The Root Cause Of Cancer

The Root Cause Of Cancer and Why Has it Been Kept a Secret!

November 9, 2014 By Admin Leave a Comment

 

by  Organic Health

The Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Otto H. Warburg, had devoted his life to the study of and cause of cancer. Dr. Warburg was one of the 20th centuries leading biologists, and he discovered that the root cause of cancer is too much acidity in the body, meaning that the pH in the body is below the normal level of 7.365, which constitutes an “acidic” state.

Warburg investigated the metabolism of tumors and the respiration of cells and discovered that cancer cells maintain and thrive in a lower pH, as low as 6.0, due to lactic acid production and elevated CO2. He firmly believed that there was a direct relationship between pH and oxygen. Higher pH, which is Alkaline, means higher concentration of oxygen molecules, while lower pH, which is acidic, means lower concentrations of oxygen…the same oxygen that is needed to maintain healthy cells.

In 1931 Dr. Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for this important discovery. He stated, “Cancerous tissues are acidic, whereas healthy tissues are alkaline. Water splits into H+ and OH- ions, if there is and excess of H+, it is acidic; if there is an excess of OH- ions, then it is alkaline”. 

In his work The Metabolism of Tumours Warburg demonstrated that “all forms of cancer are characterized by two basic conditions: acidosis and hypoxia (lack of oxygen). Lack of oxygen and acidosis are two sides of the same coin: where you have one, you have the other.” “All normal cells have an absolute requirement for oxygen, but cancer cells can live without oxygen – a rule without exception. Deprive a cell 35% of its oxygen for 48 hours and it may become cancerous.”

Dr. Warburg has made it clear that: the root cause of cancer is oxygen deficiency, which creates an acidic state in the human body. Dr. Warburg also discovered that cancer cells are anaerobic (do not breathe oxygen) and cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen, as found in an alkaline state.

The 10 Most Functional Foods That Destroy Cancer Cells

by Prevent Disease

Many specific proteins, enzymes and coding within our immune system may be activated to kill cancer cells. There is no such thing as a cancer cell that cannot be defeated by the human immune system. The difference between cancers that grow and those that don't are what we put in our bodies to prohibit their growth. Proteins can be rendered ineffective if cells experience uncontrolled growth though damage or mutations to DNA or if toxins through food and chemical pollution override the immune system's natural function. Here are 10 functional foods which suppresses tumour development during immune surveillance in the human body.

Scientists have found that healthy cells damaged by chemotherapy secreted more of a protein which boosts cancer cell survival. Chemotherapy has been proven to cause cancer cells to interact with nearby tumour cells and cause them to grow, invade, and importantly, resist subsequent therapy. Where conventional medical treatment fails cancer patients, natural foods succeed.

In a study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, scientists identified a molecule, known as TIC10, which activates a protein that helps fight the disease. The protein, called TRAIL (tumour-necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) suppresses tumour development it can actually cross the blood-brain barrier, which separates the main circulatory system from the brain.

Through the body's infinite wisdom, its systems recognize foreign invaders and poisons such as chemotherapy which are not beneficial for the brain. Many cancer drugs are consequently blocked from passing the blood-brain barrier. However, TRAIL is permitted passage due to its beneficial effects on the immune system.

Another positive is that TIC10 does not just activate the TRAIL gene in cancerous cells, but also in healthy ones. This is known as the 'bystander effect' - i.e. where cells near cancerous cells are also killed.
Nearby healthy cells are also given a boost to increase the number of cancer-killing TRAIL receptors on their cell surface.

10 FUNCTIONAL FOODS THAT INHIBIT TUMORS

 

1. Turmeric

Curcumin, possibly the most powerful antioxidant known from the popular Indian spice Turmeric, has countless health benefits. A recent study led by a research team in Munich showed that it can also inhibit formation of metastases.

Curcumin exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), suggesting that its effect on endothelial function may be mediated by the suppression of inflammation and/or oxidative stress via down-regulation of TNF-alpha.

One of the most comprehensive summaries of a review of 700 turmeric studies to date was published by the respected ethnobotanist James A. Duke, Phd. He showed that turmeric appears to outperform many pharmaceuticals in its effects against several chronic, debilitating diseases, and does so with virtually no adverse side effects. 

 

2. Sea Vegetables

Nori, hijiki, wakame, arame, kombu and kelp are just a few of several varieties of sea vegetables with potent effects on cancer. They are a rich source of many wonderful minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, and bioavailable iodine. 

But since chronic, unwanted inflammation and chronic oxidative stress are both risk factors for development of cancer, it would be quite natural for scientists to be interested in sea vegetables are anti-cancer foods not only in the case of colon cancer, but for other types of cancer as well. Sea vegetables are well-researched as containing a variety of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, and this nutrient combination delivers some risk-lowering benefits in the case of colon cancer and other cancer types.

Of special note in this area of cancer and sea vegetables is the issue of estrogen-related cancers, especially breast cancer. Intake of sea vegetables appears able to modify various aspects of a woman's normal menstrual cycle in such a way that over long periods of time (tens of years) the total cumulative estrogen secretion that occurs during the follicular phase of the cycle gets reduced.

 

3. Grapes and Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a phenolic compound that contributes to the antioxidant potential of red grapes.

