another story confirms that natural cancer cures work...or is it just one huge coincidence?

This story shows that cancer can be eliminated by special diet and supplements that change the inner environment from cancer promotion....to cancer elimination.

Daily Mail Report:

"Did this grandfather, 78, really beat 'incurable' cancer just by changing his diet? Extraordinary story of the man who got 'all-clear' after swapping red meat and dairy products for 10 fruit and veg a day." (Daily Mail)

Read Full Story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2204080/Grandfather-incurable-cancer-given-clear-swapping-red-meat-dairy-products-10-fruit-veg-day.html#ixzz2VIGYfJw2

Note: This is not about a man simply"changing his diet" as inferred by the news reports, but doing something in line with scientifically understood principals employed within many alternative cancer protocols. The fact that this has worked for this man, is no mere coincidence. If there was no validity to these anti-cancer methods, this man would not have reversed his (terminal) cancer. Had he instead been given a brand new chemo drug undergoing trials, this would have been hailed as a major breakthrough with massive publicity worldwide!. Instead this mans achievement will be totally ignored by the medical profession.

The Mirror Report:

An alkaline diet, with bottled water.
10 raw fruit and veg portions every day.
Barleygrass powder
Selenium
Vitamin C
CurcuminX4000
Bitter apricot kernels
75 mg aspirin

Cost: Around £32.00 per week!

(Note: Barleygrass contains, amongst other things, 25 times the potassium of bananas, 10 times the calcium of milk, 45 times the vitamin B2 of lettuce and 5 times the iron of spinach.)

- See more at: http://healing-cancer-with-logic-and-reason.blogspot.gr/2013/06/incurable-cancer-bites-dust.html#sthash.wLpS3us7.dpuf

MASTIC GUM

2015-09-23T14:52:00.001-07:00

(Pistacia lentiscus , Greek: μαστίχα)

Chios mastic gum, a resin produced by the Pistacia lentiscus tree (an evergreen shrub from the pistachio tree family), has been used for a variety of gastric ailments in Mediterranean and Mideast countries for at least 3,000 years.

The name is derived probably from Grek word "μαστάζω "= chew, "μάσταξ"=mouth. Masticha looks like rock candy and has a distinctive taste and chewiness. It is a 100% Greek product, and as such is registered by the European Union as PDO (PGI) name. It is only produced on the island of Chios, in the Aegean Sea, and especially in the Southern part in the Mastic villages or the so called 'Mastichohoria'.

Mastic resin is a relatively expensive kind of spice, that has been used, principally, as a chewing gum, for at least 2,400 years. In adittion the aromatic, ivory coloured resin, also known as mastic, is harvested as a spice. As a spice, it continues to be used in Greece to flavour spirits and liquors (such as Chios's native drinks of Mastichato and mastica), chewing gum and a number of cakes, pastries, spoon sweets and desserts. Chios Mastic is known for many years and has always being produced in the traditional manner. It has medicinal, pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

In ancient times, mastic gum was highly revered for its medicinal properties in the relief of dyspepsia and other intestinal disorders. The benefits of this naturally occurring resin are now being rediscovered for their antimicrobial effects.

Mastic resin, which comes exclusively from the Greek island of Chios

Mastic mainly consists of triterpenes of the oleanane, euphane, and lupane types and -tocopherol . Latest analysis indicated that the acidic fraction of mastic extract consists of triterpenic acids with major oleanonic acid content, while the neutral fraction consists of neutral triterpenic compounds (alcohols and aldehydes), as well as phytosterols like tirucallol . Several studies have already been published on mastic gum with regard to its positive effects on the gastrointestinal environment, especially against at least seven different strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections in humans and affects most populations throughout the world. Additionally, mastic gum is already known for its antioxidant capacity, Recent studies demonstrate that Chios mastic induces apoptosis and possesses antiproliferative activity in colon cancer cells. Mastic has also been associated with cardiovascular protection, exerting its effect mainly through increasing the antioxidant defense system and effectively lowering the levels of serum cholesterol in human subjects. Moreover, mastic extract has been shown to inhibit human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in vitro and oxidized LDL cytotoxic effect on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) .

Mastic oil from Pistacia lentiscus has been recently shown to exert also anti-tumor growth activity through inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and inflammatory response because of the mixture of volatile compounds, mainly terpenes, with established beneficial biological properties. This is against several cancer types through mechanisms involving inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and survival, restriction of angiogenesis and modulation of pro-tumor inflammatory response. In addition, mastic oil treatment has been shown to target the expression and function of key signaling and transcription regulators implicated in malignant phenotype like Ras/RhoA GTPases and NF-κB.

