Canadian Pharmacy: Cancer
There’s no simple, straightforward remedy for preventing cancer. Cancer is extremely complicated, and the treatments scientists have developed are also quite complex. But some researchers are starting to recognize the very important role food plays in helping to prevent various types of cancers.
One of those researchers is David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D., author of Anticancer: A New Way of Life (2008). According to Servan-Schreiber, diet is at the core of a healthy anticancer lifestyle. Sugar, white flour, and other refined carbohydrates (all rapidly turned into glucose by the body) can stimulate inflammation and thus, perhaps, cancer cell growth. Based on his research, we have come up with a list of foods that have anticancer potential, listed here from most to least powerful: garlic, leeks, Brussels sprouts, scallions, cabbage, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, kale, spinach, asparagus, green tea, pomegranate, turnips, squash, celery, radishes, eggplant, bok choi, and carrots.
THE PEOPLE’S PHARMACY
Favorite Food #1: Green Tea
Green tea is typically grown and processed in China, where its history dates back more than 3,000 years. Green tea comes from exactly the same plant—a large shrub called Camellia sinensis—as black or oolong tea. The difference is in the way the leaves are treated. With green tea, leaves are steamed immediately before being dried with hot air. This preserves the color and some compounds found in green tea, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). (To produce black tea, the leaves are “fermented” before being dried.)
Research indicates that regular tea consumption may lower the risk of developing Parkin- 1 2 son’s or Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists also are exploring possible cardiovascular benefits.
Researchers in Texas are interested in using green tea to strengthen bones and to prevent osteoporosis.3 But most research seems to focus on green tea’s potential to reduce cancer risks. An exhaustive Cochrane review—a systematic look at medical research Sildenafil Canada results in a collection of databases—covered 1.6 million participants. The evidence indicates that green tea consumption can lessen the likelihood of developing prostate cancer.4 Evidence that it can help protect against other cancers is equivocal, although lung, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers may be less common in green tea drinkers. Appropriate dosage appears to be three to five cups daily, which amounts to approximately 250 milligrams of EGCG and related compounds.
The most sensational claim people make about green tea is that it aids in weight loss. While research is inconclusive, substituting green tea for sugar-sweetened beverages can certainly cut calories for dieters. With centuries of use, drinking green tea seems reasonably safe. Green tea does contain caffeine—but less caffeine than coffee or black tea.
One caveat: Patients under bortezomib treatment for multiple myeloma should avoid green tea. Research indicates that ECCC can block the drug’s effectiveness. People in cancer chemotherapy should check with an oncologist before adding green tea to their regimen.