Resveratrol is not only an antioxidant and antimutagen, but also reduces oxidant-caused cell death. Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-A) by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Kuppfer cells. Kuppfer cells are macrophages fixed in place in the liver. Their chronic overproduction of nitric oxide and TNF-A due to chronic infection can cause severe liver damage.

Perhaps Resveratrol's most important property is its ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (CoX-2). CoX-2 is related to cancers and abnormal growths in the intestinal tract. Natural CoX-2 inhibitors such as resveratrol have been shown to reduce the occurrence of cancers and pre-cancerous growths. So while pharmaceutical companies race to find complex agents that inhibit CoX-2, the ingredient is already present in red grapes which if consumed daily (or via organic grape juice) will protect against tumors naturally. 

 

4. Chlorella and Spirulina 

Scientists in South Korea recently found that carotenoids from chlorella may be effectively used to prevent cancer in humans. They discovered the primary carotenoid from C. ellipsoidea is violaxanthin, while the major carotenoid from C. vulgaris is lutein. They examined the activity of semi-purified extracts of these carotenoids against human cancer and found they inhibited cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner.

Chlorophyll neutralizes environmental toxins and pollutants. It helps the blood carry oxygen to all cells and tissues. Cancer cannot thrive in cells that are fully oxygenated. Chlorophyll plays a part in chlorella's ability to detoxify heavy metals, and is a natural wound healer. There is evidence that chlorophyll reduces the ability of carcinogens to bind with DNA in major organs. Its anti-mutagenic properties make it protective against toxins such as pharmaceutical drugs.

Spirulina simply is unable to remove heavy metals like chlorella does, as it lacks a cell membrane, however it shows significant immune-boosting properties. It is is made of a spiral strand which gives it its name. Spirulina is rich in vitamins B, E, K and beta carotene as well as iron and magnesium and essential fatty acids. It contains amino acids that promote improved mental functioning, vitality and energy, and balanced blood sugar. According to a study done in China, selenium-infused spirulina inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells.

 

5. Green Tea

The health benefits of green tea are due to the presence of a group of plant flavonoids called catechins. Of particular interest to researchers is epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the primary catechin in green tea. For example, South Korean researchers have found that EGCG blocks TNF naturally by interfering with the ability of certain pro-inflammatory chemicals to bind to cells of smooth muscle tissue of the vascular system. In a 2009 study conducted by the Chonbuk National University Medical School, it was noted that the specific mechanism of action of EGCG in terms of blocking TNF is the suppression of fractalkine, an inflammatory agent specifically involved in the development of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

 

6. Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, other nutrients, and chemicals known as glucosinolates. These chemicals break down into several biologically active compounds that are known to possess anticancer effects. Arugula, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips and collard greens are a few among many different types of cruciferous vegetables which are rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin); vitamins C, E, and K; folate; and minerals.
Biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates in these vegetables prevent cancer by protecting cells from DNA damage, helping inactivate carcinogens, inducing cell death of carcinogens and inhibiting tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and tumor cell migration (needed for metastasis). For total glucosinolate content, turnip greens outscore cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli among the most commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. 

 

7. Tomatoes

Regular consumption of tomato and its products is being consistently associated with lower risk of several types of cancer and, to a lesser extent, coronary heart disease. Among the many tomato components credited with healthful properties, carotenoids and particularly lycopene are being actively investigated.

Modest effects of the regular intake of a tomato juice provides small amounts of carotenoids which were found on the production of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha production by whole blood was found to be more than 30% lower after almost a month of consuming raw tomato juice.

 

8. Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been used for at least 5000 years for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Anti-viral and anti-cancer effects have been demonstrated in more than 50 species through animal and in vitro studies. Six components of these mushrooms have been investigated for their activity in human cancers: the lentinan component of shiitake, schizophyllan, active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), maitake D-fraction and two components of Coriolus versicolor.

Coriolus versicolor is an extremely common polypore mushroom which can be found throughout the world. Versicolor means 'of several colours' and it is true that this mushroom is found in a wide variety of different colours as depicted in the image above. It is also recognized as a medicinal mushroom in Chinese medicine under the name yun zhi.

Polysaccharide-K (PSK), is a protein-bound polysaccharide isolated fromTrametes versicolor, which is used as an immune system boosting agent in the treatment of cancer in some European countries as well as China and Japan. In Japan, PSK is approved as an adjuvant for cancer therapy and is covered by government health insurance.

PSK displays anticancer activity from preliminary laboratory assessmentsin vitro, in vivo and in human clinical trials. Preliminary research has shown that the PSK might reduce mutagen-induced, radiation-induced, and spontaneously-induced development of experimental cancer cell preparations.

 

9. Garlic

The study, published online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research,notes that Chinese medicine has used garlic since 2000 BCE. The authors suggest compounds such as diallyl sulfide--that are released when a garlic bulb breaks into cloves--may contribute to the herb's potential preventative powers.

