Cancer Prevention Studies

In the early 1990s, The National Institutes of Health funded one of the biggest studies ever conducted. It was known as the ATBC (Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta
Carotene) Cancer Prevention Study. It tested the theory that vitamin A & Vitamin E supplements would prevent lung cancer in smokers, the highest-risk group for lung cancer.

After following 29,000 male smokers for six years, the stunned researchers found a higher incidence of lung cancer among the men who received supplements than
among those who did not. When the ATBC Cancer Prevention study data was re-analyzed years later for consumption of vegetables, researchers found that eating green leafy vegetables which are high in Lutein / Zeaxanthin reduced lung cancer risk in smokers. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1994.

Spirulina is blue-green algae, rich in antioxidants, which grows naturally in lakes with high pH levels. Immunologists at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center have found that adding Spirulina to cultured immune system cells significantly increases the production of infection fighting cytokines. Their finding is published in the Fall 2000 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Foods.

Chlorophyll is the pigment in plants that makes them green. It is also the focus of studies around the world relating to cancer prevention. Chlorella, is a single cell fresh water algae that gets its name from the high amount of chlorophyll it possesses. It is a whole food & a complete vegetable source of all amino acids. 60% of Chlorella is protein, which is in the form of amino acids. Chlorella contains 18 of 22 known amino acids and is considered a complete protein, meaning that it has the essential 8 amino acids.

A carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state where they can not replicate. (December 13, 2004)

Wheat grass juice is an excellent source of chlorophyll. Wheat grass juice is also high in iron, oxygen, and enzymes and is one of the richest sources of vitamins A, B, and C.

Studies of wheat grass by Dr. Chiu Nan Lai of the University of Texas Cancer Center showed it to be a potent inhibitor of several carcinogens. His studies show that applying low levels of the extract to mutagens (cancerous cells) diminished activity in them by up to 99%.

Sea vegetables, such as Dulse and Kelp, are nature's richest sources of iodine, which as a component of thyroid hormones, is essential to human life. Because these thyroid hormones regulate metabolism in every cell of the body and play a role in virtually all physiological functions, an iodine deficiency can have a devastating impact on your health and well-being. A common sign of thyroid eficiency is an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly called a goiter. Goiters are estimated to affect 200 million people worldwide, and in 96% of these cases, the cause is iodine deficiency.

Barley grass contains an active ingredient called proanthocyanidin - a powerful plant nutrient that works at a cellular level. More recently, researchers from the School of Bioresources, University of Andong in Korea, isolated yet another potent plant chemical in barley grass called Lunasin. Lunasin is renowned for its ability to prevent skin cancer cells from multiplying.

Better still, the Korean scientists discovered that barley grass is a particularly rich source of Lunasin, and when they conducted further laboratory studies they found it was able to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells too. (Jeong HJ, Lam Y, de Lumen BO. J Agric Food Chem 2002, 50(21):5903-5908)

A compound found in citrus peels has the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs according to a new study. The study, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and KGK Synergize, a Canadian nutraceutical company, identified a class of compounds isolated from citrus peels that shows promise as a potent, natural alternative for lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), without the dangerous side effects of drugs. The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry May 2004.

The compounds, called polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), are similar to other plant pigments found in citrus fruits that have been increasingly linked to health benefits, including protection against cancer, heart disease and inflammation. The study is believed to be the first to show that PMFs can lower cholesterol. "Our study has shown that PMFs have the most potent cholesterol-lowering effect of any other citrus flavonoid," says lead investigator Elzbieta Kurowska. "We believe that PMFs have the potential to rival and even beat the cholesterol-lowering effect of some prescription drugs, without the risk of side effects."

After decades of research and billions of dollars spent, the cure for cancer remains elusive at best. Many experts are turning to prevention as a solution and to whole foods as their tools. Jeff Prince is the vice president for education at the American Institute for Cancer Research. In his August 2004 interview with The Washington Post he stated "the thousands of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in whole foods act synergistically together to create a more powerful effect than the sum of their parts, producing a result which cannot be recreated by supplements".

Research reported at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University concluded that "Different plant foods have different phytochemicals, these substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect – this teamwork – that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods".

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