Natural Treatments for Cancer

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Natural Treatments for Cancer JoAnn Guest May 20, 2003 16:55 PDT

Natural Treatments for Cancer

 

Cancer is perhaps the most feared of all diseases. Unlike the

other killer diseases, cancer usually causes a slow death involving

pain, suffering, mental anguish, and a feeling of hopelessness.

 

It is the second most common cause of death in the United States and

will affect one out of three Americans during his or her lifetime.

 

All over the world, the number of new cancer cases has been

increasing over the past nine decades.

 

Since 1971, when President Nixon declared war on cancer in the

U.S., tens of billions of dollars have been invested over the years

in cancer research. Approximately $80 billion is spent on cancer

treatment each year for direct health costs and lost productivity.

 

Despite this enormous effort to combat cancer, the number of new

cases of nearly every form of cancer has increased annually over the

last century around the world and in the United States.

 

Still worse

from 1930 to the present despite the introduction of radiation

therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy; despite CT scans and MRI

scans, and all other new medical technology lifespans for almost

every form of adult cancer, except cervical and lung cancer, have

remained constant, which means there has been no significant

progress in cancer treatment.

 

And worse yet, perhaps even deceptively so, is the unrealistic goal set

by the National Cancer

Institute and the American Cancer Society of a 50 percent reduction

in cancer mortality by the year 2,000.1

 

In the past 25 years, the National Cancer Institute has

personally invested $29 billion in the war on cancer.

 

Despite all

their efforts to find a cure, this year alone 555,000 Americans are

expected to die of cancer 215,000 more than in 1971. Current trends

suggest that cancer might overtake heart disease as the No. 1 killer

by the year 2,000.

 

While a cure remains elusive, the biggest step

in the direction of prevention has come in the last 10 years, with

well over 100 studies indicating that diet is related in some ways

to all types of cancers.

 

Second only to giving up smoking, diet is

probably the most important area where we can make a critical

difference in preventing cancer, says Tim Byers, professor of

preventative medicine at the University of Colorado School of

Medicine in Denver.

 

How big a difference? For several leading forms

of the disease, a careful diet can cut the risk in half, he says. In

fact, nearly 35 percent of all cancers are now thought to be linked

directly to diet.3

 

After collating the existing cancer data, Charles B. Simone,

M.D., found that 80 to 90 percent of all cancers are produced as a

result of dietary and nutritional practices, smoking, alcohol,

sedentary life, stress, hormones, chemicals, or other environmental

factors.

 

This information has been corroborated by all the major

U.S. agencies: National Academy of Sciences, National Cancer

Institute, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Diet and nutrition appear to be factors in 60 percent of women's

cancers and 40 percent in men's cancers, as well as 75 percent of

cardiovascular disease.4

 

REDUCING YOUR RISK

 

Some items on your plate increase your risk for cancer. Others

keep it from developing, or from even starting in the first place.

 

Let us look at how diet can affect four leading causes of cancer:

 

LUNG CANCER

 

Smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer around the

world, accounting for an estimated 85 percent of all cases of the

disease. Rates of lung cancer in women have increased from 13,686

cases in 1971 to 64,300 cases in 1996 because of an increase of

smoking among women. Cigar smoking is now becoming trendy among the

female population.

 

The Diet Connection:

 

Certainly quitting smoking is the first step to be taken in

preventing lung cancer.

 

Several studies in Europe in the last five

years suggest that a diet rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, and

carotenoid- containing foods may help reduce the risk.

 

Last year,

scientists at the American Health Foundation identified a compound

in watercress that blocks cancer-activating enzymes in the body. In

animal studies, the compound has also been shown to slow the growth

of lung tumors.5 How much watercress have you eaten in the past 5

years?

 

Our Recommendations:

 

If you haven't already done so, quit smoking now!

 

Protect your

lungs by avoiding harmful chemicals (paints, hairsprays, second-hand

smoke) and by eating plenty of antioxidant- rich, fresh, organic

fruits and vegetables filled with carotenoids such as carrots,

cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, and vitamin C-rich foods, with perhaps

a serving of watercress on the side.

 

Avoid all animal fat, since it

has been directly linked to lung cancer, and get plenty of exercise

in the fresh air. Eat a vegetarian diet, and include fresh organic

juices as part of your daily regimen.

 

PROSTATE CANCER

 

Prostate cancer currently kills 41,000 American males a year,

making it the second leading killer behind lung cancer among men.

The number of deaths from prostate cancer has increased from 17,700

in 1971 to 41,400 in 1996. Today, there is strong evidence that diet

and lifestyle play a major role in the disease.

 

The Diet Connection:

 

In 1993, researchers at Harvard University found that the fattier

the diet, the greater the risk of prostate cancer. The strongest

risk seems to be associated with animal fat, specifically from red

meat.