A number of studies on garlic have appeared dealing with diallyl sulfide and cancer. One from the Republic of Korea cites diallyl disulfide (DADS) as the most prevalent oil-soluble sulfur compound in garlic, inhibiting cell proliferation in many cell lines. Scientists there examined DADS ability to kill cells in a process involving free radical production. They found that the famous tumor suppressor gene, p53, arrested the cell cycle when DADS treatment was present. Cancer cells died following 24 hour DADS treatment that activated the p53 gene. They also found that DADS induced cell death was prevented by treatment with a compound known to prevent p53 dependent cell death by reducing free radical levels in the mitochrondria, the cellular furnaces. Their results showed that mitochrondrial free radicals may serve as second messengers in DADS-induced cell death, which requires activation of p53. That study was found in the Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology.

Allicin - which gives garlic its aroma and flavour - acts as the world's most powerful antioxidant. Allicin compound has to decompose in order to generate a potent antioxidant. The reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time. Garlic oil and powder supplements are produced by distilling fresh garlic, and then diluting it with other substances rendering them ineffective. This process destroys the majority of allicin in garlic. AlliMAX is the only nutraceutical with a difference as it is the only one to provide the body with a guaranteed 100% yield of pure stabilized allicin extract. 

 

10. Hemp

Hemp oil promotes full body healing and raises melatonin levels thousands of times higher than normal. When the pineal gland produces vast amounts of melatonin, it causes no harm to the body but it is very hard on the condition you are suffering from and indeed can eliminate it.

Melatonin has been shown to slow or stop the growth of several types of cancer cells and even treat cancer. Some of the studies have suggested that melatonin may extend survival and improve quality of life for patients with certain types of untreatable cancers such as advanced lung cancer and melanoma. Some studies reported that a small number of cancers went into total or partial remission

Peer-reviewed and published research has shown melatonin offers particularly strong protection against reproductive cancers. Cells throughout your body -- even cancer cells -- have melatonin receptors. So when melatonin makes its nightly rounds, cell division slows. When this hormone latches onto a breast cancer cell, it has been found to counteract estrogen's tendency to stimulate cell growth.

For almost a decade, Rick Simpson has been showing people how to cure cancer with hemp oil. Both the commercial legal type of hemp oil and the illegal THC laden hemp oil are the most power-packed protein sources available in the plant kingdom. Its oil can be used in many nutritional and transdermal applications.

Hemp oil is one of the richest sources of essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, providing an excellent balance between omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids. All of these substances are currently being discussed, not only in the alternative health scene, but also by the food industry, which is searching for suitable ingredients to create so called 'functional foods'.

MRI Shows Cancer Cells Thrive On Processed Sugar

by Amanda Froelich

Want to improve your health? Change your diet! This message is slowly permeating mainstream society, but has yet to convince fast-food lovers and sugary-treat fanatics. Largely unaware of food consequences, many still dive into high-fat, high-sugar food options without a second thought; but a recent study affirming that Cancer cells grow and thrive on processed sugar may change that.

Nature Medicine recently confirmed that processed sugar is one of the primary driving forces behind the growth and spread of cancer tumors. The results were so conclusive, in fact, that future cancer screening may rely on scanning the body for accumulated sugar for signs of the disease.

The University College London (UCL) in the U.K. made this discovery after experimenting with a new cancer detection method that involves utilizing a unique form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The scientists sensitized a MRI scanner to look specifically for glucose in the body, and it revealed that cancer tumors – which have been shown to feed off sugar – light up brightly as they contain high amounts of sugar.

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Explained by a recent UCL announcement, “The new technique, called ‘glucose chemical exchange saturation transfer’ (glucoCEST), is based on the fact that tumors consume much more glucose (a type of sugar) than normal, healthy tissues in order to sustain their growth.” On the update given by the university, it was noted that tumors appear as “bright images” on the scanner.

When traditionally scanning for cancer, the use of low-dose radiation injections are used to identify the presence of tumors. This makes sense, as radiation is another known cause of cancer, but such an injection is not optimal due to its potential side effects. However, this method works because the things that trigger and promote cancer to develop and spread can also be used by doctors to detect it inside the body. And sugar can now officially be added to that list.

“The method uses an injection of normal sugar and could offer a cheap, safe alternative to existing methods for detecting tumors, which require the injection of radioactive material,” says Dr. Simon Walker-Samuel, lead researcher of the study from the UCL Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI).

What may be most shocking, as reported by the study’s senior author, is that the amount of sugar in “half a standard sized chocolate bar” is all it takes to effectively identify the presence of tumors using the glucoCEST method. This finding is astounding, as it suggests that even relatively low amounts of sugar have the potential to promote cancer proliferation.

UCL is not the first source to connect processed sugar with diseases like cancer. Dr. Robert H. Lustig, M.D. and Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Franciasco (UCSF), cites that the bulk of chronic illnesses prevalent today are caused by sugar consumption. Lustig is a famed author of “Sugar: The Bitter Truth”, and speaks openly in videos to describe his findings.

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The main culprits of deadening sugar include: white sugar and flour, sweetened and processed foods, and fast food. The way these break down in the body (compared to natural sources of fructose from fruit), is that they cause an increase of hormones to be released (specifically insulin), and in effect, signal for cancer cells to feed and continue to grow in size.

Dr. Lewis Cantley, head of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) at Harvard University, shared during a CBS interview the sugar-cancer connection: “What we’re beginning to learn is that insulin can cause adverse effects in various tissues, and a particular concern is cancer.”

He continued, “If you happen to have a tumor that has insulin receptors on it, then it will get stimulated to take up the glucose that’s in the bloodstream. So rather than going to the fat or to the muscle, the glucose now goes into the tumor, and the tumor uses it to grow.”