Balan KV, Prince J, Han Z, Dimas K, Cladaras M, Wyche JH, Sitaras NM, Pantazis P. Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptosis in human colon cancer cells treated in vitro with constituents of a product derived from Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia. Phytomedicine 14:263–272, 2007

Moulos P, Papadodima O, Chatziioannou A, Loutrari H, Roussos C, Kolisis FN.A transcriptomic computational analysis of mastic oil-treated Lewis lung carcinomas reveals molecular mechanisms targeting tumor cell growth and survival. BMC Med Genomics. 2009 Dec 15;2:68.

Sakagami H, Kishino K, Kobayashi M, Hashimoto K, Iida S, Shimetani A, Nakamura Y, Takahashi K, Ikarashi T, Fukamachi H, Satoh K, Nakashima H, Shimizu T, Takeda K, Watanabe S, Nakamura W.

Selective antibacterial and apoptosis-modulating activities of mastic. In Vivo. 2009 Mar-Apr

Mahmoudi M, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Nabavi SF, Hafezi S, Nabavi SM, Eslami Sh Antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities of gum mastic. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2010 Sep;14(9):765-9.

ATKINS DIET AND CANCER

2015-09-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Doctors have blamed the Atkins diet for a worrying increase in the problem of constipation - a key factor in causing bowel cancer.

Specialists claim that rising sales of laxatives and other remedies in the last two years are being driven by the enormous popularity of the diet.
A report highlights the down side of the high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate regime which has helped celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, left, and Renee Zellweger stay slim.
It suggests Atkins can result in a range of bowel problems and also reduced sex drive.
One of Britain's top bowel experts, Roger Leicester, said:

'Bowel cancer is more likely to develop when people eat a lot of animal fat and there is slow-moving transit of food through the gut.
'The Atkins diet results in both these things happening. It may work in the short term to kick- start weight loss but I'm concerned about the implications for people who stick to it in the long term.'
Mr Leicester, a consultant colorectal surgeon at St George's Hospital, South London, said a report on better bowel health makes clear that a healthy diet means eating much more fibre than Atkins allows.
'The fact that vegetables, bread and pasta dishes are generally avoided by those on the Atkins diet means that, as a result, they are not getting enough fibre in their diet,' he said.
For the first fortnight, dieters are told to restrict carbohydrate intake to 20g a day - which supplies only a fraction of the fibre required for a healthy diet.
Mr Leicester said lack of fibre triggers constipation, which causes bloating and swelling, and psychological problems such as lethargy and lack of sex drive.
The warning comes after leading nutritionist Dr Susan Jebb claimed Atkins posed a long-term health risk.
Invented 30 years ago by Dr Robert Atkins, the diet is based on the theory that cutting down carbohydrate intake alters the body's chemistry, turning it from a carbohydrate-burning machine into one that burns fat.
He recommends using dietary fibre supplements, while eating salad vegetables and others such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and spinach is also encouraged.
Possible dangers, however, include kidney problems and bone loss.
And it has since emerged a 16-year-old girl died after the Atkins diet was blamed for altering her metabolic balance and triggering heart failure.
The report, The Digestive State of the Nation, shows that over-the-counter sales of laxatives such as Senokot and Fybogel, a fibre supplement, have shot up from £35.4million in 2001 to £41.3million last year.
Mr Leicester said: 'It's like a blockage on the M25. To deal with a crash you should be taking immediate remedial measures such as a laxative or supplement.
'But to avoid congestion you need a healthy diet for life that contains proper amounts of fibre from fruit and vegetables combined with exercise which stop the problems in the first place.'

Source: by by JENNY HOPE, Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-193698

TESTIMONIALS

2011-05-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

1. TESTIFY YOUR EXPERIENCE ABOUT BENEFICIAL DIETARY HABITS, IN ORDER TO SEARCH FOR THE SCIENTIFIC FACTS THAT ATTEST IT
2. PLEASE BE AWARE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS SITE (see on bottom of the page)

CURCUMIN 'S ANTI - CANCER PROPERTIES

2011-03-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a lipophilic polyphenol derived from the rhizome of East Indian plant Curcuma longa of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) known as turmeric. Curcumin consists 2-5% of turmeric and it is responsible for the yellow color of the spice as well as the majority of turmeric's therapeutic effects Curcumin has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine since 1900 BC, for centuries, as it is nontoxic. It has been consumed as a dietary supplement and is considered pharmacologically safe and effective mainly because of its action as a free radical scavenger and antioxidant.

