Cancer Prevention

Today’s podcast is on cancer prevention. Sadly, cancer is one of the more common subjects that comes up for our wellness co-host Fon. On today’s show we will discuss some of the ways you can go about preventing it. The calls we have gotten this week are from people with family histories of cancer. We’ll hear from Cathy who has a family history of breast cancer as well as Ed in Philadelphia who grew up in a house with second hand smoke, we’ll also take a call regarding symptoms of prostate cancer.

We will discuss the kinds of foods, herbs and vitamins you can take to increase your red and white blood cell counts and also go over some pretty amazing mushrooms that have been associated with cancer prevention.

If you have questions regarding herbal nutrition or are looking for a natural solution to something that ales you, please give us a call at 512 853 9005 and we will try our best to answer your question.

This show is sponsored by Dr. Vim's Herbal Nutrition. Dr. Vim's herbal formulas are designed for men and women to mental focus, physical energy and stress reduction. They use only filler free high potency botanical extracts. ensuring that every batch delivers a full dose of the most powerful phytonutrients on the planet.  

 

SHOW NOTES:

 

Facts and Statistics on Cancer for Men and Women:

 

1 in 2 people in the USA will get cancer at some point in

    their life.

Most Common Cancers Among Women

Breast cancer

Lung cancer

Colorectal cancer

Leading Causes of Cancer Death Among Women

Lung cancer

Breast cancer

Colorectal cancer

Most Common Cancers Among Men

Prostate cancer

Lung cancer

Colorectal cancer

Leading Causes of Cancer Death Among Men

Lung cancer

Prostate cancer 

Colorectal cancer

Liver cancer

 

Foods to Avoid:

GMO's

Hydrogenated Oils 

Microwave Popcorn

Processed Meats

Diet Foods with Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial Flavors and Colors

Refined Sugar

Refined White Flour

Farm Raised Fish

Foods Sprayed with Glyphosate or other Pesticides and

    Fungicide.

 

Lifestyle Habits:

Maintain Alkalinity 

Antioxidant intake 

Reduce systemic inflammation

Detoxification

Limit exposure to environmental toxins

Sunlight and Exercise 

Reduce stress 

Get Sleep

 

Eating Habits - The American Diet is full of unhealthy fats, refined sugars, bleached flour, artificial ingredients and colors, farmed fish, and toxic sources of meat.  Focus on getting a diet full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

 

Leafy Green Vegetables - Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes, yet very low in calories, fats, sodium and other toxins. 

Cruciferous Vegetables - Source of vitamins C and K, the powerful antioxidant Glutathione, and estrogen metabolizing compounds DIM, Calcium D Glucarate, and Indole-3 Carbinol.  

Berries - The antioxidant content of most berries are very high, making them some of the most powerful foods in the world.  Berries are known to be a great source of proanthocyanidin antioxidants, which help to decrease free radical damage. 

Brightly Orange-Colored Fruits and Veggies - an excellent source of vitamin A, fiber, and carotenoid antioxidants. 

Healthy Fats - Most of the fats found in the American diet are toxic and cause damage to our cells.  However, 60 percent of our brain and nervous system are made up of fatty acids. Omega 3's support inflammation response, mood, and focus, and help us maintain a healthy heart and help to protect our cells. Examples of healthy fats:

Hemp Oil

Chia Oil

Flax Oil

Algae Oil

Fish oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Nuts and Seeds - Chia seeds, hemp Seeds, and flax seeds are and excellent fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and a range of important minerals. Hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds contain healthy fats Magnesium and Zinc.  Brazil nuts are the best source of selenium. Sprouted nuts have the widest range of benefits.

Fresh Herbs and Spices -Try to incorporate organically grown, immune boosting spices like turmeric, ginger, oregano, and garlic into your recipes and vegetable juices.

Fermented Foods - Cultured foods are a great source of probiotics.  Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that help digest food, get nutrients into the system, and boost immune function. A healthy gut is imperative to staying healthy.  It is believed that up to 80% of the immune system is in the gut!

Medicinal Mushrooms - Potent immune-enhancers that have been used to fight cancer for centuries. Reishi, cordyceps and maitake in particular can improve immune function and cell regeneration.

Green Tea - Not only is it a great pick me up, green tea is an excellent source of cancer fighting antioxidants that are several times more potent than Vitamins C and E called polyphenols.

Garlic - We mention Garlic under spices, but keep in mind that it’s known to boosts white blood cell count.

 

Important Health Factors:

Healthy Blood Cells

Red Blood Cells and Oxygenation - 

We have to have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Warburg won the nobel prize in 1931 after figuring out

that once a cell has less that 60% of the oxygen it needs cancer occurs.

Important because cancer cells are Anaerobic and proliferate through burning glucose.

Healthy cells are Aerobic and thrive with sufficient oxygen

Best way to build red blood cells is by consuming chlorophyll - it's the closest thing to hemoglobin in the plant world.

co-factors that help build red blood cells

Vitamin B6 

Vitamin B9

Vitamin B12

Vitamin A 

Iron

Copper

CoEnzymeQ10 - nutrient vital for the production of energy in the mitochondria. Powerful antioxidant that is also used in the mitochondria to transport oxygen. CoQ10 must be there for your cells to produce energy using oxygen because it transports oxygen to where it needs to be.