These sources conclude and relay the importance of choosing wholesome, unprocessed, and predominantly plant-based foods to keep the body healthy, and the mind nourished. Start by adding more greens, vegetables and plant-based proteins, while decreasing the amount of processed foods you consume. The body truly is capable of healing itself, and the necessity to make such changes for it to happen is becoming increasingly evident.

 

The 10 Most Functional Foods to Destroy Cancer Cells

from PreventDisease.com 
Many specific proteins, enzymes and coding within our immune system may be activated to kill cancer cells. There is no such thing as a cancer cell that cannot be defeated by the human immune system. The difference between cancers that grow and those that don't are what we put in our bodies to prohibit their growth. Proteins can be rendered ineffective if cells experience uncontrolled growth though damage or mutations to DNA or if toxins through food and chemical pollution override the immune system's natural function. Here are 10 functional foods which suppresses tumour development during immune surveillance in the human body.

Scientists have found that healthy cells damaged by chemotherapy secreted more of a protein which boosts cancer cell survival. Chemotherapy has been proven to cause cancer cells to interact with nearby tumour cells and cause them to grow, invade, and importantly, resist subsequent therapy. Where conventional medical treatment fails cancer patients, natural foods succeed.

In a study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, scientists identified a molecule, known as TIC10, which activates a protein that helps fight the disease. The protein, called TRAIL (tumour-necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) suppresses tumour development it can actually cross the blood-brain barrier, which separates the main circulatory system from the brain.

Through the body's infinite wisdom, its systems recognize foreign invaders and poisons such as chemotherapy which are not beneficial for the brain. Many cancer drugs are consequently blocked from passing the blood-brain barrier. However, TRAIL is permitted passage due to its beneficial effects on the immune system.

Another positive is that TIC10 does not just activate the TRAIL gene in cancerous cells, but also in healthy ones. This is known as the 'bystander effect' - i.e. where cells near cancerous cells are also killed.
Nearby healthy cells are also given a boost to increase the number of cancer-killing TRAIL receptors on their cell surface.

 

10 FUNCTIONAL FOODS THAT INHIBIT TUMORS

 

1. Turmeric

Curcumin, possibly the most powerful antioxidant known from the popular Indian spice Turmeric, has countless health benefits. A recent study led by a research team in Munich showed that it can also inhibit formation of metastases.

Curcumin exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), suggesting that its effect on endothelial function may be mediated by the suppression of inflammation and/or oxidative stress via down-regulation of TNF-alpha.

One of the most comprehensive summaries of a review of 700 turmeric studies to date was published by the respected ethnobotanist James A. Duke, Phd. He showed that turmeric appears to outperform many pharmaceuticals in its effects against several chronic, debilitating diseases, and does so with virtually no adverse side effects. 

 

2. Sea Vegetables

Nori, hijiki, wakame, arame, kombu and kelp are just a few of several varieties of sea vegetables with potent effects on cancer. They are a rich source of many wonderful minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, and bioavailable iodine. 

But since chronic, unwanted inflammation and chronic oxidative stress are both risk factors for development of cancer, it would be quite natural for scientists to be interested in sea vegetables are anti-cancer foods not only in the case of colon cancer, but for other types of cancer as well. Sea vegetables are well-researched as containing a variety of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, and this nutrient combination delivers some risk-lowering benefits in the case of colon cancer and other cancer types.

Of special note in this area of cancer and sea vegetables is the issue of estrogen-related cancers, especially breast cancer. Intake of sea vegetables appears able to modify various aspects of a woman's normal menstrual cycle in such a way that over long periods of time (tens of years) the total cumulative estrogen secretion that occurs during the follicular phase of the cycle gets reduced.

 

3. Grapes and Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a phenolic compound that contributes to the antioxidant potential of red grapes.

Resveratrol is not only an antioxidant and antimutagen, but also reduces oxidant-caused cell death. Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit production of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-A) by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Kuppfer cells. Kuppfer cells are macrophages fixed in place in the liver. Their chronic overproduction of nitric oxide and TNF-A due to chronic infection can cause severe liver damage.

Perhaps Resveratrol's most important property is its ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (CoX-2). CoX-2 is related to cancers and abnormal growths in the intestinal tract. Natural CoX-2 inhibitors such as resveratrol have been shown to reduce the occurrence of cancers and pre-cancerous growths. So while pharmaceutical companies race to find complex agents that inhibit CoX-2, the ingredient is already present in red grapes which if consumed daily (or via organic grape juice) will protect against tumors naturally. 

 

4. Chlorella and Spirulina 

Scientists in South Korea recently found that carotenoids from chlorella may be effectively used to prevent cancer in humans. They discovered the primary carotenoid from C. ellipsoidea is violaxanthin, while the major carotenoid from C. vulgaris is lutein. They examined the activity of semi-purified extracts of these carotenoids against human cancer and found they inhibited cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner.

Chlorophyll neutralizes environmental toxins and pollutants. It helps the blood carry oxygen to all cells and tissues. Cancer cannot thrive in cells that are fully oxygenated. Chlorophyll plays a part in chlorella's ability to detoxify heavy metals, and is a natural wound healer. There is evidence that chlorophyll reduces the ability of carcinogens to bind with DNA in major organs. Its anti-mutagenic properties make it protective against toxins such as pharmaceutical drugs.

