Mercola.com has an article that got my attention because it was about a drug that attempts to do the same thing as one of the natural supplements I'm taking. Unfortunately the drug has some serious side effects. Both the drug and my supplement attempt to prevent "angiogenisis". That's the blood vessel formation that allowed my tumor to grow.
The article continues by noting some food items that have a similar effect. Eat lots of these! Here's the link to the entire article. Best part copied below...
"Starving" Cancer, Without Drugs
The cancer drug Avastin works by inhibiting the blood supply to the tumor, a mechanism called anti-angiogenesis. But did you know that certain foods have been found to perform this same function?
Last year I posted a video in which Dr. William Li discusses how eating cancer-fighting foods can beat cancer at its own game, by preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors.
Like all other cells in your body, cancer cells cannot thrive without the oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood in your capillaries (the smallest blood vessels in your body).
"Angiogenesis" is the process your body uses to build these blood vessels. Excessive angiogenesis (too many blood vessels) promote diseases such as cancer.
"Anti-angiogenesis"—which is the basis for about a dozen different cancer drugs, including Avastin—is the opposite process, where blood vessel growth is inhibited and hence cells are starved of nutrients.
The majority of people carry microscopic cancer cell clusters in their bodies, yet not everyone develops cancer. This is because as long as your body has the ability to balance angiogenesis properly, it will prevent blood vessels from forming to feed these microscopic tumors.
Trouble will only arise if, and when, the cancer cells manage to get their own blood supply, at which point they can transform from harmless to deadly.
However, taking a drug to promote anti-angiogenesis (starving the tumor) once you've been diagnosed with cancer is not the solution to our current cancer epidemic.
The real answer is preventing cancer from occurring in the first place, and that's where Dr. Li's research comes into play.
The Cancer-Preventive Diet
As it turns out, Mother Nature has laced a large number of foods, beverages and herbs with naturally occurring inhibitors of angiogenesis, making them potent anti-cancer "treatments."
In fact, Dr. Li claims some foods equal or exceed the potency of anti-angiogenetic drugs! Examples include parsley, garlic, and red grapes.
By making anti-angiogenetic foods a regular part of your diet, you can naturally boost your body's defense system and prevent blood vessels from forming and feeding the microscopic tumors that exist in your body at any given time.
According to Dr. Li, diet accounts for at least 30-35 percent of all environmentally caused cancers. So, "eating to starve cancer" could have a dramatic impact on worldwide cancer rates.
Two of the most potent anti-angionetic foods are:
- Ellagic acid found in strawberries
- Resveratrol from red grapes
According to Dr. Li, resveratrol has been found to inhibit abnormal capillary growth (angiogenesis) by 60 percent!
Other anti-angiogenetic foods include:
| Green tea |
Berries: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries |
Cherries |
| Red grapes |
Kale |
Turmeric |
| Nutmeg |
Artichokes |
Parsley |
| Garlic |
Tomato |
Maitake mushroom |
It's also worth mentioning that we're really talking about whole foods, not individual compounds. Researchers have found that certain combinations of foods with low anti-angiogenetic properties can have greater potency when taken together. This is due to the synergy of the food, where the whole is far greater than its individual parts.
It is in fact this natural synergy that makes fresh, whole foods so potently nutritious! So, don't obsess about individual nutrients. Focus instead on a varied diet of whole, unprocessed and unadulterated foods for optimal health benefits.
