The word "Cancer" comes from the latin 'Carcinoma' meaning "Crab. It is the most dreaded disease and refers to all malignant tumours caused by the abnormal growth of a body cell or a group of cells. It is today the second largest killer in the world, next to heart ailments. The term covers more than 200 diseases.
Diet is now considered a major factor in the prevention and treatment of cancer. According to the American National Cancer Institute, about one-third of all cancers are linked to diet. Thus, right choices of foods can help prevent a majority of new cancer cases and deaths from cancer.
Cncer usually develops over a long period. Latest researches show that one eats may interfere with cancer process at many stages, from conception to growth and spread of the cancer. Foods can block the chemical activation,Which normally initiates cancer. Antioxidants{ A chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation}, including vitamins, can eradicate carcinogens and can even repair some of the cellular damage caused by them. Cancers that are in the process of growth- can also be prevented from further spreading by foods. Even in advanced the foods prolong patient's
Some of the more important foods that help' prevent and control cancer are discussed herein in brief.
BEET JUICE
The juice of red beet possesses anticance activity and is thus considered beneficial il1' the prevention and treatment of cancer. It is one of the best' vegetable. Juices and a rich source of natural sugar. It contains sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, , iron, copper, vitamin,BI, Bz, niacin, B6, C and P. This juice stimulates the liver and its detoxifying activity, which is of great value in treating cancer. Half a glass of this juice can be taken three times daily. Lactic acid fermented and a well balanced beet juice will markedly increase the oxygenation of the body cells. It would be advisable to extract juice both from root and tops.
CABBAGE AND OTHER CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are one of the most important foods which may help immunize against breast cancer by managing oestrogen; a known promoter of this type of cancer. These vegetables hasten
Rapidly Growing invasive Cancer the removal of oestrogen from the body. It also speeds up the metabolism of .oestrogen,burning up the hormone so that less of it is available to feed cancer. This has been revealed by the research studies conducted by Dr. Jon Michnovicz and colleagues at the Institute of Hormone Research ih New York City.
These studies indicate, that specific indoles in these cruciferous vegetables accelerate a process in which the body deactivates or disposes off the. type of oestrogen that can promote breast cancer.-In tests on women and men, the cabbage compound "turned up" the oestrogen -deactivation process by about 50 per cent says Dr. Michnovicz. The'test dose, as usual, exceeded what people would ordinarily eat; a daily 500 mgs of indole-3-carbinol, the amount in about 400gms of raw cabbage;JJUt eating less would also bum up oestron to a lesser degree. It is known that women with elevated oestrogen metabolism have lower risks 0 hormone - dependant cancers, such as breast, uterine and endometrial cancer says Dr. Michnovicz.
CARROT
This vegetable, as a super food source .of betcf-carotene, has been found valuable in FOOD AND NUTRITION
preventing lung cancer. Beta-carotene is an orange pigment isolated from carrots more than 150 years ago. It acts as an antidote to lung cancer. A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo shows that eating beta-carotene-rich vegetables more than once a week dramatically decreased lung cancer odds when compared with non-eaters of this vegetable. Munching a single raw carrot at least twice a week reduces lung cancer by 60 per cent. The anti cancer power of beta-carotene comes from both its antioxidant capabilities and its ability to enhance immunological defenses, which is important in preventing and controlling cancer.
CITRUS FRUITS
Citrus fruits like grapefruit, lime, lemon and orange possess powerful anti-cancer properties. According to toxicologist Herbert Pierson, Ph. D., a diet and cancer expert formally with the American National Cancer Institute, regards citrus fruits as total anti¬cancer package, because they possess every class of natural substances like carotenoids, flavonoids, terpenes, limonoids and coumarins, which individually has helped neutralize powerful chemical carcinogens in animals.done by leading researchers Barry R Goldin'and Sherwood L Gobach at the New England Medical Centre. For a month, volunteers drank two glasses of plain milk everyday. Then they took acidophilus milk. Researchers measured the enzyme activity in the subjects' colon. Drinking acid<?philus milk caused dangerous enzyme activity to drop by 40-80 per cent. This means certain carcinogenic{A cancer-causing substance or agent.}activity in the colon was remarkably suppressed. .
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Researches conducted in ascertaining links between diet and cancer since 1970 have now conclusively proved that fruits and vegetables can serve as antidote to cancer. The normal servings of fruits and vegetables are two fruits and three vegetables a day. Adding more fruits and vegetables to these servings can reduce the risk of cancer. One serving means 100¬115gm of cooked or chopped raw fruit or vegetables, 70-85gm of raw leafy vegetables, one medium piece of fruit, or 170ml of fruit juice or vegetable juice.
GARLIC AND ONIONS
More than 30 different compounds have been isolated from garlic and onions which are potent enemies of carcinogens. These compounds include diallyl sulphide, quercetin and ajoene. In animals, they block the most terrifying cancer-causing agents such as nitrosamines and aflatoxin, linked specifically to stomach, lung and liver cancer. Feeding garlic to animals consistently blocks cancer. Harvard scientists immunized{To render immune}hamsters against certain cancers by putting ground onions in their drinking water.
