CLA: The Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Cancer

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http://www.mercola.com/2004/jul/17/cla_cancer.htm

 

CLA: The Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Cancer

 

 

By Dr. Joseph Mercola

with Rachael Droege

 

Most people are now familiar with the benefits of

omega-3 fatty acids, but there is another fatty acid

that is making its way to the top of the list in terms

of health potential. This fatty acid is CLA, or

conjugated linoleic acid, and it has become widely

popular in the form of expensive dietary supplements

because of its anti-cancer and fat-fighting

properties. In fact, CLA is so potent a cancer fighter

that animal studies show as little as 0.5 percent CLA

in the diet could reduce tumors by over 50 percent.

Along with being a cancer fighter, CLA helps the body

to rid itself of fat.

 

Why You Don't Want CLA Supplements

 

I'll discuss more about the benefits of this compound

below, but I first want to make one thing clear. I do

not recommend that you take CLA supplements of any

form. As with all nutrients, it is better to get them

from food than from synthetic supplements. Natural CLA

found in foods is far superior to a man-made version

in pill form--not to mention that CLA supplements are

outrageously expensive.

 

Further, studies have shown the type of CLA used in

supplements has been associated with an array of side

effects, which include:

 

* Promoting insulin resistance

* Raising glucose levels

* Reducing HDL (good cholesterol)

* Stomach upset

 

Natural CLA in Grass-Fed Animal Foods

 

Your body does not make CLA, so you may be wondering

how you can get natural CLA in your diet. Well there

is good news: animal products like meat and dairy from

grass-fed animals are rich in natural and healthy CLA.

So simply increasing your intake of grass-fed meat

products will increase your intake of this important

fatty acid.

 

There is an important distinction to make here,

though. Many Americans do not get enough CLA for two

reasons. First, Americans as a whole have wrongly

shunned many animal products when the " fear of fat "

mentality swept across the nation. These animal

products were contributing many health-promoting

qualities to our health and CLA was just one of them.

Second, most animals are no longer raised on their

natural diet, grass, and instead are being raised

primarily in factory farms where they are artificially

fattened on grains. If you simply start eating more

commercially raised meat that is in most grocery

stores, your health will not benefit because these

animals were not fed a healthy diet. Grass-fed

animals, on the other hand, have from three to five

times more CLA than grain-fed animals.

 

So if you're looking to increase your CLA, the best

way is through grass-fed animal products. This

includes not only grass-fed beef but also dairy

products from grass-fed cows like raw milk, raw butter

and raw milk cheese.

 

Why You Want CLA in Your Diet

 

As I mentioned above, CLA is a potent cancer-fighting

substance. Animal studies have shown it could reduce

the risk of numerous types of cancers including

breast, prostate, colorectal, lung, skin and stomach.

 

Another major effect of CLA is its role in body fat. A

study published in the June 2004 American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition said animal studies have shown that

CLA inhibits the formation of building fat. Not only

does it appear to reduce body fat, it does so while

preserving muscle tissue. This is why it is so widely

sold as a dietary supplement to body builders and

dieters alike, but, as I mentioned above, the only

safe way to increase CLA in your diet is from

grass-fed animal products--not from supplements.

 

But that is not all. As Mary Shoman writes, studies

suggest that CLA also:

 

* Increases metabolic rate

* Decreases abdominal fat

* Enhances muscle growth

* Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides

* Lowers insulin resistance

* Reduces food-induced allergic reactions

* Enhances immune system

 

Where Can You Get Healthy, Natural CLA?

 

As I have mentioned, it is important to understand

that once cows, or other grass-eating animals, are fed

grains, they stop producing CLA. So the ideal source

to get CLA naturally, and I might add at no charge or

risk, is to get it from 100 percent, exclusively

grass-fed animals. The least expensive way to obtain

grass-fed beef would be to find a local farmer that is

producing it and purchase it from him directly to

avoid high shipping fees.

 

As for grass-fed dairy products, you can search your

local health food stores for these types of items, as

many carry butter, cheese and milk from grass-fed

cows. However, if you want the ideal source, you

should seek out raw dairy from grass-fed cows. but

until then if you are unable to find a local dairy

farmer who will cooperate with you please try this

link: http://www.realmilk.com/where.html.

 

Related Articles:

 

Grass-Fed Animal Fat Beneficial for Diabetics

 

Health Benefits of CLA

 

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Supplements Helpful

For Obesity

 

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