By Sayer Ji
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
A new scientific review has identified 25 of the top foods and herbs which kill cancer stem cells at the root cause of cancer malignancy.
There are thousands of natural compounds that have been studied with demonstrable anti-cancer activity (check out over 600 on GreenMedInfo’s cancer research database), but only a small subset of these have been proven to target and kill the cancer stem cells which lie at the root of cancer malignancy. Turmeric, for instance, we have featured a number of times for its “smart kill” property of targeting just the heart of cancerous tumors. More recently, ginger has been found in pre-clinical research to contain a compound up to 10,000 times more effective than the chemotherapy drug Taxol at killing breast cancer stem cells. Even common foods like blueberry have special cancer killing properties, as discussed in a previous article for GreenMedInfo: Research: Radiotherapy Causes Cancer, Blueberry Kills It.
A new study published in the journal Anticancer Research, titled “Natural Products That Target Cancer Stem Cells“, has made our job much easier of identifying this special category of cancer killers by reviewing the extant literature on the topic and listing the top 25 substances in this category. They are listed here below, along with some of their commonly recognizable dietary sources.
25 Cancer Stem Cell Killing Foods
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – Green Tea
6-Gingerol – Ginger
?-Carotene – Carrot, Leafy Greens
Baicalein – Chinese Skullcap
Curcumin – Turmeric
Cyclopamine – Corn Lilly [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]
Delphinidin – Blueberry, raspberrry
Flavonoids (Genistein) – Soy, red clover, coffee
Gossypol – Cottonseed [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]
Guggulsterone – Commiphora (myrrh tree)
Isothiocyanates – Cruciferous vegetables
Linalool – Mint
Lycopene – Grapefruit, tomato
Parthenolide – Feverfew
Perylill alcohol – Mint, cherry, lavender
Piperine – Black pepper
Placycodon saponin – Playycodon grandifloruim
Psoralidin – Psoralea corylilyfolia
Quercetin – Capers, onion
Resveratrol – Grapes, plums, berries
Salinomycin – Streptomyces albus
Silibinin – Milk Thistle
Ursolic acid – Thyme, basil, oregano
Vitamin D3 – Fish, egg yolk, beef, cod liver oil
Withaferin A – Withania somnifera (ashwaganda)
Why are these substances so important?
The primary reason why conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy have failed to produce any significant improvements in cancer survival rates is because cancer stem cells are resistant to these interventions. In fact, chemotherapy and especially radiation are both capable of increasing the number and virulence of these cells in a tumor, while at the same time having the well known side effect of further damaging the patient’s immune system.
While the cancer industry is still very much resistant to incorporating the implications of these findings into their standard of care (which is highly unethical), there are an increasing number of health practitioners that will not turn their back on the truth and are very much interested in alternative ways to prevent and treat cancer using food and/or plant-based approaches.
The new study addresses the relevance of cancer stem cells as follows:
The cancer stem cell model suggests that tumor initiation is governed by a small subset of distinct cells with stem-like character termed cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs possess properties of self-renewal and intrinsic survival mechanisms that contribute to resistance of tumors to most chemotherapeutic drugs. The failure to eradicate CSCs during the course of therapy is postulated to be the driving force for tumor recurrence and metastasis. Recent studies have focused on understanding the unique phenotypic properties of CSCs from various tumor types, as well as the signaling pathways that underlie self-renewal and drug resistance.”
At present, the cancer industry has failed to produce a single drug that targets the cancer stem cell population of cells within a tumor, as confirmed by the study:
If indeed the CSC response is a vital criterion for cancer treatment evaluation, there are still no drugs in clinical use that specifically target CSCs.
The ability to selectively target cancer cells, and cancer stem cells in particular, while leaving intact the non-tumor cells in tissue is extremely important. We have created a section on the GreenMedInfo database that indexes research on these substances and now includes 67 of them here. We are also building a section that collates research cancer stem cells, a topic will no doubt become a central part of the future of cancer treatment, assuming the priority is to actually alleviate suffering and not just make money off of patients.
