CANCER FIGHTING FOODS

COLUMN BY MARK W. EARNHART, D. C.

CANCER FIGHTING FOODS

posted 06/29/09
Research has shown that people who eat lot's of cruciferous vegetables have a lower occurrence of many cancers. Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, turnips, arugula and others. These vegetables contain specific two specific compounds that help the body detoxify cancer causing agents. These compounds are indole-3- carbinol and sulforaphane. Indole-3-carbinol has other impressive anti-cancer effects that should be recognized.

Something to know is your body makes cancer cells every day. This happens as new cells replace old cells. Under normal conditions, the body takes steps that encourage the cancer cells to die.

How? Some of the genes in our DNA act as sensors, which are triggered when a cell is becoming cancerous, infected by a virus or bacteria, or damaged from physical trauma. Once the sensors identify a problem, the sensor gene instruct other genes to make specific proteins that ultimately rip apart the energy factory of the cell and destroys the genetic material of the cell so it cannot reproduce. This leads to the death of the cell.

However, some emerging cancer cells become very intelligent and, in their desire to survive and multiply, they produce other chemicals to prevent their death.

Through very specific mechanisms, indole-3-carbinol may disrupt the cancer cell's attempt to bypass programmed cell death. Studies show that indole-3-carbinol and the metabolites it creates not only stop the growth of certain types of cancer cells, but also triggers them into committing suicide. This is an important mechanism by which idole-3-carbinol is thought to lower our risk of cancer.

Research also suggests that supplementation with indole-3-carbinol helps reverse cervical dysplasia and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (tumor), two pre-cancerous conditions that occur in women, in a high percentage of cases. Another study showed that indole-3-carbinol also helped reverse respiratory papillomas as well.

In addition, indole-3-carbinol has been shown to help prevent the buildup of the form of estrogen that is linked to breast and uterine cancers. Researchers have identified that when a woman's body makes more of one form of estrogen (16-OH estrone) and less of another form (2-OH estrone), her risk of reproductive organ cancer is greater. Indole-3-carbinol promotes the conversion of estrone to 2-OH estrone which is the safe form. It also has been shown to reduce prostate cancer as well.

So, eat your cruciferous vegetables. Now I know some of you are groaning, saying you just don't like vegetables and no matter how good they are for you, you just aren't going to do it. Get over it and eat your kale! However, if you really can't or won't, NUTRIWEST, the supplements we use in our office makes three products that are high in cruciferous vegetables. In fact, they use sprouted vegetables that are 50-100 more times potent than the fully grown veggie. So if you can't get you cabbage down, come in and we will help you get on track with something that will help you.

Now, understand, cruciferous vegetables are not the only thing you need to do to stay healthier, but at least it is a start.

Any questions? Please call us at 360-378-5660 or go to our website at sanjuanholistichealthcare.com Yours in Health,
Mark W. Earnhart, D.C.

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