Powerful Spices Block Cancer Development

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/jul/30/cancer_spices.htm

 

Powerful Spices Block Cancer Development

 

 

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and

anti-carcinogenic properties of

curcumin, the powerful yellow spice found in both

turmeric and curry

powders, have been undergoing intense research in

various parts of the

world.

 

According to researchers from the University of Texas

M.D. Anderson

Cancer Center, curcumin blocks a key biological

pathway needed for

development of melanoma and other cancers.

 

The spice stops laboratory strains of melanoma from

proliferating and

pushes the cancer cells to commit suicide by shutting

down nuclear

factor-kappa B (NF-kB), a powerful protein known to

induce an abnormal

inflammatory response that leads to an assortment of

disorders such as

arthritis and cancer.

 

Flavorable Findings

 

Researchers treated three different melanoma cell

lines with curcumin

and evaluated the activity of NF-kB, as well as IKK, a

protein that

triggers NF-kB. Results showed that despite how much

curcumin was

used, the spice still:

 

* Prohibited both proteins from being activated

* Worked to stop the growth of melanoma

* Induced cell suicide

 

More on Curcumin

 

Curcumin has long been utilized in India and other

Asian nations for

multiple uses, including a food preservative, a

coloring agent, a folk

medicine to cleanse the body and as a spice to flavor

food.

 

What's telling, however, is that in India (where the

spice is widely

used) the prevalence of the top four U.S. cancers --

colon, breast,

prostate and lung -- is 10 times lower.

 

Cancer July 11, 2005

 

Science Daily July 14, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Wouldn't life be boring without spice?

 

Spices are absolutely wonderful and make quite a

dramatic difference

in the flavor of food. I also find it amazing that not

only do we get

a flavor boost, but many of the spices will actually

improve our

health.

 

Some of my favorite spices are the hot spices, and I

love Thai food. I

am not as attracted as much to the curries, though.

 

That brings up a point, as you really do want to honor

what your body

tells you. If any food or spice does not taste good or

" feel right, "

stay away from it -- no matter who is telling you how

good it is for

you. Your body is a far better judge of that than

anything you will

ever read. In other words:

 

Listen to your body.

 

Your body is designed to give you all the feedback you

need to make

the right food and lifestyle choices. Unfortunately,

most of you do

not tune in to this important feedback system and do

not fully utilize

the benefits it can bring you.

 

It can even cure cancer.

 

Cancer is a big deal. It's estimated that nearly 1.5

million new

cancer cases and nearly 600,000 cancer deaths will

occur in the United

States this year. Cancer has recently unseated heart

disease as

America's number one killer of people under the age of

85.

 

So if you like curry, then by all means use it

regularly in your diet,

as the evidence is very compelling that it will

prevent cancer. But if

you don't like it, then don't worry, as there are no

" magic bullets "

for cancer. Just incorporate the other approaches to

avoiding cancer

into your life:

 

* A healthy diet

* Exercise

* Sleep

* Stress reduction

* Limit toxin exposure

 

Related Articles:

 

Garlic Could be Used as Cancer Treatment

 

Twelve Changes That Will Cut Your Cancer Risk in

Half

 

Cancer's Sweet Tooth