The Healing Grocery- When Food Is Your Best Medicine

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The Healing Grocery- When Food Is Your Best Medicine

JoAnn Guest

Dec 05, 2004 14:24 PST

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The Healing Grocery - When Food Is Your Best Medicine

By Jonathan Kauffman

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Cancer-fighting foods:

Let the nutrients in plant-based foods go to battle for your health.

 

Right now, as you read this, your body is warding off cancer.

It is estimated that one out of every million new cells you produce is a cancer

cell that is,

a cell with damaged or mutated DNA.

 

It's up to your own natural defenses to repair the damaged DNA and to

destroy such precancerous cells.

 

One in two men and one in three women in the United States develop

cancer at some point in their lives.

 

But the World Cancer Research Fund now estimates that proper diet can

eliminate 40% of all cancers. And that's a conservative figure. Other

researchers believe that 80% is more accurate.

 

People who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk for specific

kinds of cancer.

 

The evidence is overwhelming, says Gladys Block, professor of

epidemiology and public health nutrition at the University of California

at Berkeley. Much of Block's recent research is on

antioxidants and cancer prevention.

 

Though we don't have proof yet, she adds, I suspect that diet is more

important than genetics.

 

While single-gene causes of cancer have been identified, they are

infrequent. On the other hand, Gene-nutrient interactions are probably

very important.

 

If there's a genetic factor that imbues a greater susceptibility to

cancer, that doesn't mean that everyone with the gene will get cancer.

 

People who have the genetic factor and a poor diet, however, will be at

risk.

 

The average life expectancy in Japan, where a high-fiber diet low in red

meat and saturated fat is the norm, is 80 years (compared to an average

of 70 to 75 in the United States).

 

According to environmental toxicologist J. Robert Hatherill, author of

Eat to Beat Cancer, the Japanese have some of the lowest lung cancer

rates in the world (as well as low rates of prostate and colon cancer).

 

Yet the per capita smoking rate in Japan is among the world's highest.

 

In The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet, doctor-journalist Bob Arnot quotes

a case-controlled study of Uruguayan women, which found that high

consumption of red meat

 

was associated with a 230% to 770% increase in breast cancer.

 

Studies with similar results have been conducted in Japan, Italy and the

United States. Diets high in saturated fat particularly from animal

products are also associated with higher risk for colon, prostate,

ovarian, endometrial and lung cancer.

 

 

 

There are several possible explanations for this.

 

As your body metabolizes fat molecules it produces free radicals, which

cause oxidization (a process like rusting)

in the cells, crippling them and

altering the DNA within.

 

The digestion of charred, cured and processed meat produces

" carcinogenic " substances in the colon.

 

And consumption of animal products affects the hormones,

 

causing men to produce more testosterone and

 

inhibiting women's ability to 'dispose' of " extra estrogen " in the

bloodstream

linked respectively to prostate cancer and breast cancer.

 

Phytochemicals:

 

Cancer-preventing diets center around vegetables and fruits. According

to nutritionists Laura Pensiero and Susan Oliveria in The Strang

Cookbook for Cancer Prevention, More than 200 studies have shown that

people who consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables reduce their

risk for cancer, specifically, cancer of the esophagus, stomach, mouth,

lung, bladder, colon, rectum, larynx and cervix.

 

The evidence is strong.

 

Professor Block notes that there are hundreds of different components in

plants and we evolved on them.

 

All of our " biochemistry " is based on a diet that's plant-based.

 

Many of these studies focus on specific phytochemicals

(phyto means plant)

found in fruits, vegetables, teas and other plant matter.

 

Some " phytochemicals " have been shown to counteract or prevent cell

'mutation'.

 

Some augment the body's natural defense system.

 

And some attack tumors,

 

blocking their " blood supply " or reducing their size.

 

In most cases, trying to " isolate " the specific phytochemicals in a

vitamin or pill form has not been proven to be as effective as simply

" ingesting " these potent nutrients in their natural forms:

 

fresh, organic unprocessed foods.

 

This doesn't mean one should eat nothing but raw vegetables.

Many phytochemicals are not heat-sensitive.

 

In fact, cooking makes some more readily available to the body. This is

particularly true with the lycopene in tomatoes and the beta-carotene in

carrots.

 

However, you should buy organic produce as often as you can.

 

If you're trying to clear your system of toxic substances from the

environment, don't reintroduce them by eating plants sprayed with

pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers.

 

 

 

Here are some phytochemicals shown to have cancer-preventive properties.

 

 

Antioxidants, now a household word, perform a specific,

potent anticancer function in the body:

 

They capture " free radicals " and prevent 'harmful oxidization' in the

cells.

 

Most of us know that vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants. But

researchers have identified far more powerful antioxidants in many

vegetables and fruits.

 

The 'allium' family of vegetables onions, shallots, leeks and garlic

contain large amounts of the flavonoid " quercetin " , a powerful

antioxidant,

as well as sulfides thought to reduce the risk of stomach

cancer and strengthen the immune system.

 

Garlic in particular has long been considered a potent herb with

antibacterial and blood-cleansing

properties.

 

Now studies are under way to confirm its anti-tumor abilities.

 

Another much-hyped group of antioxidants, catechins, are found in green

tea.

 

Some researchers have speculated that green tea consumption, along with

a non-gmo soy-rich diet, is partially responsible for the low rates of

lung cancer in Japan.

 

Black tea also contains cancer-fighting " theaflavins " .

 

A recent, prominent study conducted by Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer

Research Center reported that fruits showed little effect on preventing

prostate cancer.

 

However, many fruits are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, and

can play an important 'role' in clearing the body of

" free radicals " .

