Vitamin B-17 Rich Cancer Fighting Foods

Vitamin B-17 is known as an anti-cancer Vitamin and is found in many foods, but few that remain on the modern food menu. It's found in the seeds of apricots, peaches and apples and bitter almonds. These seeds are bitter to taste; making it the most likely reason why no one wants to eat them.
While most may think they are poisonous and should be avoided, they are harmless as long as eaten in moderation. For example if you eat the flesh of the fruit along with the seeds you'll be fine. If however you decide to eat a whole cup of apple seeds you could end up with cyanide poisoning.
It's really no different than with any other food. If you eat too many candies you'll end up with an upset stomach. If you eat greasy foods you'll end up with heart disease. Drinking to much alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning.
Here is a list of food high in Vitamin B-17. By eating these foods in moderation, on a daily basis and refraining from other junk food we can live long, healthy lives without having to worry about becoming a victim of cancer.
Beans:
Black beans, Black-eyed peas, Burma, Chickpeas, Fava, Garbanzo, Green pea, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Mung, Rangoon, Scarlet Runner, and Shell.
Berries:
Blackberry, Boysenberry, Chokeberry, Christmas berry, Crabapple (Wild), Cranberry, Currant, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Huckleberry, Loganberry, Mulberry, Quince, Raspberry, and Strawberry.
Grains:
Oat groats, Barley, Brown Rice, Buckwheat groats, Chia, Flax, Millet, Rye, Vetch, and Wheat Berries.
Grasses:
Acacia, Aquatic, Johnson, Milkweed, Sudan, Minus, Wheat Grass, and White Dover.
Leaves:
Alfalfa, Beet tops, Eucalyptus, Spinach, and Watercress.
Nuts:
Bitter Almond, Cashew, and Macadamia.
Seeds:
Apple, Apricot. Buckwheat, Cherry, Chia, Flax, Millet, Nectarine, Peach, Pear, Plum, Prune, Sesame, and Squash.
Sprouts:
Alfalfa, Bamboo, Fava, Garbanzo, Lentil, and Mung.
Tubers:
Cassava, Sweet Potato, and Yams.By Helena Reimer

The 6 Major Health Benefits of Broccoli

It is hard to argue that broccoli is anything but one of the healthiest foods we can eat. It is a member of what is called the cruciferous family of vegetables. This family also includes cauliflower and cabbage. Its cultivation originated in Italy in the 16th century, and is named after the Latin word "brachium" which means branch or arm.
Broccoli is one of the vegetables that are most beneficial to our health because it contains a complete nutrition. It consists of many important chemicals that sustain the body such as anti-inflammatory nutrients, detox-support nutrients, antioxidant nutrients, and anti-cancer nutrients.
Broccoli is usually steamed for 4-5 minutes or eaten raw, and best served with a meat dish. Even though most of us know that broccoli can give us many benefits, few only know of the real potential of having broccoli in our diet. Below are some of the ways broccoli can improve our lives and well being.
1. Cancer Prevention - Broccoli is one of the most powerful vegetables when it comes to lowering the risk of developing various forms of cancer. It contains a chemical called indole-3-carbinol which helps DNA repair in damaged cells and also reduces the growth of cancerous tumors.
Broccoli also contains a substance called glucoraphanin in which the body can process into the anti-cancer compound called sulforaphane which in turn has the ability to kill bacteria within the body.
In a study conducted by the University of Illinois, it has been found that the anti-cancer properties of broccoli can be increased when paired with various spicy foods that contain the enzyme called myrosinase, such as mustard, wasabi and horseradish.

2. Healthy Bones - Broccoli contains large amounts of both Calcium and vitamin K, both of which are essential for healthy bones, and also reduce the risk of osteoporosis which is a disease that makes your bones more likely to fracture.
3. Healthy Heart - As mentioned above, broccoli contains sulforaphane which is also anti-inflammatory, may be able to prevent, or even reverse damaged blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar disorders.
Studies have shown that a carotenoid called lutein, which is found in broccoli, can slow down the rate in which your arteries thicken as you grow older, limiting heart diseases and stroke.
In addition, vitamin B6 and folate (which is also given to women as supplements in an attempt to get pregnant and during pregnancy), are also present in broccoli, have been proven to limit the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
4. Boost Your Immune System - At least four other ingredients in broccoli help with boosting the immune system which are called beta-carotene, selenium, zinc and the well known vitamin C. From all the members of the cruciferous vegetable family, broccoli has the most concentrated source of vitamin C. This means that broccoli not only protects you from catching the common cold, but also helps people who suffer from hay fever.
5. Helps Lose Weight and Keeps Digestive System Healthy - Broccoli is high in fiber which keeps your bowels in good working condition allowing you to have a healthy digestive system. The fiber also maintains your blood sugar levels low and also discourages you from eating since it makes you feel fuller for longer periods of time.
6. Eye Health - Being a very good source of Vitamin A, broccoli can help with your vision. The body needs Vitamin A in order to form vital molecules that help you see in low lighting conditions. Broccoli also contains lutein as mentioned in point 3, and this chemical is also capable of lowering the risk of developing cataracts as you get older.
Given all the benefits of Broccoli mentioned above, you can now see what it is a super food and why it should be included in your diet. It is important that broccoli is not overcooked because it will then lose many of its healthy benefits. You should eat broccoli steam or stir fried (less than 5 min) if you do not want to eat it raw.
Like all foods, if you plan to regularly eat broccoli, it is best to consult your physician with more advanced advice.
By Constantinos K Costa 

The Herbal Cure For Breast Cancer

Although there exists an overwhelming array of modern-day treatment options for breast cancer, such as: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapies, surgery, and clinical trial therapies, etc., there are also a certain amount of alternative and traditional herbal medicine options too.