CURD
Curd of yoghurt is a powerful preventive against colon cancer. It is a rich source of vitamin D and calcium, these two nutrients are highly valuable in preventing cancer. Research studies show that Lactobacillus acidophilus helps suppress enzyme activity needed to convert otherwise harmless substances into cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. This has been proved by studies
properties, which not only help prevent cancer but also retard its spread. Triterpenoids contained in liquorice may block quick¬growing cancer cells and cause some precancerous cells to return to normal growth. This spice can be used either in the form of powder, decoction or infusion. These preparations can be taken mixed with honey.
PAPAYA LEAVES
Success in the treatment of cancer has been claimed by a 74-year old lady from Australia by the use of leaves of papaya, a delicious
tropical fruit, in a letter to "weekend Bulletin",Gold coast, Australia. She had undergone surgical operation for her bladder cancer, bu t cancer could not be completely removed. While undergoing further treatment in Brisbane, she used papaya leaves and subsequently used boiled skin of papaya, when her stock of leaves had run out. After 3 months, when she went to her Doctor for checkup, it was found that her cancer had been healed.
GRAPES
About 125 years ago, Dr. Lambe, a pioneer reformer and dietitian, treated cancer in England with grapes. In recent times, Johanna Brandt, discovered for herself that cancer could be treated successfully with exclusive grape diet. This discovery was made by her, while experimenting on herself by fasting and dieting alternately, in the course of her nine¬year battle against cancer. She claimed to have cured herself by this mode of treatment. The effectiveness of exclusive grape diet in treating cancer is attributable to presence of generous quantities of salts of potash in grapes. It has been noted that there is a marked deficiency of potash in the average cancer patient.
GREEN VEGETABLES
Green vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, exhibit extraordinarily broad anti¬cancer powers. A recent Italian study showed
a remarkable protection from the frequent consumption of green vegetables against the risk of most cancers. The green vegetables, such as spinach, dark green lettuce and broccoli, are full of many different antioxidants, including beta-carotene and folic acid. These vegetables also contain lutein, a little - known antioxidant, which is considered as powerful as beta-carotene in preventing cancer. To get green vegetables with most carotenoids, and other anticancer agents, the darkest green vegetables should be selected.
INDIAN GOOSEBERRY
Indian gooseberry, as a super food source of vitamin can be beneficially used in the fight against cancer. Vitamin C is the most potent anti-toxin known. It can effectively neutralise or minimize the damaging effect of most chemical carcinogens in food and environment and, thus, be of great value in cancer prevention programs, as well as in the treatment of cancer. Repeated laboratory tests at Co6noor shows that every 100 grams of fresh Indian gooseberry provides 470 to 680 mgs of vitamin C.
LIQUORICE
Liquorice, a popular spice and a flavouring agent, is an anti-cancer food. It has the Foods can' block, the ,chemical:: . activation,: which' normally
in the ,process of growth{ canalso,:be prevented.' from' further spreading byfoods.Even in advanced cases, the' right foods can prolong the patient's life.In U.S.A. also, the American scientist Dr. Jerry McLaughlin of the University of Purdue, used papaya in the fight against cancer. According to him, he has found a chemical component in the papaya tree that is "one million tiI)1es stronger than the strongest anti-cancer medicine."
RAW FOODS
Dr. Kirstine Nolfi of Denmark, who herself suffered from cancer, found by experiment the value of raw foods in treating cancer. She
recovered from this dreaded disease after treating herself with an exclusive diet of raw foods and then opened an institution called
Humlegarden. She attained great success in E treating cancer patients at this institution and wrote a book about her success. In her book Dr. Nolfi tells how, whenever she slipped of her raw food diet or used salt, the condition reappeared with renewed vigor. Then when she went back to and stuck to the ra w food diet, the cdfancer subsided. This ~xperience shows that cancer cannot be cured but it can be prevented and held under control by a raw juice and raw food diet. Dr. Nolfi gave a great deal of credit to raw garlic and raw potatoes, which she claims were the key vegetables in the success of the raw food diet.
TOMATO
Tomato is regarded as an anti-cancer food. Its lycopene, which gives this vegetable its color, is the main ingredient. This ingredient helps prevent cancer. A research study conducted by Dr. Helmut Sies of Germany has found that lycopene is twice as powerful as beta-carotene at "quenching singlet oxygen," an unchecked toxic oxygen molecule that can trigger cancer in cells. Tomatoes are the major source of lycopene in the food supply, and that includes all types of tomato products, such as cooked tomatoes, canned tomatoes and sauces, tomato paste and ketchup.
Traditional wisdom usually precedes Scientific Scrutiny. The prophylactic potential of colourful tubers, vegetables; fruits and raw foods was long suspected. Since the 80s, there is more and more evidence in favour of anti¬oxidants and flavonoids. It does make sense to consume these even otherwise, in view of their vitamin, mineral and fibre content. It is important to remember that inclusion of these to daily diet is an important measure; but not exclusive preventive measure. . Secondly, individual anecdotal reports of benefit of any treatment are claims - not proofs in themselves in their favour. Beetroot and grape add to total caloric intake and may predispose to obesity. Garlic flavour may be unacceptable to some people; while others may avoid it on religious grounds.
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