Selenium protects against cancer

A Finnish study showed that the risk of lung cancer from smoking increased where there was a deficiency of the trace element selenium. See: Serum Selenium and Subsequent Risk of Cancer Among Finnish Men and Women

Other studies have shown that selenium has a protective influence against various cancers. In fact, in areas of the world where the soil is low in selenium, cancer rates in the population have been found to be higher. See:
Dietary selenium repletion may reduce cancer incidence in people at high risk who live in areas with low soil selenium.

Selenium prevents cancer by protecting the cells against oxidative damage. Provided they are grown on selenium-rich soil, good food sources are: brewer's yeast, wheat germ, whole grains, fish, eggs, nuts (particularly brazil nuts), liver, garlic. However, those in particular who smoke would do well to take a good selenium supplement.

Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.

Vitamin B12 kills cancer cells

The Mayo Cancer Clinic has developed a new way to locate cancer using a special form of Vitamin B12. Douglas Collins, M.D., a Mayo Clinic radiologist, working with a biochemist from the University of Minnesota, found a way to attach a radioactive molecule to Vitamin B12. The radioactive B12, when injected into the human body, shows brightly on conventional gamma imaging scans.

This new testing method may make it easier to locate hard-to-find cancers. It works because cancerous cells absorb great quantities of Vitamin B12, while healthy body tissues only absorb small amounts. (In fact, research has shown that tumour cells will grow extra B12 receptors to make sure they get the B12 they need.) Scans detect and show the radioactive molecule attached to the vitamin, allowing physicians to locate areas of radioactive B12 concentration. The areas of concentration indicate the location of cancer.

In a separate project, the Abramson Cancer Centre of the University of Pennsylvania have been working on using vitamin B12 as a 'shuttle' in order to target cancer tumours with a lethal compound. In the knowledge that tumour cells selectively take up large amounts of vitamin B12 and produce significantly more of the B12 receptor than normal cells, vitamin B12 was modified to include a toxic compound which is picked up by the receptor and brought inside the tumour, killing the cancer cells. The internal environment of a cancer cell is acidic (as opposed to the alkaline environment of a normal cell). The toxic compound is released only in an acidic environment.

Now – all this is very interesting – but what is more interesting is the fact that cancer therapies such as Gerson and the Bristol Cancer Centre have, for many years, included vitamin B12 in their cancer treatment. It may seem strange to treat cancer by supplying the very vitamin for which cancer cells develop extra receptors. Strange that is – until you consider the fact that nature has provided vitamin B12 with it’s own toxic compound – cyanide!

The acidic environment unique to the cancer cell greatly facilitates the release of the cyanide ion contained in vitamin B12. In normal cells cyanide is detoxified by the enzyme rhodanese in the mitochondria (the cell membrane) forming thiocyanate (vitamin B12). However, cancer cells lack this important enzyme possessed by normal cells. The cancer cell, therefore, not only facilitates the release of the cyanide ion, but it is unable to detoxify the cyanide ion by converting it to thiocyanate – and so the cancer cell is destroyed.

Given that our immune systems need to destroy cancer cells on a daily basis, we should all ensue that we get sufficient vitamin B12 in our diets. Good food sources are brewer's yeast, organ meats, meat, cheese, fish, milk, milk products and eggs. Vegetarians and vegans in particular may be at risk of deficiency and should take a good, well balanced vitamin B complex supplement containing vitamin B12 - along with all the other B vitamins. (Do check the label to ensure that it is the cyanocobalamin form of B12)

Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.

Chilli, garlic and cancer

Studies in the United States and Japan have shown that Capsaicin (which is what makes chilli peppers hot) can cause cancer cells to die. Capsaicin caused 80 percent of human prostate cancer cells growing in mice to self-destruct in a process known as apoptosis, researchers said.

A study published in the Cancer Research journal showed that a protein active in prostate cancer cells in mice was significantly beaten back by capsaicin. Professor H. Phillip Koeffler, the study's lead author added that capsaicin was also effective against leukemia.

Other research has confirmed this. "Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture," said Dr. Soren Lehmann of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine.

As a supplement, cayenne pepper has been used for years for cardiovascular support. It contains many phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. Cayenne cleans the blood and stimulates the entire system allowing hormonal signals to make their way unimpeded through the body, and enhances the immune response. In countries that have very hot cuisine, there are significantly lower cancer and heart disease rates.

Garlic has been used for many years to treat skin cancer. A garlic poultice pasted onto the tumour can cause the tumour to shrivel and die (or fall off) in a matter of days. This idea wouldn’t surprise naturopaths, though it’s still shocking to many Western doctors.

Yet, in a study published in the July 2003 Archives of Dermatological Research, researchers applied ajoene (the organosulfur compound found in garlic) topically to the skin tumours of patients with either nodular or superficial basal cell carcinoma, and in 17 of the 21 patients, the tumours shrank significantly.

