Eat out your cancer
Excerpt from Dr. Max Sawaf’s new book
"Anti-Aging Made Simple"
Of the many diseases that affect people these days, cancer is among the most feared. In 2004 cancer displaced heart
disease as the number one reason for death in the USA. Since President Nixon declared war on cancer fifty years ago,
cancer rates doubled in America. But despite a wealth of scientific data, most people
remain unaware of how they can reduce their risk of developing cancer.
80 percent of all cancers are due to identified factors,
and thus are potentially preventable. Forty percent are due to tobacco use, and as much as forty percent are due to wrong food choices and lack of exercise.
What Is Cancer?
Cancer begins as a single abnormal cell that begins to multiply out of control. Groups of such cells form tumors and invade healthy tissue, often spreading to other parts of the body. Carcinogens are substances that promote the development of cancerous cells. They may come from foods, from the air, or even from within the body. Most carcinogens are neutralized before damage can occur, but sometimes they attack the cell’s genetic material (DNA) and alter it. It takes years for a noticeable tumor to develop. During this time, compounds known as inhibitors can keep the cells from growing. Some vitamins in plant foods are known to be inhibitors. Dietary fat, on the other hand, is known to be an accelerator that helps the abnormal cells grow quickly.
Fibers
Physicians noticed that colon cancer, so common in Europe, is hardly ever found among the African population. They attributed it to the fact that their diet contains large amounts of natural products. Fiber contained in these foods works as sort of a “broom” in our intestines, quickly removing toxins, stopping rotting processes, and preventing harmful bacteria from producing carcinogenic substances. Meat contains no fiber. This is why I advise to start meals with vegetable salads. The main sources of fiber are whole-grain flour, breads, buckwheat, oat, and leafy vegetables.
Fat Raises Cancer Risks
Cross-cultural studies have revealed that the populations with the highest levels of fat consumption are also the ones with the highest death rates from breast and colon cancer. The lowest rates are in groups with the lowest consumption of fats.
Although the total amount of fat one eats is of concern, there is evidence that animal fat is much more harmful than vegetable fat. Eating beef and pork more than 5-6 times per week doubles the breast cancer risk.
How Fat Affects Cancer Risks
Fat has many effects within the body. It increases hormone production and thus raises breast cancer risks. It also stimulates the production of bile acids which have been linked to colon cancer.
The average modern diet is about 37 percent fat. Fat intake should be well below 30 percent to have an anti-cancer affect. Ten to 15 percent is even better.
The Importance of Vegetables
Not only are vegetables low in fat and high in fiber, they also contain many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Beta-carotene, present in dark green and yellow vegetables, helps protect against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, esophagus, breast, and other sites.
Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain flavones which are thought to have anti-cancer activities.
Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and many vegetables, may lower risks for cancers of the esophagus and stomach. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing cancer-causing chemicals that form in the body. It also blocks the conversion of nitrates to cancer-causing nitrosamines in the stomach.
Alcohol
Excessive intake of alcohol raises one’s risks for cancers of the breast, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus. When combined with smoking, these risks skyrocket. It also raises risks for stomach, liver, and colon cancers.
Vegetarians Are Better Off
All the evidence points to a low-fat, high-fiber diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, as being the best for cancer prevention. Not surprisingly, vegetarians, whose diets easily meet these requirements, are at the lowest risk for cancer. Vegetarians have about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters.
Vegetarians have higher blood levels of beta-carotene. They consume more vitamin C, beta-carotene and fiber than meat-eaters. Vegetarians also have stronger immune systems. German researchers recently discovered that vegetarians have more than twice the natural killer cell activity of meat-eaters. Natural killer cells are specialized white blood cells that attack and neutralize cancer cells. Also, vegetarians tend to eat more soy products than meat-eaters. Soybeans contain many substances that are anti-carcinogens. A diet that is rich in soybeans may be one reason for the lower incidence of breast cancer in Asia.
I would also like to mention a few vitamins and minerals that are most important in cancer prevention.
Vitamin A
The main role of vitamin A is programming a number of chemical reactions that protect us from different forms of cancer. Animal liver and liver oil are very rich in vitamin A. It is also found in smaller concentrations in eggs, butter, and other milk products. Carotene, which turns into vitamin A in our body, is contained in carrots, red peppers, parsley, spinach, onion, apricots, tomatoes, pumpkin, and other fruits that are yellowish-red, or orange in color.
Vitamin C
High content of vitamin C prevents nitrates and nitrites from turning into carcinogenic compounds. Vitamin C promotes good absorption of iron in the intestinal tract.
The main sources of vitamin C are fruits, vegetables, berries, and greens. The richest among them are wild rose fruit, black currant, red currant, citrus fruits apples, horseradish, garlic, and onion.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is called “the elixir of youth” because it slows the aging of cells in our body and, at the same time, protects us from harmful products of fat oxidation. When fats are oxidized, toxic compounds are produced and have to be neutralized. If there is a shortage of vitamin E and these substances are not neutralized, they cause rigidity of our nerve tissue, blood vessels, and muscles.
Foods containing the most vitamin E are: calf liver, egg yolk, wheat, oats, rye, corn, peas, parsley, carrot, onion, and garlic.
Mineral salts containing magnesium, calcium and selenium are important in cancer prevention. Beans, peas, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, fruits, and vegetables are rich in magnesium. Calcium is found in large amounts in poppy seeds, beans, carrot, cabbage, and cheese. Peas and beets have selenium.
Conclusion
A cancer prevention diet is one that is high in fiber, low in fat (especially animal fat), and includes generous portions of fruits and vegetables. It also minimizes or excludes alcohol. The best diets are pure vegetarian diets. We should remember that no diet provides full protection against cancer, but the probability of getting the illness can be significantly reduced. A good variety of natural foods in our menu makes it possible for our body to find substances needed for healing.
Moving around and exercising speeds up the passage time of carcinogenic waste in the colon thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. Regular colonoscopy after age 50 can detect a pea size early cancer instead of waiting till you see blood in your stools when the cancer is the size of an orange and has spread to your liver. Colonoscopies take fifteen minutes and are done with mild sedation and without pain.
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