Many reports refers that curcumin has been found to possess anti-cancer activities in multiple cancers via its effect on a variety of biological pathways involved in mutagenesis, oncogene expression, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, autophagy of cells, and metastasis. In murine models curcumin seems to prevent aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and adenomas of colorectal carcinogenesis. In adittion reduces mucosal concentrations of the eicosanoids prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid.

Co-supplementation with 20 mg of piperine (extracted from black pepper) significantly increased the absorption of curcumin. However, the increase in absorption only occurred during the first hour. Due to its effects on drug metabolism, piperine should be taken cautiously by individuals taking other medications. Some benefits of curcumin, such as the potential protection from colon cancer, may not require systemic absorption. In any way potential risks and side effects in high doses (>2–12 grams) have not been well documented especially for pregnant women

Epidemiological studies attribute the low incidence of colon cancer in India to the chemopreventive and antioxidant properties of diets rich in curcumin but recently (2011) have been published the results from first results of a phase II chemoprevention study of curcumin by Carroll and colleagues who examined the effects of oral curcumin on various putative biomarkers of colonic tumorigenesis in smokers. Researchers assessed the effects of oral curcumin (2 g or 4 g per day for 30 days) on procarcinogenic eicosanoids prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid of a clinical trial in 44 eligible smokers with eight or more ACF on screening colonoscopy. The results suggest that curcumin can decrease ACF number, and this is potentially mediated by curcumin conjugates delivered systemically.

Source

Carroll RE, Benya RV, Turgeon DK, Vareed S, Neuman M, Rodriguez L, Kakarala M, Carpenter PM, McLaren C, Meyskens FL Jr, Brenner DE.Phase IIa Clinical Trial of Curcumin for the Prevention of Colorectal Neoplasia.Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011 Mar;4(3):354-64

MAITAKE MUSHROOM ANTI - CANCER PROPERTIES

2011-03-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

Maitake Mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is an edible and medicinal mushroom grows in the northern part of the Temperate Zone in the Northern Hemisphere. The scientific name of Maitake, Grifola frondosa, comes from the common name of fungi found in Italy. The name refers to a mythical beast which is half-lion and half-eagle.
The Japanese name "Maitake," literally meaning "dance mushroom," is associated with its shape, which some believe resembles a dancing nymph or because in ancient times npeople who found Maitake .couls exchange it for its weight in nsilver, leading to their dancing in celebrations.

Scientists of Arizona State University tested and compared the ability of five commonly consumed mushrooms to modulate cell number balance in the cancer process using MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. They found that 2 out 5 of the mushrooms ( maitake and oyster/Pleurotus ostreatus) were most effective with maitake extracts significantly increased apoptosis or programmed cell death. This is achieved possibly by the heteropolysaccharide maitake Z-fraction (MZF) (Masuda et al, 2010)

Martin KR, Brophy SK. Commonly consumed and specialty dietary mushrooms reduce cellular proliferation in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Expp Biol Med (Maywood). 2010 Nov 1;235(11):1306-14. Epub 2010 Oct 4.

AMYGDALIN OR LAETRILE

2011-02-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

Amygdalin

Amygdalin is a natural cyanide-containing substances abundant in prunasin family (apricots, apples, almonds, peaches). It is initially isolated from the seeds of the tree Prunus dulcis or bitter almonds in 1830, and its name is derived by the Greek word αμύγδαλο/amigdalo (almond). The metabolism of amygdalin produces hydrogen cyanide, a potent toxin The symptoms of poisoning include Nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, mental confusion, coma, death)

laetrile

Since the early 1950s, a modified form of amygdalin has been promoted under the names laetrile and "Vitamin B17, as a cancer treatment although many studies have found that can cause cyanidine poisoning. In particular, D-amygdalin (D-mandelonitrile-β-D-gentiobioside) is known to exhibit selective killing effect on cancer cells via apoptosis procedure. Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is an important mechanism in cancer treatment but until now the claim that Laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by data from controlled clinical trials. Untill now only a few studies on cell lines have proved a anticancer activity (Chang et al 2006). In a recent study (2010) Milazzo et al found in total 36 scientific reports and no controlled clinical trial ((trials that compare groups of patients who receive the new treatment to groups who do not). Three articles were nonconsecutive case series, 2 were consecutive case series, 6 were best case series, and 25 were case reports. None of these publications proved the effectiveness of laetrile. Therefore, the claim that laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by until now by sound clinical data.