Recommended articles by Sayer Ji:
Better Than Chemo: Turmeric Kills Cancer Not Patients
Mammography Is Harmful and Should Be Abandoned, Scientific Review Concludes
Cinnamon May Be Superior to Ibuprofen for Menstrual Pain, Study Reveals
“Killer Germs” Obliterated by Medicinal Smoke Smudging, Study Reveals
Coconut Water: A New Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment?
Turmeric’s ‘Smart Kill’ Properties Put Chemo & Radiation To Shame
6 Evidence-Based Ways Drumming Heals Body, Mind and Soul
Tylenol Kills Emotions As Well As Pain, Study Reveals
Research: Plants Cure Cancer, Not Chemicals
Beet Juice Boosts Cognitive Function In One Dose
13 Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil
About the author:
Sayer-JiSayer Ji is an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO-Free Coalition (GGFC), advisory board member of the National Health Federation, and the founder of GreenMedInfo.com – an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. His writings have been published and referenced widely in print and online, including Truthout, Mercola.com, The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity, New York Times and The Well Being Journal.
In 1995 Sayer received a BA degree in Philosophy from Rutgers University, where he studied under the American philosopher Dr. Bruce W. Wilshire, with a focus on the philosophy of science. In 1996, following residency at the Zen Mountain Monastery in upstate New York, he embarked on a 5 year journey of service as a counsellor-teacher and wilderness therapy specialist for various organizations that serve underprivileged and/or adjudicated populations. Since 2003, Sayer has served as a patient advocate and an educator and consultant for the natural health and wellness field.
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Celebrity
Amanda Holden lies naked on a bed of cabbages for Peta
SNAPPA Celebrity
SNAPPA Celebrity
May 26, 2016
Amanda Holden has ditched her clothes to extol the virtues of ditching meat from your diet.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 45, lies naked on a bed of green cabbages with just the words “Go Veggie: Your body will love you for it” to cover her modesty.
The un-retouched Peta campaign points out that vegetarians are, on average, slimmer than carnivores and have lower rates of heart disease and cancer.
Amanda said: “My vegetarian lifestyle keeps my body trim, gives me loads of energy and makes me feel happy. So when Peta suggested not retouching this image, I said, “Why not?” – the image is as natural as my lifestyle.”
“I have been a vegetarian since I was 13. For me, there are many benefits. My skin’s always good. I never feel bloated. The best thing you can do for animals is to just leave them off your plate.”
The campaign also hopes to raise awareness that going vegetarian will reduce your carbon footprint and spare potential animal suffering on factory farms, in abattoirs and on fishing boats.
Amanda joins the ranks of Sir Paul McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Pamela Anderson, John Bishop and Lucy Watson who have all teamed up with Peta to promote meat-free meals.
#celebrity
The Thinsulin Diet claims that avoiding “insulin-spiking” foods like potatoes, corn and carrots can help you lose weight.
We all know how important leafy greens are to our diet. They’re said to be good for digestion and may prevent certain types of cancer.
Leafy produce—including fruit and vegetables that come from plants with lush, green leaves—could also help you burn fat, according to two doctors.
Charles T. Nguyen, medical director of the Lorphen Medical Weight Loss Clinic, and bariatric internist Tu Song Anh Nguyen, medical director of N.N. Medical, which provides medical management of weight loss with an emphasis on behavior modification, are co-authors, along with writer Mary Ann Marshall, of The Thinsulin Program: The Breakthrough Solution To Help You Lose Weight And Stay Thin.
The two claim that greener the leaf, the more powerful it will be in helping to lower insulin levels. They say that high insulin levels cause your body to store fat, while low insulin levels cause it to burn fat.
Their top-pick veggies for weight loss include asparagus, bok choy, spinach, kale, arugula, rhubarb and watercress. The Nguyens maintain that fruits to stock up on, meanwhile, include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries and grapes.