Garlic has also been shown to aid white blood cells in the defence against cancer, and to increase the body's ability to destroy tumours. It has been found to stimulate inteferon production, enhance natural killer cells, stop tumour growth, and even reduce the associated pain of cancer.

Substances found in garlic, such as allicin, have been shown to not only protect colon cells from the toxic effects of cancer-causing chemicals, but also to stop the growth of cancer cells once they develop. Research has also suggested that garlic may confer protection against the development of stomach cancer through its potential ability to decrease H.pylori-induced gastritits.

Researchers are now working on binding allicin (the active ingredient in garlic) to an antibody that binds with tumour cells, thus delivering the the allicin directly to the tumour. This seems to be the perfect blend of herbs and Western medicine: a natural substance delivered to tumor cells via a Western-developed targeting system.

So - spice up your diet! Add fresh chilli peppers and garlic to stir-fried vegetables or spicy dishes. Incidentally, garlic increases in nutritional value when it is left for 15 minutes after peeling and chopping - before being used raw or cooked. It's also worth knowing that, taken together, cayenne increases the effectivness of garlic by ten times.

If you're not a lover of garlic or spicy foods, however, both garlic and capsiacin (cayenne) can be taken in the form of capsules. Always take the cayenne capsules just as you are about to eat some cold food - in order to avoid a kind of 'heartburn' in your tummy.

Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.

Berries prevent and reverse chronic disease

Berries such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries black and red currants are rich in disease-fighting phytonutrients that can prevent and even reverse serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stomach ulcers - and help lower cholesterol levels.

These phytonutrients, which give colour and flavour to the berries, are extremely powerful compounds for optimum health. They are far more effective than any pharmaceutical in terms of providing healthy benefits without the dangerous side effects that are frequently associated with prescription drugs.

Compared to other fruit sources, berries offer the highest content of antioxidants and phytonutrients for promoting heath and preventing disease. They are also rich in many vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium and zinc - minerals that are frequently deficient. Berries can be an extremely powerful disease-fighting part of your daily diet.

Of all the berries, blueberries are the most powerful in terms of antioxidant content: they are high in flavonoids and are known to help protect against cancer, urinary tract infections and cataracts. They are also known to protect against brain damage from strokes and heart disease.

Raspberries are known for their ability to fight cancer thanks to their phytonutrient content and abundant supply of vitamins and minerals.

Cranberries are best known for preventing urinary tract infections, but they have also been shown to prevent breast cancer and reduce stomach ulcers. Cranberries can also help decrease LDL cholesterol levels.

Strawberries are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. They are known to guard against heart disease and provide a number of vitamins and minerals that support overall human health.

The key is to eat these berries in their raw, whole fruit form rather than as processed berries or fruit drinks made from berries.

Nature provides everything that the body needs in order to be healthy and prevent chronic disease - not only berries - but also vegetables like broccoli, garlic, ginger, carrots, cabbage and onions.

Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.

See also the article: 'Phytonutrients cause cancer cells to die'

Phytonutrients cause cancer cells to die

Just when you thought you'd learned everything there is to know about anti-oxidants, you may have started reading reports about phytonutrients. These are certain organic components of plants which scientists have isolated as being beneficial to human health in a different way from traditional anti-oxidants.

Phytonutrients have proven to be beneficial in many ways. They may even alter estrogen metabolism, cause cancer cells to die (apoptosis), repair DNA damage, and detoxify carcinogens by working with bodily enzymes.

Of all the phytonutrients, we probably know the most about carotenoids, the red, orange and yellow pigments found in fruits and vegetables. They can battle against certain cancers and even heart disease. Alpha- and beta- carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lutein, are found in carrots, leafy green and yellow vegetables, and citrus or pulpy fruits. Another cartenoid, lycopene, is found in tomatoes. There have been several studies suggesting that these compounds are among the most beneficial components of fruits and vegetables.

Polyphenols, found in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, teas, and soybeans, appear to combat allergies, inflammation, free radicals, hepatotoxins, platelet aggregation, microbes, ulcers, viruses and tumours. Flavonoids protect the vascular system and strengthen the tiny capillaries that carry oxygen and essential nutrients to all cells.

Research into phytonutrients is expanding rapidly because it appears that they offer a measurable amount of protection against cancer and other diseases.


Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.

See also the article 'Fish oils on prescription'

Fish oils on prescription

ROME — Every patient in the cardiac care unit at the San Filippo Neri Hospital who survives a heart attack goes home with a prescription for purified fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids.

“It is clearly recommended in international guidelines,” said Dr. Massimo Santini, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, who added that it would be considered tantamount to malpractice in Italy to omit the drug.

In a large number of studies, prescription fish oil has been shown to improve survival after heart attacks and to reduce fatal heart rhythms. Yet patients in Britain and the US are not being prescribed purified fish oil, even though there is strong research supporting its beneficial properties.

Heart specialists have expressed concern over the UK and US's failure to prescribe fish oil to heart patients. They point out that that drugs are being recommended to patients instead of fish oil.


Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.