 

There is also recently reported evidence, according to Harvard

researchers, that men who ate 10 or more servings a week of tomatoes

cut their risk of prostate cancer by as much as 45 percent. Even two

to four servings a week of organic tomato sauce promoted a 34 percent

reduction. The antioxidant lycopene, a carotenoid cousin of beta

carotene, is thought to be responsible.6

 

Our Recommendations:

 

Eat a low-fat vegetarian diet rich in whole plant foods and free

of all animal products that means ice-cream, too!

 

Eat plenty of

fresh organic fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains daily. A diet

rich in whole plant foods (preferably organically grown)

 

may offer

some protection against prostate cancer due to the presence, in

particular, of minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium,

germanium); vitamins; plant pigments (flavonoids, chlorophyll);

fiber (especially gel-forming and mucilaginous types); and sulfur-

containing compounds (onions and garlic) all of which have activity

that helps the body deal with toxic chemical and heavy metals.

 

It

has also been shown that men with prostate disorders are usually low

in the mineral zinc. Nuts and seeds, especially green pumpkin seeds

(about 30-50 a day) from Mexico or China, are a good natural source

of this key mineral.

 

Nuts and seeds, especially flaxseed, are also

excellent sources of essential fatty acids which, like zinc, have

shown positive results in the treatment of BPH.

 

In one study, the

administration of a mixture of essential fatty acids to nineteen

subjects with BPH showed a reduction in the amount of residual urine

in the bladder. These effects seem to be due to the correction of an

underlying essential fatty acid deficiency.

 

In a study of men of

Japanese ancestry, it was observed that an increased consumption of

rice and tofu were both associated with a decreased risk of prostate

cancer.8 An herb called saw palmetto has proven to be more effective

than the drug Proscar in the treatment of enlargement of the

prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) and frequent night-

time urination. Actually, 160 mg. of saw palmetto extract daily

would be an excellent preventative medicine.

 

COLON CANCER:

 

Every year, more than 94,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon

cancer. It is the third most frequently diagnosed cancer, and is far

more prevalent in the U.S. and other developed nations. Colon

cancer, like most other cancers, is on the increase.

 

The Diet Connection:

 

Could the fast food restaurants, like Burger King, with their

nutritious 60 percent fat Whoppers, with little fiber, be one cause

of the increase? Evidence points to the high-fat, low fiber intake

typical of the Western diets as the cause.

 

A prospective study of

90,000 middle-aged women in Boston recently confirmed the important

role of meat consumption in the development of colon cancer. The

risk of colon cancer in women who ate beef, pork, or lamb as a main

dish every day was found to be two and a half times greater than for

women who consumed those meats less than once a month.

 

9 High fiber

foods like legumes, fruits, and vegetables, on the other hand, help

speed potential carcinogens out of the system, reducing the risk of

colon cancer.

 

In a 1992 study at Harvard Medical School, men who

consumed about 30 grams of fiber per day were half as likely to

develop early signs of colon cancer as men who consumed only about

12 grams per day.

 

Saturated fat and refined sugar may also raise the

risk by increasing production of insulin, which, in turn, boosts

tumor cell growth, while alcohol consumption may account for 15

percent of colon cancers.

 

10 Saxon Graham, of the Roswell Memorial

Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, showed that the risk of colon

cancer was twice as high in those who ate vegetables less than 5

times a week compared to those who ate vegetables at least 2 times a

day.

 

Furthermore, for those eating cabbage no more than once a

month, the risk of colon cancer was three times greater than those

who consumed cabbage at least once a week.11

 

Our Recommendations:

 

Eat plenty of fiber-rich, whole plant foods such as vegetables

(especially green leafy ones), fruits, whole grains, and legumes

(especially beans).

 

Avoid refined foods, such as white rice, white

sugar, white flour, and white bread. These foods contain little, if

any, fiber. The same advice applies to animal foods like meat, fish,

chicken, and dairy products.

 

Remember the word processed means

destroyed food.

 

Use very little salt (and seasalt only in cooking), and

avoid very pungent spices that can be irritating to the lining of

your stomach and colon. Also, avoid fried and greasy foods and all

caffeinated beverages.

It would be a good idea to detoxify your

bowel periodically with a good psyllium husk/herbal cleansing, to

drink plenty of pure water, and get sufficient exercise at least 4-6

days a week.

 

BREAST CANCER:

 

More than 185,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this

year, and some 44,000 will die of the disease. While heredity may

play a small role in determining risk (about 10 percent), diet

appears to be the important factor. Breast cancer is one of the

fastest growing cancers among women, just as prostate cancer is

among men.

 

The Diet Connection:

 

Countries where diets are low in fat typically have low rates of

breast cancer, suggesting that high intakes of fat increase the

risk.

 

The reason is that fat cells produce estrogen, which is

thought to stimulate both breast and ovarian cancer cells.

 

Therefore, the amount of fat you eat can increase the amount of

estrogen produced by your body, thus feeding the cancer cells.