Spirulina simply is unable to remove heavy metals like chlorella does, as it lacks a cell membrane, however it shows significant immune-boosting properties. It is is made of a spiral strand which gives it its name. Spirulina is rich in vitamins B, E, K and beta carotene as well as iron and magnesium and essential fatty acids. It contains amino acids that promote improved mental functioning, vitality and energy, and balanced blood sugar. According to a study done in China, selenium-infused spirulina inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells.

 

5. Green Tea

The health benefits of green tea are due to the presence of a group of plant flavonoids called catechins. Of particular interest to researchers is epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the primary catechin in green tea. For example, South Korean researchers have found that EGCG blocks TNF naturally by interfering with the ability of certain pro-inflammatory chemicals to bind to cells of smooth muscle tissue of the vascular system. In a 2009 study conducted by the Chonbuk National University Medical School, it was noted that the specific mechanism of action of EGCG in terms of blocking TNF is the suppression of fractalkine, an inflammatory agent specifically involved in the development of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

 

6. Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, other nutrients, and chemicals known as glucosinolates. These chemicals break down into several biologically active compounds that are known to possess anticancer effects. Arugula, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips and collard greens are a few among many different types of cruciferous vegetables which are rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin); vitamins C, E, and K; folate; and minerals.
Biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates in these vegetables prevent cancer by protecting cells from DNA damage, helping inactivate carcinogens, inducing cell death of carcinogens and inhibiting tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and tumor cell migration (needed for metastasis). For total glucosinolate content, turnip greens outscore cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli among the most commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. 

 

7. Tomatoes

Regular consumption of tomato and its products is being consistently associated with lower risk of several types of cancer and, to a lesser extent, coronary heart disease. Among the many tomato components credited with healthful properties, carotenoids and particularly lycopene are being actively investigated.

Modest effects of the regular intake of a tomato juice provides small amounts of carotenoids which were found on the production of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha production by whole blood was found to be more than 30% lower after almost a month of consuming raw tomato juice.

 

8. Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been used for at least 5000 years for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Anti-viral and anti-cancer effects have been demonstrated in more than 50 species through animal and in vitro studies. Six components of these mushrooms have been investigated for their activity in human cancers: the lentinan component of shiitake, schizophyllan, active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), maitake D-fraction and two components of Coriolus versicolor.

Coriolus versicolor is an extremely common polypore mushroom which can be found throughout the world. Versicolor means 'of several colours' and it is true that this mushroom is found in a wide variety of different colours as depicted in the image above. It is also recognized as a medicinal mushroom in Chinese medicine under the name yun zhi.

Polysaccharide-K (PSK), is a protein-bound polysaccharide isolated fromTrametes versicolor, which is used as an immune system boosting agent in the treatment of cancer in some European countries as well as China and Japan. In Japan, PSK is approved as an adjuvant for cancer therapy and is covered by government health insurance.

PSK displays anticancer activity from preliminary laboratory assessmentsin vitro, in vivo and in human clinical trials. Preliminary research has shown that the PSK might reduce mutagen-induced, radiation-induced, and spontaneously-induced development of experimental cancer cell preparations.

 

9. Garlic

The study, published online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research,notes that Chinese medicine has used garlic since 2000 BCE. The authors suggest compounds such as diallyl sulfide--that are released when a garlic bulb breaks into cloves--may contribute to the herb's potential preventative powers.

A number of studies on garlic have appeared dealing with diallyl sulfide and cancer. One from the Republic of Korea cites diallyl disulfide (DADS) as the most prevalent oil-soluble sulfur compound in garlic, inhibiting cell proliferation in many cell lines. Scientists there examined DADS ability to kill cells in a process involving free radical production. They found that the famous tumor suppressor gene, p53, arrested the cell cycle when DADS treatment was present. Cancer cells died following 24 hour DADS treatment that activated the p53 gene. They also found that DADS induced cell death was prevented by treatment with a compound known to prevent p53 dependent cell death by reducing free radical levels in the mitochrondria, the cellular furnaces. Their results showed that mitochrondrial free radicals may serve as second messengers in DADS-induced cell death, which requires activation of p53. That study was found in the Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology.

Allicin - which gives garlic its aroma and flavour - acts as the world's most powerful antioxidant. Allicin compound has to decompose in order to generate a potent antioxidant. The reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time. Garlic oil and powder supplements are produced by distilling fresh garlic, and then diluting it with other substances rendering them ineffective. This process destroys the majority of allicin in garlic. AlliMAX is the only nutraceutical with a difference as it is the only one to provide the body with a guaranteed 100% yield of pure stabilized allicin extract. 

 

10. Hemp

Hemp oil promotes full body healing and raises melatonin levels thousands of times higher than normal. When the pineal gland produces vast amounts of melatonin, it causes no harm to the body but it is very hard on the condition you are suffering from and indeed can eliminate it.