In contrast the promotion of laetrile to treat cancer has been described in the scientific literature as an example of quackery. The US Food and Drug Administration prohibited the interstate shipment of amygdalin and laetrile in 1977.

Shragg TA, Albertson TE, Fisher CJ (January 1982). "Cyanide poisoning after bitter almond ingestion". West. J. Med. 136 (1): 65–9.

Chang HK, Shin MS, Yang HY, Lee JW, Kim YS, Lee MH, Kim J, Kim KH, Kim CJ.Amygdalin induces apoptosis through regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 expressions in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells.1. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Aug;29(8):1597-602.

Milazzo S, Lejeune S, Ernst E. Laetrile for cancer: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Support Care Cancer. 2007 Jun;15(6):583-95. Epub 2006 Nov 15.

QUERCETIN

2011-02-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Quercetin is one of a broad group of natural polyphenolic flavonoid substances (plant pigment) that are being investigated for their widespread health benefits. These benefits have generally been ascribed to its combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Recent in vitro evidence suggests that improved mitochondrial biogenesis could play an important role to the fitness without exercise training.

Foods rich in quercetin include black and green tea, apples, red onions , red grapes, tomato and broccoli. In the amounts consumed in a healthy diet, quercetin "is unlikely to cause any major problems or benefits but also but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any health claims for quercetin.

Although many studies have been propose an anticancer activity for quercetin in vitro controlled clinical trials are needed to show whether quercetin has helpful properties in humans. Please note that prenatal exposure to flavonoids associated with increase in the incidence of malignancies in DNA repair-deficient mice.

Boly R, Gras T, Lamkami T, Guissou P, Serteyn D, Kiss R, Dubois J. Quercetin inhibits a large panel of kinases implicated in cancer cell biology. Int J Oncol. 2011 Mar;38(3):833-42.

Vanhees K, de Bock L, Godschalk RW, van Schooten FJ, van Waalwijk van Doorn-Khosrovani SB.

Prenatal exposure to flavonoids: implication for cancer risk. Toxicol Sci. 2010 Dec 21.

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009 Apr;296(4):R1071-7. Davis JM, Murphy EA, Carmichael MD, Davis B.

Quercetin increases brain and muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and exercise tolerance. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009 Apr;296(4):R1071-7

Sources

DIETARY ANTICANCER AGENTS

2011-02-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

Most modern drug-targeted therapies for cancer treatment, besides being enormously expensive, are associated with serious side effects and morbidity. In a recent search Shanmugam et al (2011) present evidence on numerous dietary agents identified from fruits and vegetables that act on multiple signal transduction and apoptotic cascades in various tumor cells and animal models. Some of the most interesting and well documented are turmeric (curcumin), resveratrol, silymarin, EGCG, and genistein.

1. Curcumin is the principal curcuminoid of the popular Indian spice turmeric, which is a member of the ginger family. Curcumin is what gives the Curry its characteristic bright yellow color and strong taste.

Curcumin potential anticancer effects stem from its ability to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death ) in cancer cells without cytotoxic effects on healthy cells. Co-supplementation with 20 mg of piperine (extracted from black pepper) significantly increased the absorption of curcumin. However, the increase in absorption only occurred during the first hour. Due to its effects on drug metabolism, piperine should be taken cautiously by individuals taking other medications. Some benefits of curcumin, such as the potential protection from colon cancer, may not require systemic absorption. In any way potential risks and side effects in high doses (>2–12 grams) have not been well documented especially for pregnant women.

2. Resveratol is a stilbenoid, a type of polyphenol, and a produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria and fungi. In mouse and rat experiments, anti-cancer, blood-sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported. These results have yet to be replicated in humans. In small amounts, resveratrol can be found naturally in grapes, some green teas, and even peanuts. It is also the main ingredient that gives red wine natural anti-aging properties.

In addition resveratrol treatment appeared to prevent the development of mammary tumors in animal models; however, it had no effect on the growth of existing tumors. Injected in high doses into mice, resveratrol slowed the growth of neuroblastomas.