The doctors also urge people to avoid “insulin-spiking” potatoes, corn, carrots and beets. Meanwhile, they say that meat is a good choice for keeping insulin levels low and helping to burn fat.
Two registered dietitians north of the border, however, don’t buy the authors’ claims.
Desiree Nielsen, author of Un-Junk Your Diet and co-chair of Dietitians of Canada’s Integrative and Functional Nutrition Network, says the Thinsulin program appears to be little more than a low-carb diet.
“A low carbohydrate diet can work for weight loss, but it isn’t a sustainable or healthful solution for the long term, and as soon as you quit, the weight will come back,” Nielsen says.
ALSO SEE: Ask a dietitian: What’s with all the hyper over coconut oil?
Insulin isn’t responsible for weight gain, she says. Rather, it is responsible for ensuring that the energy from the food you consume is properly utilized by your cells.
“It is true that when blood sugars rise rapidly due to eating hyper-processed carbohydrate foods like pastries and soda, the pancreas will respond with a large spike of insulin to get blood sugars under control,” she says. ”So choosing whole foods with a lower glycemic index or load helps to regulate appetite by keeping blood sugars stable.
“Care has to be taken with interpreting the glycemic index of foods, as we rarely eat foods in isolation,” she adds. “And [a combination of] protein, fat and fibre within the same meal augments the rise of blood sugar.”
Nielsen notes, too, that no single food will burn fat or promote weight loss.
“Creating meals with an adequate balance of colourful high-fibre veggies, moderate amounts of intact whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats will support a healthy weight,” she says.
Jessica Carter, contact dietitian at Dani Health and Nutrition Services, with offices in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C., describes the Thinsulin program as “another fad diet that backhandedly demonizes carbohydrates.”
She points out that not all carbs are created equal. The “bad” ones are generally thought of as refined or processed carbs, such as white bread, donuts, cookies, as well as added sugars, like glucose-fructose or high-fructose corn syrup.
“When eaten solo, these kind of foods can spike blood sugars and crash them only a short time later—not so good for the body to keep your energy level and your brain functioning at an even keel,” Carter says.
The “good’ carbs, on the other hand, are considered to be those that have other stuff going on in them. Take beans, which contain carbs as well as protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Root vegetables like beets and carrots contain unrefined carbohydrate as well as vitamins A and C, potassium, fibre and other nutrients.
ALSO SEE: Science says it’s OK to cheat on your diet
“Whole grains—yes, even the demonized wheat–have fibre, selenium, manganese, iron, magnesium, niacin, in varying degrees from grain to grain,” Carter says. “Fruit have unrefined carbohydrates, including fibre. When we eat these whole, they have a laundry list of benefits much like vegetables.”
Read More “Whole grains—yes, even the demonized wheat–have fibre, selenium, manganese, iron, magnesium, niacin, in varying degrees from grain to grain,” Carter says. “Fruit have unrefined carbohydrates, including fibre. When we eat these whole, they have a laundry list of benefits much like vegetables.”
Carter says carb-containing foods do increase blood sugars, because we need them to fuel our body and mind processes. Blood-sugar peaks from refined sources of carbohydrates that result in insulin spikes may happen when we go without eating for a long time then eat in excess in one sitting or when we eat excess amounts of carbs, especially the refined kind.
What to do?
“Combine the carbohydrate your body needs with a protein and some healthy fats too to keep blood sugars within their optimal range,” she says, citing examples like tuna on toast, peanut butter and banana, nuts and fruit, avocado on whole grain crackers and Greek yogurt with fruit.
“Yes we should eat our dark leafy greens,” she adds, “but not for the reasons stated by the Thinsulin team. The Atkins, South Beach Diet, Dr. Bernstein, and now the cleverly branded Thinsulin Program blame carbohydrates for weight gain and hence restricts them.
“Do some people lose weight due to the state of ketosis that results? Sure. Is it effective in keeping weight off for good? Stats say no. The weight will likely come back, and then some.”
What do you think about the Thinsulin diet? Let us know by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.