Melatonin has been shown to slow or stop the growth of several types of cancer cells and even treat cancer. Some of the studies have suggested that melatonin may extend survival and improve quality of life for patients with certain types of untreatable cancers such as advanced lung cancer and melanoma. Some studies reported that a small number of cancers went into total or partial remission

Peer-reviewed and published research has shown melatonin offers particularly strong protection against reproductive cancers. Cells throughout your body -- even cancer cells -- have melatonin receptors. So when melatonin makes its nightly rounds, cell division slows. When this hormone latches onto a breast cancer cell, it has been found to counteract estrogen's tendency to stimulate cell growth.

For almost a decade, Rick Simpson has been showing people how to cure cancer with hemp oil. Both the commercial legal type of hemp oil and the illegal THC laden hemp oil are the most power-packed protein sources available in the plant kingdom. Its oil can be used in many nutritional and transdermal applications.

Hemp oil is one of the richest sources of essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, providing an excellent balance between omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids. All of these substances are currently being discussed, not only in the alternative health scene, but also by the food industry, which is searching for suitable ingredients to create so called 'functional foods'.

Pink Foods that Fight Breast Cancer

Seven Pink Foods that Fight Breast Cancer

By Meghan Telpner

The Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, endorsed by the important institutions like the American Cancer Society and the Center for Disease Control, is aimed at teaching women about ways to promote breast health (such as self-exams, yearly physicals and mammograms) and has used the color pink to publicize their efforts. This appears to have been tremendous successful, since pink ribbons and other pink products like bracelets, clothing and hats now abound and have great recognition among the American public.

It is only fitting, then, that there are so many pink foods out there which naturally help to prevent the onset of breast cancer and to promote overall breast health. Read on to find out more about these foods and what they can do to support women’s health.

 

 Pomegranates

These delectable fruits, with their gem-like, edible pink seeds, contain powerful phytochemicals. These compounds have been shown in laboratory studies to prevent breast cancer by blocking aromatase, an enzyme which converts androgen to estrogen. (1)

 

Red Cabbage

Red cabbage, like many members of the cruciferous family to which it belongs, contains a compound called indole-3-carbinol, or I3C. I3C has been the subject of much ongoing research due to its apparent ability to help significant reduce a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer. (2)

 

Beets

The extract of these delicious, pink-purple root vegetables has been shown to suppress the growth and proliferation of breast and other cancerous tumors in vitro and it is one of the natural therapies being considered for use along with conventional drugs to help reduce the side effects of cancer treatments. (3)

 

Radishes

The high antioxidant content of these pink-and-white root vegetables has been linked to a decrease in the spread of breast cancer cells and one study out of Japan even found that it could reduce the onset of tumor growth in the mammary glands. (4)

 

Carrots

Red, pink and purple heirloom carrots, like their more well-known orange counterparts, are rich in beta-carotene and have even more healthful compounds that have been linked to lower incidence of breast cancer development. (5)

 

Apples

Pink and red apple varieties receive their lovely colors from anthocyanins, which have been shown to actively fight breast and other forms of cancer, as well as quercetin, which in a recent in vitro study was shown to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells. (6)

 

Red Grapes

Choose the red grapes over green ones for extra cancer-fighting properties. Red grapes are rich in antioxidants like resveratrol that have been shown to have a positive effect on breast health and reduce cancer risk. (7)

So when it comes to breast cancer awareness, be sure to “think pink” when shopping in the produce aisle, as all of these pink fruits and vegetables have been shown to positively impact breast health and reduce the chance of cancer development.

Cancer: New Science on How to Prevent and Treat It

by Mark Hyman, MD

CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE HAS LOST THE BATTLE WITH CANCER. But that doesn’t mean the war is over. Let me explain why we may finally be heading in the right direction.

I just returned from TEDMED, an extraordinary gathering of brilliant minds from science, medicine, business, and technology—a veritable intellectual orgy. During the conference, there was a theme that emerged: Synthesis.

Instead of dividing everything into diseases and labels, emerging science is pointing to a different way of thinking about diseases. The thread that ran through the conference was that disease is a systemic problem and we have to treat the system, not the symptom; the cause, not the disease. This completely redefines the whole notion of disease. The landscape of illness is changing.

At TEDMED I spoke about a new way to define disease, to navigate the landscape of illness. It is called functional medicine, which is a systems-biology approach to personalized medicine that focuses on the underlying causes of disease. That definition of functional medicine is a mouthful. But in a word, it is the medicine of WHY, not WHAT.

Conventional medicine is focused on naming diseases based on geography, body location, and specialty, instead of by the cause, mechanism, or pathway involved. Doctors say you have a liver, kidney, brain, or heart disease. But this approach to naming disease tells you nothing about the cause, and it is quickly becoming obsolete as we understand more about the mysteries of human biology.

Instead of asking what disease you have and what drug should be used to treat it, we must ask WHY the disease has occurred—what are the underlying causes that lead to illness and how do we look under the hood to find out what’s going on. Modern medicine is like trying to diagnose what’s wrong with your car by listening to the noises it makes without ever looking inside to see what’s going on. Functional medicine allows us to look under the hood. It gives us a method for identifying the conditions in which disease arises and shows us how to begin changing those conditions.

This shift toward a more functional, systems-based, environmental approach to treatment is happening in cancer research right now, and this change was one of the main topics explored at TEDMED this year.

Looking at Cancer a New Way: Treatment in the 21^st Century
The problem with conventional cancer treatment is simply this: We look at the disease the wrong way. This reality was illustrated over and over again by the leading thinkers in the field of cancer treatment at TEDMED.