 

Peppers are among the foods highest in vitamin C.

 

Antioxidant-rich fruits include organic strawberries, raspberries,

plums, citrus fruits, kiwi, and red and white grapes.

 

And berries contain large amounts of " ellagic acid " , a tannin thought to

deactivate cancer-causing chemicals by binding to them.

 

Sulforophane, a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables (cabbage,

cauliflower, kale, broccoli, and their relatives) helps the body

" manufacture " its own antioxidants.

 

Looking for a potent source?

 

Eat the sprouts of cruciferous vegetables, which contain 10 times to 100

times the

sulforaphane-precursor " glucoraphanin " of mature plants.

 

Supplements as well as whole foods can provide other antioxidants.

 

Selenium has been shown to help prevent cancers in many parts of the

body.

 

It can be found in nuts (especially Brazil nuts), legumes, sunflower

seeds, and shellfish.

 

Men should consider eating more vitamin E, which can be found in whole

grains and green leafy vegetables.

A Finnish study showed that vitamin E reduced risk of prostate cancer by

30% in smokers, no less.

 

Toxicity can be a problem for both these antioxidants, so more is not

necessarily better.

 

Researchers recommend 70 to 200 micrograms of selenium and 400-800 IUs

of vitamin E a day.

 

The last major group of antioxidants are the carotenoids.

 

Eating lots of carotenoids has been linked to a decrease in cancer risk.

The most famous carotenoid is beta-carotene, but over 600 others have

been identified.

 

Carotenoids are found in brightly colored foods, imparting

red and gold colors to fruits and vegetables.

 

But they are also found in dark green plants, where the 'chlorophyll'

covers the carotenoid's color.

 

 

To increase your carotenoid intake, look for fruits such as cantaloupe,

mango, organic papaya and peaches;

root vegetables such as beets and carrots;

organic squashes;

and lettuce and greens of all kinds.

 

Lycopene, an increasingly prominent carotenoid, is found in organic

tomatoes and is being investigated for its ability to prevent prostate

cancer.

 

A study conducted at Harvard and published in the Journal of the

National Cancer Institute in 1993 with a follow-up in 1999 sent waves

throughout the research community.

 

Edward Giovannucci and colleagues found that men who ate 10 or more

servings a week of tomatoes and tomato products

(organic tomato juice, tomato sauce and salsa) had a 35% lower risk of

prostate cancer than men who ate one-fifth that amount.

 

However, it is advisable to eat only organic tomatoes as the majority of

tomatoes have undergone genetic engineering, a process by which foreign

genes are inserted into the fruit or vegetables.

 

Non-gmo Soy: Super cancer fighter:

 

In preventing cancer, soy seems to be a major player. First, soy foods

of all kinds from organic soybeans and soy milk to tofu and miso can be

an important source of protein, without

the saturated fat of animal products.

Moderator's Note: Here again, be sure to obtain only organically labeled

varieties. The majority of the soyburgers available on your store

shelves do not have the non-gmo label.

 

By cutting down on meat, not only can you reduce your saturated fat

intake, but you can also avoid ingesting the antibiotics, hormones and

other chemicals that most commercially raised livestock are given.

 

Second, organic soy foods are the preeminent source for isoflavones, a

type of " phytoestrogen " .

 

Women who consume large amounts of phytoestrogens

significantly reduce their risk of breast cancer.

Why?

 

Because plant-based estrogens " mimic " human estrogens in the body,

causing it to produce less.

 

Lower estrogen levels are strongly associated with lower incidence of

breast cancer in women.

In men, phytoestrogens may lower

the amount of testosterone the body produces, reducing the risk for

prostate cancer.

 

soy products (along with other beans and seeds) contain " protease

inhibitors " the same type of chemicals being used to lower 'viral load'

in HIV-positive people.

 

Protease inhibitors slow cell division in cancerous cells and block the

spread of tumors.

 

plant sterols, phytochemicals found in soy as well as in other beans,

seeds and nuts, also inhibit " estrogen promotion " and " suppress " the

growth of tumors, particularly breast, colon and prostate tumors.

 

Fiber:

 

Fiber has been linked to decreased risk of breast, colon and pancreatic

cancer.

 

It is not completely clear whether high fiber intake is the

cause or simply indicates that a person eats a healthful diet filled

with cancer-preventing fruits and vegetables.

 

However, researchers hypothesize that " insoluble fiber " speeds waste

through the digestive system, removing carcinogens,

heavy metals and estrogen

before they can be absorbed into the walls of the intestines.

 

Unprocessed beans, organic whole grains, berries and cruciferous

vegetables all contain high amounts of insoluble fiber.

 

A word to the wise--

No single phytochemical can be isolated and turned into the miracle

cancer cure.

 

The best defense against cancer is to eat a wide variety of

organic fruits and vegetables and to adopt a cancer-preventive diet,

such as the ones outlined in any of the books mentioned above.

 

The major side effects?

 

Weight loss, energy gain and reduced risk for heart disease.

 

Eating plant-based foods also shifts the body's acid-alkaline balance.

 

An alkaline environment is the " bio-terrain " in which cancerous cells

are less likely to 'thrive'.

 

Once again, that means upping your intake of fruits and vegetables and

reducing consumption of such acid-forming

foods as red meat, alcohol, refined sugar and refined flour.

 

Your body fights cancer every day.

 

Feed it right, and it will have the weapons and the power to be

successful for the rest of your life.

 

Jonathan Kauffman is a food writer and freelance editor based in the San

Francisco Bay Area.

He has been a restaurant critic for the East Bay Express for the past

three years. Jonathan likes his fruits and vegetables prepared by Chez

Panisse as often as possible.

 

 

 

 

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" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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