 

Our Recommendations:

 

A diet abundant in fruits and vegetables contain vitamin A and

beta carotene and other antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber,

which may lower breast cancer risk. Consuming no animal sources of

protein (beef, chicken, dairy products, etc.), and substituting more

plant proteins, such as soy products, may also offer some

protection.

About half of the Seventh-day Adventists in the United

States follow a vegetarian diet, and most do not eat any pork.

 

Their

breast cancer mortality is one-half to two-thirds the breast cancer

mortality seen in the U.S. population in general.12 Avoid animal

fats, and be careful with the vegetable fats as well.

 

If you must

have a little oil, extra-virgin olive oil is a more stable form of oil

than

others, as well as one of the best choices.

 

Women who consumed

traditional Mediterranean diets, with olive oil as the primary

source of fat, have lower rates of breast cancer than women in

countries who consume comparable levels of total fat, but more

saturated fat. Flaxseed oil has also been shown to inhibit tumor

growth, but only buy oil that has been cold- processed in an oxygen-

free environment and keep it in the refrigerator.

 

Be careful of

which deodorant you apply under your arm (many lymph nodes are under

your arm), and the chemicals applied to your skin via make-up.

Commercial deodorants and make-up are filled with toxic chemicals

that can poison your blood and liver. Read labels!

 

I have seen women

recover from breast cancer by following a strict detoxification

program while nourishing their bodies with fresh, organic juices,

and green drinks. Antioxidants are critical for preventing cancer

and may also assist those who already have it.

 

Essiac tea and the

Hoxsey formula have been used by cancer victims with some success.

If considering surgery, choose a lumpectomy only.

 

Remember, overall

lifestyle is your greatest defense. Follow " GOD'S PLAN " - Godly

trust, Open air, Daily exercise, Sunshine, Plenty of rest, Lots of

water, Abstemiousness, and Nutrition.

 

In conclusion, a Cornell University team recently completed one

of the largest epidemiological studies, involving 6,500 Chinese for

a period of 6 years. Some refer to this study as the " grand prix " of

diet studies. Some of their findings included the following:

 

Chinese consumed 20 percent more calories than Americans, but are

less obese.

 

Chinese eat one-third of the fat Americans eat.

 

Americans eat 33 percent more protein than Chinese; 70 percent of

this protein is from animals, compared to only 7 percent coming from

animals for the Chinese.

 

Chinese consume three times the amount of fiber that Americans eat—

33 grams versus 10 grams.

 

Chinese women have low rates of breast cancer.

 

High dietary fats,

protein, and calories promote early menarche (onset of

menstruation), which is associated with higher breast cancer rates.

Chinese women start menstruating three to six years later than

Americans.

 

Osteoporosis is uncommon in China.

 

Chinese do not consume dairy

products, but rather get all their calcium from vegetables.

 

They

consume half as much calcium as Americans.13

 

The cholesterol of the Chinese is approximately 127 mg% and 212 mg%

for Americans - an 85 mg% difference.

 

Never forget the old cliche: " An ounce of prevention is worth a

pound of cure. " This saying certainly applies to the most dreadful

disease -- cancer.

 

1. Simone C B: " Cancer: An International Outlook, " Energy Times,

May, 1996, pg. 21.

2. Rubin R: " The War on Cancer, " U.S. News and World Report,

February 5, 1996, pg. 54.

3. Jaret P: " Closing in on Cancer, " Eating Well, March/April, 1996,

pg. 42.

4. Simone C B: " Cancer: An International Outlook, " Energy Times,

May, 1996, pg. 22.

5. Jaret P: " Closing in on Cancer, " Eating Well, March/April, 1996,

pg. 46.

6. Ibid.

7. Murray M T: Natural Alternatives to Over-the-Counter and

Prescription Drugs, William Morrow and Co., Inc. NY, 1994, pg. 213.

8. Severson R K, Nomura A M, et al: " A Prospective Study of

Demographics, Diet, and Prostate Cancer Among Men of Japanese

Ancestry in Hawaii, " Cancer Res 49(7): 1857-60, 1989.

9. Willett W C, Stampfer M J, et al: " Relation of Meat, Fat, and

Fiber Intake to the Risk of Colon Cancer in a Prospective Study on

Women, " 323: 1664-1672, 1990.

10. Jaret P: " Closing in on Cancer, " Eating Well, March/April, 1996,

pgs. 46,47.

11. Graham S, Dayal H, Swanson M, et al: " Diet in Epidemiology of

Cancer of the Colon and Rectum, " J Natl Cancer Inst 61:709-714, 1978.

12. Simone C B: " Cancer: An International Outlook, " Energy Times,

May, 1996, pg. 22. 13. Ibid, pg. 25.

 

 

Be sure to order the beautiful Lifestyle for Excellent Health

video series. Charise, Danny and the Children present 13-hours of

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The perfect tool for conducting your own vegetarian cooking schools!

 

Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in

health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2.

 

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