Long term effects of using resveratrol in a capsule are as of yet unknown.

3. Silymarin The most biologically active ingredient found in silymarin is silibinin which is extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum). Both in vitro and animal research suggest that silibinin has hepatoprotective properties that protect liver cells against toxins and affects to blood-sugar lowering. Silibinin has also demonstrated anti-cancer effects against human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, estrogen-dependent and -independent human breast carcinoma cells, human ectocervical carcinoma cells, human colon cancer cells, and both small and nonsmall human lung carcinoma cells.

3. Genistein is one of several known isoflavones that its found in high doses in soy. Genistein and other isoflavones have been found to have antiangiogenic effects (blocking formation of new blood vessels), and may block the uncontrolled cell growth associated with cancer. It is resempling to estroegen Genistein binds itself in place of estrogen on receptors in cancerous cells that need this hormone to grow. Tofu, soy milk, soy flour, miso, and roasted soybeans are all good sources of isoflavones. The average daily intake of isoflavones in Japan is about 200 milligrams. There are lots of theories to explain the anti-cancer action of genistein: inhibition of angiogenesis, inhibition of tyrosine kinases, antioxidant property, and anti-estrogen

There have been no toxic side effects associated with genistein, but because it is a phytoestrogen, there has been some concern that it could actually stimulate the growth of estrogen-stimulated cancers or interfere with the action of birth control pills. Men and women that have been diagnosed with estrogen-related cancers should not consume isoflavones, as there is some research that suggests that genistein and daidzein may aggravate these conditions. Epidemiological studies show that consumption of isoflavones may protect against breast and prostate cancer. There are lots of theories to explain the anti-cancer action of genistein: inhibition of angiogenesis, inhibition of tyrosine kinases, antioxidant property, and anti-estrogen action (it is known that estrogen increases risk for certain cancers).

4. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a type of catechin the most abundant catechin in most notably tea, among other plants but not in black tea, as EGCG is converted into thearubigins in black teas. In a high temperature environment, there is a conversion from EGCG to no effective GCG . Thus it is considered inappropriate to infuse green tea or its extracts with overheated water.

EGCG has been shown to bind and inhibit anti-apoptotic protein which has been implicated in both cancer cell and normal cell survival. High intake of polyphenolic compounds during pregnancy is suspected to increase risk of neonatal leukemia. Bioflavonod supplements should not be used by pregnant women. Consumption of green tea was found to be associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer among non-smokers but not among smokers. (Epidemiology 2001 Nov; 12(6):695-700).

Source

Shanmugam MK, Kannaiyan R, Sethi G. Targeting Cell Signaling and Apoptotic Pathways by Dietary Agents: Their Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2011 Feb 2:1.

Read also:

Gou M, Men K, Shi H, Xiang M, Zhang J, Song J, Long J, Wan Y, Luo F, Zhao X, Qian Z.

Curcumin-loaded biodegradable polymeric micelles for colon cancer therapy in vitro and in vivo.

Nanoscale. 2011 Jan 31. (State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, )

Masuda M, Wakasaki T, Toh S, Shimizu M, Adachi S.Chemoprevention of Head and Neck Cancer by Green Tea Extract: EGCG-The Role of EGFR Signaling and "Lipid Raft". J Oncol. 2011;2011:540148. Epub 2011 Jan 2.

Singh RP, Tyagi A, Sharma G, Mohan S, Agarwal R. Oral silibinin inhibits in vivo human bladder tumor xenograft growth involving down-regulation of survivin. Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Jan 1;14(1):300-8.

FLAVONOIDS

2011-02-05T02:35:00.000-08:00

Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids)(flavus = yellow), are a class of over 4,000, pigmented (ncluding yellow color) plant secondary metabolites, meaning they are compounds that have no direct involvement with the growth or development of plants. Flavonoids are the most common group of polyphenolic characterized by the presence of large multiples of phenol substructures possessing 15 carbon atoms. They are categorized, according to chemical structure, into flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins and chalcones .

Flavonoids have antioxidant properties with other dietary antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids.

Among the potent antioxidant flavonoid types are quercetin, catechins and xanthohumol. Flavonoids are with carotenes responsible for flower coloration producing yellow or red/blue pigmentation in petals designed to attract pollinator animals.