For example, Greg Lucier, Chairman of Life Technologies, talked about how thinking about specific cancers is essentially flawed. How we label cancer is no longer synced up with what we know about the origins of cancer or the fact that two people who have cancer with the same name—like breast cancer—can have two completely different diseases which require different treatments. Just because you know the name of your disease, it doesn’t mean you know what’s wrong with you or what to do about it.

Classifying tumors by body site—lung, liver, brain, breast, colon, etc.—misses the underlying causes, mechanisms, and pathways involved in a particular cancer. The fact that cancer appears in a given region of the body tells us nothing about why the cancer developed in the first place. What’s more it gives us no information about how it manifested in a given patient. Two people with cancers in different parts of the body may have developed it for same reasons. Similarly, two people with cancers in the same part of the body may have developed it for different reasons. A patient with prostate cancer and one with colon cancer may have more in common with each other than two patients who have colon cancer.  Historically we have practiced medicine by geography – where a disease occurs in the body. That doesn’t make scientific sense anymore. Now we have the potential to treat illness by understanding the underlying mechanisms and metabolic pathways.
These and other misconceptions about cancer and cancer treatment are leading to terrifying results. From the perspective of curative and preventive therapy, we have lost the war on cancer. Clinton Leaf explained how fancy statistics manipulate the data to show that cancer deaths are going down, while they are in fact going up. Overall cancer rates or incidence is significantly increasing. Deaths from cancer are also increasing. In 2008, there were 565,000 deaths in the US alone. One in three people will get cancer in their lifetime. While few are aware that solid tumors grow slowly for thirty years before they can be detected, 17 million Americans are walking around with cancer somewhere along the continuum from initiation of a cancer cell to detectable tumor.

In the “war” on cancer, we are fighting a losing battle for one simple reason: we’re focusing on the wrong target. As a physician I was trained to focus on the tumor—to burn, poison or cut it out, and then wait, watch and pray for the cancer to stay at bay. Newer gene-targeted treatments will help to improve chemotherapy and improve survival rates, but they won’t prevent cancer in the first place or even prevent it from coming back once you‘ve had it. Hope is not the only way to straddle the scary territory between remission and recurrence. There is a different way of thinking about how to treat the system, not just the cancer that holds promise for a proactive approach to helping both prevent occurrence as well as recurrence.

Cancers arise from a disturbance in your physiological state. Addressing that disturbance is the foundation of future cancer care.

Tending Your Garden: Treating the Soil in Which Cancer Grows
Dr. Anna Barker, deputy director of the National Cancer Institute, explained how new groups of researchers are collaborating to think differently about cancer—to understand and treat it as a systemic problem.

The problem with cancer—one which almost no oncologists think about—is not the tumor, but the garden in which the tumor grows. In caring for a garden, if the weeds get too big, we pull them out, just as we do with cancer using conventional therapies such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. But then what?
Traditionally, we have focused on late-stage curative care, and in doing so, we have missed the thinking and the treatments focused on changing the underlying conditions that led to the cancer in the first place. Diet, lifestyle, thoughts, and environmental toxins all interact with our genes to change the landscape of our health.

We have been asking the wrong question about cancer. We have asked “what”: What tumor do you have? What kind of chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation is needed for that tumor? What is your prognosis? Instead, we need to be asking “why” and “how”: Why did this cancer grow? How can you change the conditions that feed and support cancer-cell growth? How did the terrain of your garden become a host to such an invasive weed?

Surprisingly, scientific literature is abundant with evidence that diet, exercise, thoughts, feelings, and environmental toxins all influence the initiation, growth and progression of cancer. If a nutrient-poor diet full of sugar, lack of exercise, chronic stress, persistent pollutants, and heavy metals can cause cancer, could it be that a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet, physical activity, changing thoughts and reactions to stress, and detoxification might treat the garden in which cancer grows? Treat the soil, not the plant. It is a foundational principle of sustainable agriculture, and of sustainable health.

In my oncology rotation in medical school, I asked my professor what percentage of cancer was related to diet. Expecting a gracious but insignificant nod to the role of diet as a cause of cancer, I was surprised when he said that 70 percent of all cancers were related to diet. The 2008-2009 report from the President’s Cancer Panel found that we have grossly underestimated the link between environmental toxins, plastics, chemicals, and cancer risk. They have yet to acknowledge how thoughts, emotions, and overall stress impact that risk—but it is sure to come. The facts that gravitate around cancer support evidence that will motivate us all to take a deeper look.

Consider this fact: 16 percent of all cancers are new, primary cancers in patients who have already had one cancer, not recurrences. This means that people who have cancer are more likely to get a second and independent cancer. Could it be the garden? I recently saw a patient after her third cancer, wondering what she could do to prevent cancer rather than waiting around for another one.

Consider this fact: The lifetime risk of breast cancer of those with the “breast cancer gene” or BRCA1 or 2 is presently 82 percent and increasing every year. Before 1940, the risk of getting cancer for those with the cancer gene was 24 percent. What changed? Our diet, lifestyle, and environment—both physically and emotionally. Might these factors be a better place to look for answers on how to address our cancer epidemic?