White Blood Cells - cells are produced in the bone marrow, and typically work as part of the immune system to fight off bacterial and viral infections.

We have to have white blood cells to fight off invaders and to combat cancer cells.

Vitamin D3 

Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are linked to poor immune functioning, which may translate to low white blood cell counts.

Clinical research shows that vitamin D can help prevent cancer best when you acquire about 50–70 nanograms per milliliter daily.

Get 20 minutes of sun exposure every day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with 40 percent of your entire body exposed to the sun or take an oral supplement containing around 5,000 to 10,000 IUs of D3 every day. 

Zinc 

Linked with the production of white blood cells

According to The American Cancer Society, studies have shown that zinc levels in blood and inside white blood cells are often lower in patients with certain types of cancer.

Selenium

The University of Maryland Medical Center states that selenium can help build up white blood cells and move them around. Some studies also indicate that selenium may help prevent some infections. Another study indicated that when the elderly takes both zinc and selenium supplements, their immune systems responded better to the flu vaccine than those who took placebo.

Vitamin B9 (Folate)

The body needs folate to make white blood cells.  A deficiency of folate can also lead to anemia, which is a low level of red blood cells. 

Vitamin C

an immune enhancer that helps white blood cells perform at their peak and quickens the immune system's response.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Help combat inflammation and helps make white blood cells.

 

Adaptogens boost Immune Function and modulate white blood cell count.

 

Astragalus Root

Helps boost white blood cells

University of Texas found that Astragalus Root enhanced the immune system’s ability to identify bacteria, viruses, and even cancer cells.

 

Cat's Claw

Modulates the white blood cell count - if the white blood cell count is too low, it will increase it, and if it’s too high, it will decrease it.

According to herbalist Maya Cointreau, "cat’s claw increased the ability of white blood cells to find and eradicate foreign micro-organisms. It also increases the body’s production of T-cells, helping to fight infection more effectively.” 

Reishi Mushroom

Source of polysaccharides that have been shown to better activate Natural Killer cells reducing cancer metastasis. Natural Killer cells are lymphocytes that seek out tumors.

Reishi also has been shown to assist in slowing the growth of tumors as well as prompting programmed cell death in malignant cells. 

Maitake Mushroom

Stimulates Natural Killer cell activity in cancer patients.

Believed to suppress tumor growth and to trigger malignant cell death through its specific immune-enhancing methods.

 

Agaricus Blazei Murill

Activates macrophage and interferon immune activity leading to tumor shrinkage and stopping metastasis.

Reduces chance of future cancer occurrences. 

Also shown to decrease the side effects of chemotherapy or certain types of cancers.

 

Turkey Tail

Studies show that it increases Natural Killer cell activity towards tumor detection and eradication.

Soursop (Graviola) - 

Found to be stronger at killing cancer cells than chemotherapy. 

Studies show compounds found in Soursop kill cancer cells, but do not harm healthy cells.

Nutrients that Support Breast Health 

Zinc

Selenium

Omega 3's

Vitamin D3

Vitamin A

Vitamin E

B6, B9, B12

 

Estrogen Metabolizing Nutrients

DIM (diindolylmethane) – Found in all cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale. DIM forces estrogen to break down into a non-cancer promoting type of estrogen in the liver

Calcium D-glucarate -Also found naturally in cruciferous vegetables, as well as fruits, such as apples, oranges, and grapefruit.  It aids the liver in the production of glucuronic acid, which binds to "bad" estrogens and deactivates them.

Indole-3 Carbinol - Also found in cruciferous vegetables, Indole Carbinol has been found to benefit estrogen metabolism. Remember that it's the "bad" estrogen that is cancer promoting. 

Aromatase Inhibitors - Antioxidants that block aromatase, an enzyme that helps to create estrogen. There's a type of bad estrogen is believed to fuel breast cancer cell growth. Examples: 

Grape seed extract

Chrysin - biofavaniod compound found in propolis, honey, and passionflower.

Parsley

Cruciferous Vegetables 

 Nutrients that Support Prostate Health:

Zinc

Selenium

Omega 3's

Vitamin D3

Vitamin A

Vitamin E

B6, B9, B12

 

Herbs that Support Prostate Health:

Saw Palmetto -This herb has shown to reduce prostate inflammation and enlargement

CBD oil (Cannabadiol) - cannabinoids have been found to inhibit the growth of this ID-1 gene and to return cancerous cells back to healthy cells.

Prostate cancer patients have high levels of the ID-1 gene.

Lycopene - An antioxidant found to prevent and even reverse prostate cancer as well as prostate enlargement. This is the red pigment contained in foods such as tomatoes and watermelon.

Stinging Nettle Root - Studies have shown it to reduce the symptoms associated with prostatitis.

 

Nutrients that Support Lung Health:

Zinc

Selenium

Omega 3's

Vitamin D3

Vitamin A 

Vitamin E

B6, B9, B12

 

Herbs that Support Lung Health:

See list of Medicinal Mushrooms above

See Astragalus Root above