Foods that contain high amounts of flavonoids include blueberries, red beans, cranberries, blackberries, red and yellow fruits and vegetables green tea and red wine. Flavonoids, a large family of natural antioxidants, undergo a significant hepatic metabolism leading to flavonoid-derived metabolites that are also bioactive as antioxidant agents.

Sources

Xiao ZP, Peng ZY, Peng MJ, Yan WB, Ouyang YZ, Zhu HL. Flavonoids Health Benefits and Their Molecular Mechanism. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2011 Jan 11.

Ferretti G, Bacchetti T, Belleggia A, Neri D. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2011 Jan 11.

Molecules. 2010 Oct 12;15(10):6993-7005. Cherry antioxidants: from farm to table. Molecules. 2010 Oct 12;15(10):6993-7005

DIETARY FACTORS AND BREAST CANCER

2011-02-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Post-diagnosis dietary factors and survival after invasive breast cancer.

As little it is known about the effects of diet after breast cancer diagnosis on survival. Recently a study focused on post-diagnosis dietary factors and breast cancer in 4,441 women without a history of breast cancer recurrence. Several large studies have previously indicated a link between consumption of high amounts of trans fat and coronary heart disease, and possibly some other diseases (Bauer et al., Pediatr Nurs. 2009 ). Beasley et al suggested (2011) that that lower intake of saturated and trans fat in the post-diagnosis diet is associated with improved survival after breast cancer diagnosis.

SATURATED fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and come from animal sources including meat, egg yolks, dairy products, and fish. They are also found in tropical oils, especially coconut and palm oil.

Trans fats are prodused by a method called hydrogenation, which results to solidify liquid vegetable oil into a spread. Just like saturated fats, trans fats increase LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol). Trans fat also substitute fatty acids chains creating leaks in the cell membrane. (Kelly et al., Am Fam Physician. 2010). Hydrogenation is the process of combining hydrogen gas at high pressure and temperature with the oil, in the presence of a metal catalyst such as nickel, platinum, or copper, in order to make the liquid oil into a solid. It destroys the essential fatty acids and replaces them with trans fatty acids that the body is not equipped to deal with, and leaves behind traces of metal. They compete with essential fatty acids for absorption in the body and create imbalances and deficiencies. Hydrogenation creates unpredictable new molecules, whose effects are unknown, which profoundly alters the properties of the oil. Plant sterol esters or plant stanol esters have been added to some margarines and spreads because of their cholesterol lowering effect. Plant sterols are plant equivalents of cholesterol and have a very similar molecular structure. (Jong et al Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 ), (Remig et al J Am Diet Assoc. 2010).

Beasley JM, Newcomb PA, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM, Bersch AJ, Passarelli MN, Holick CN, Titus-Ernstoff L, Egan KM, Holmes MD, Willett WC.
Post-diagnosis dietary factors and survival after invasive breast cancer.Holick CN, Titus-Ernstoff L, Egan KM, Holmes MD, Willett WC. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011 Jan 1.

ANTICANCER EFFECT OF GARLIC FOR BREAST CANCER CONTROL

2011-01-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Giza pyramids were built. The medicinal use of garlic dates to at least 3000 B.C., when Egyptian pyramid- builders ate it to prevent illness. Hippocrates used garlic to treat infections, intestinal disorders and chest pain.

Garlic and its preparations have long been recognized to possess antiinflammatory properties . In the modern era, during World War II, the Soviet army used garlic to prevent infections after it had run out of antibiotics, so garlic was called “Russian Penicilin

Recently scientists from Department of Pathology II, Kansai Medical University discovered that Garlic and garlic-derived compounds reduce the development of mammary cancer in animals and suppress the growth of human breast cancer cells in culture. Oil-soluble compounds derived from garlic are more effective than water-soluble compounds in suppressing breast cancer. Selenium-enriched garlic or organoselenium compounds provide more potent protection against mammary carcinogenesis in rats and greater inhibition of breast cancer cells in culture than natural garlic or the respective organosulfur analogues. Thus, garlic and garlic-derived compounds are promising candidates for breast cancer control.

CULINARY USE

Raw garlic is more potent; cooking garlic reduces the effect. The green dry 'folds' in the center of the garlic clove are especially pungent

Tsubura A, Lai YC, Kuwata M, Uehara N, Yoshizawa K. Anticancer Effects of Garlic and Garlic-derived Compounds for Breast Cancer Control. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2011 Jan 26.