Cancers arise from a disturbance in your physiological state. Addressing that disturbance is the foundation of future cancer care. This approach might be called milieu therapy. Rather than treating cancer per se, we treat the milieu in which cancer arises.

And this is manageable. We can enhance immune function and surveillance through dietary and lifestyle changes, nutrient or phytonutrient therapies. We can facilitate our body’s own detoxification system to promote the elimination of carcinogenic compounds. We can improve hormone metabolism and reduce the carcinogenic effects of too much insulin from our high sugar and refined carbohydrate diet. We can help the detoxification of toxic estrogens through modulation of diet, lifestyle, and elimination of hormone-disrupting xenobiotics or petrochemicals.

We can also alter how our genes are expressed by changing the inputs that control that expression: diet, nutrients, phytonutrients, toxins, stress, and other sources of inflammation. And we can focus on less divisive and more generative thoughts that, in turn, create more uplifting emotions—all good fertilizer for the soil in the garden of our body.

The future of cancer care must use medicine’s understanding of the mechanisms of disease and we must use this information to create physiologic and metabolic balance, to design treatments that support and enhance normal physiology. The future of cancer care lies not in finding the best cocktail of chemotherapeutic agents, the right dose of radiation, or a new surgical technique, (all of which are still important and will continue to be refined) but in finding the right way to personalize treatment according to the individual imbalances in each person.

The pieces of the puzzle that hold the answers for cancer prevention and treatment are strewn about the landscape of medical science. They need only be assembled into a story that can guide clinical care. The time is ripe to accelerate this process. Thankfully, more scientists are now exploring the story of how to tend the gardens of our body, mind, and soul.

To learn more about how to tend your garden and create metabolic and physiologic balance for yourself see www.drhyman.com
To your good health,

Personal Care Products safety

Hidden Dangers in Personal Care Products

Promoting optimal skin health requires watching what you eat and what you put on your skin. You should know that personal care products resting on supermarket and pharmacy shelves may not be as safe as you probably think. In fact, many of them contain parabens, triclosan, phthalates, and thousands of chemicals that can lead to poor skin health, hormonal problems, and even cancer.

Unfortunately, the majority of these ingredients are not reviewed or regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and are still widely used by the cosmetics industry. This infographic on personal care products will show you what chemicals and personal care products you should avoid to protect your skin from harm – along with safe skin care alternatives to choose.

Your skin is your largest organ, and anything you put on it should contain only the best and safest ingredients from nature. So before slathering lotion or body wash on your skin, take a look at this infographic on toxic chemicals found in personal care products. Discover these common yet deadly chemicals and how they can potentially sabotage your health and well-being.

Herbs for Cancer

By Linda B. White 
Garlic: Research shows that garlic (Allium sativum) has cancer-protective effects. Garlic enhances enzymes that detoxify carcinogens, quench oxidation, inhibit proliferation of cancer cells, induce cancer cell death and boost immunity. However, heat deactivates some of garlic’s key ingredients. To maximize benefits, add raw garlic to dressings, dips, soups and sauces. You can also retain more of garlic’s anti-cancer effects when cooking by crushing it and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes (which allows time for critical enzymatic changes) before adding it to the pan.

Medicinal mushrooms: Mushrooms contain polysaccharides and other ingredients that both enhance immunity and have anti-cancer properties. Most research has been done on medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, shiitake, maitake and cordyceps. However, all edible mushrooms have benefits. Even the common button mushroom enhances immune-cell functions and can fight cancer. Women who regularly eat mushrooms have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Note: Some mushrooms (reishi and cordyceps, for example) are too rare or woody to find in grocery stores. Look for supplements containing these mushrooms. 

Milk thistle: While better known for protecting the liver, milk thistle (Silybum marianum) also has cancer-protective effects. It contains an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory flavonoid complex called silymarin. Research shows that it promotes the repair of DNA, blocks angiogenesis and suppresses proliferation and metastasis in a variety of cancers. Milk thistle is available as a tincture or standardized extract. You can also use the ground seeds in tea or sprinkle them atop foods. Milk thistle’s delicious relative, the artichoke, also contains polyphenols.

Tea: Black, green and oolong tea all come from the same plant—Camellia sinensis. Studies link tea consumption with a reduced risk of gastrointestinal, pancreatic, bladder, prostate, ovarian, uterine and breast cancer. Green tea is particularly rich in a polyphenol called epigallocatechin gallate. In lab research, it has inhibited cancer cell formation, proliferation, invasiveness and metastasis, and provokes cancer cell death. Animal studies show protection against many cancers, including skin cancer. Try to drink three to five cups of green tea a day.

Turmeric: Turmeric (Curcuma longa) contains potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances. Curcumin, a key chemical in turmeric, can inhibit cancer cell growth and migration, block the creation of blood vessels to the cancer and induce cancer cells to die. The optimal dose for supplemental curcumin isn’t clear, though doses up to 8 grams a day seem to be safe. Curcumin’s bioavailability—the amount the body can absorb—is low. Combining curcumin with bromelain (an enzyme in pineapple), piperine from pepper, or phosphatidylcholine, a chemical in foods like eggs, soybeans and mustard, seems to enhance absorption. In a boon for lovers of spicy foods, one of the most effective ways to consume turmeric may be in curry. Curried foods contain pepper and oil, which improve curcumin’s absorption.