By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
Mega Doctor News—I was listening to the news a few days ago and the topic was pepper and its powerful health benefits. It was interesting to hear that a natural chemical found in hot peppers might be a solution in treating prostate cancer. The chemical is called capsaicin. It puts the kick in jalapeños, habaneros, and other hot peppers.
I went ahead and did some research and found out that it is not just pepper but oregano, garlic, cayenne, and turmeric. According to information obtained by Mega Doctor News, these are considered to be the top cancer fighting spices.
In his personal blog, Chris Wark wrote that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer in 2003, at 26 years of age and he wrote, “I had surgery but refused chemo, instead I used nutrition and natural therapies to heal myself; by the grace of God, I’m alive and kicking, and cancer-free!” he said.
He also said about his treatment that the four cancer-fighting spices have powerful health benefits and are part of his daily regimen to beat cancer without chemo. He went on to say that even though they are common products, unfortunately not commonly found in American cuisine. In addition he said, “So I had to be very deliberate about adding them to my food. I took copious amounts of these four spices and still do today”.
The World Health Organization recommends adults have a daily dose of fresh garlic (approximately one clove). Turmeric contains the powerful cancer-fighting polyphenol Curcumin.
Curcumin has been clinically shown to inhibit growth of various cancer cells including: Bone Cancer, Breast Cancer, Brain Tumors, Colon, Liver, Pancreatic, Stomach, Bladder, Kidney, Prostate, Leukemia, Ovarian, Melanoma, and more! One of its anti-cancer benefits comes from its ability to induce apoptosis (natural cell death) in cancer cells.
Curry Powder, a common ingredient in Indian and Asian cuisine, is typically a mixture of coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper. He pointed out that he love the stuff and wrote, “It’s delicious!”
Oregano has extremely high levels of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. One teaspoon of oregano has the same antioxidant power (ORAC) of two cups of red grapes! It contains the phytochemical Quercetin, which is known to slow cancer growth and also promote apoptosis (there’s that word again). On top of this Oregano is a good source of Vitamin K and Iron.
Garlic is a very powerful anti-cancer spice. Studies all over the world have shown it to lower the risk of developing all types of cancers especially colon, stomach, intestinal, and prostate cancer. It has strong antibacterial properties as well as the ability to block formation and halt activation of cancer-causing substances. It can also enhance DNA repair; slow down cell reproduction and, like Turmeric and Oregano, induce apoptosis.
Cayenne Pepper contains Capsaicin, which is the active compound that sets your lips, tongue, and everything else on fire. Turns out Capsaicin is also the stuff that kills cancer cells, causing… can you guess it? Apoptosis!
He also indicated that Cayenne is also a key ingredient in The Master Cleanse for its detox abilities.
Getting back to pepper which contains Capsaicin — the compound that makes chili peppers spicy — can kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, with no side effects, according to a study published in 2007 by researchers at Nottingham University in the UK. The study, led by Dr. Timothy Bates, found that capsaicin killed laboratory-grown lung and pancreatic cancer cells by attacking tumor cells’ source of energy and triggering cell-suicide.
“This is incredibly exciting and may explain why people living in countries like Mexico and India, who traditionally eat a diet which is very spicy, tend to have lower incidences of many cancers that are prevalent in the Western world,” Bates said.
“We appear to have discovered a fundamental weakness with all cancer cells. Capsaicin specifically targets cancerous cells, leading to the possibility that a drug based on it would kill tumors with few or no side effects for the patient,” Bates said.
In august of 2011, cancer cells were proven to be killed in groundbreaking research by Dr. Tim Bates of the University of Lincoln in the UK.
A common drug used to treat depression was shown to kill human lung cancer cells in vitro. It was possible to see the cells shrinking and dying off.
Even though all of this information makes great news, Mega Doctor News always recommends seeing your family physician that will make the decision to refer you to a specialist. The next step becomes a partnership with your physician to combat the cancer. MDN