Herbal medicine has been used to treat people's illnesses for many thousands of years, and as the understanding of modern-day medicine has progressed during the last 100 years or so, so too has that of many of the herbal remedies that are used in traditional medicine (over more or less the same period of time).

This has led to a growing number of people to look to traditional herbal medicine (as an alternative to modern-day medicine) which focuses on two things: the detoxification of the body by ridding it of unwanted elements, and the strengthening of the body's immunity to prevent a relapse after treatment.

Turmeric, the popular Indian curry spice that is used in Ayurvedic medicine (a form of traditional/alternative medicine inherent to the Indian subcontinent) and Chinese medicine, has been used to cure illnesses for the past 4,000 years or so, and which of recent, came into the spotlight as a possible cure for breast cancer.

It is derived from the Curcuma longa (plant) which is a member of the ginger family, and due to its excellent anti-inflammatory properties, has been used to treat both digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and certain types of wounds for many years. However, recent studies have shown that turmeric may also have other abilities too.

Found growing in the tropical regions of South Asia, and in particular India, turmeric's active ingredient curcumin, is believed to contain excellent anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties which may help to neutralize the body's free radicals (particles that damage cells) by helping to prevent the damage they cause.

Curcumin, due to its strong anti-oxidant properties may actually help prevent, or treat, certain types of cancer, such as: breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. Along with helping lower the level of two of the body's enzymes that cause inflammation, and inhibiting the grouping of platelets.

(enzymes are large biological molecules responsible for thousands of metabolic processes that help sustain life, and platelets are cells that do not have a nucleus which when grouped together form blood clots).

Turmeric (curcumin) can be administered as a fluid extract, powder filled capsule, or a tincture, which is an alcohol-based derivative of the fresh herb. And although turmeric is now being used in clinical trials for breast cancer and other cancers alike, it is so, only as an add-on to traditional medicine treatments.

It can be concluded that turmeric does have many cancer fighting properties that are certainly a benefit to most cancer sufferers who use it; however, due to a certain lack of information still as to how much those benefits may actually be, remains unclear. Turmeric, therefore may still be some years away from being the stand-alone cure for breast cancer.By Philip Albert Edmonds-Hunt

Cancer Prevention - Top 10 Ways to Prevent Cancer

Just 2 years ago, an estimated 1.5 million people in the US were diagnosed with cancer. There were over 650,000+ cancer deaths last year, which ranks cancer as the #2 leading cause of death (after heart disease). The number of people diagnosed with cancer continue to rise.

Cancer is caused by changes in genes that control the growth and death of cells, and mutations in certain genes can make cancer more likely to develop. The disease develops when cells continue to grow and divide instead of dying off, as they would normally do. As cancer cells multiply, they can damage nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body and develop into new tumors.

What you put into your body through drinking, eating, your activity level, and other lifestyle behaviors can all affect your risk for cancer. Find out more about these risks and how you can prevent cancer.

Here are the Top 10 Ways To Prevent Cancer:

1. Avoid tobacco products and second-hand smoke - Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US for both men and women. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. Smoking causes damage to nearly every organ in the human body, is linked to 15+ different cancers, and causes 30% of all cancer deaths. Yet 1 in 5 Americans continue to smoke. If you do smoke, take the necessary steps to quit for your health and your loved ones.

2. Your diet can affect your risk for cancer. Eat right, be active, and maintaining a healthy weight are important ways to reduce your risk of cancer (not to mention heart disease and diabetes as well). Eat and exercise your way to better health. What you eat (and exclude from your diet), along with how active you are, can decrease your risk of developing cancer. The best ways to reduce your risk is through simple lifestyle changes like smart cooking, controlling your weight, and adding fruits and veggies to your diet.

3. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight - Obesity increases your chance of developing certain types of cancer: breast, kidney, esophagus, colon/rectum, and pancreas. Make smart food choices, control portion sizes, and fill up on fruits and vegetables to help manage your healthy weight.

4. Exercise - Regular exercise burns calories and can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Pick something that keeps you moving like walking, hiking, biking, swimming, dancing, and team sports. Gradually work up to 30-45 minutes of exercise/day for five+ days per week.

5. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains - they are naturally rich in dietary antioxidants like vitamin C & E, and carotenoids that help to protect your healthy genes from oxidative damage. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber, which can speed the transit of food through the digestive system and may reduce the absorption of cancer-causing chemicals. So eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables may be the best way to ensure broad-spectrum protection. It is generally best to eat fresh rather than salted, cured, or pickled. The less processed the food, the healthier it will be for you.

6. Limit alcohol intake - Excess alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon/rectum. It is recommended that men should limit their intake to no more than 2 drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to no more than 1 drink daily.

7. Practice sun safety and check for changes in your skin - The sun's UV rays cause the vast majority of skin cancers including melanoma, which can be life threatening. The sun's peak time is between 10 am and 3 pm, so limit sunlight exposure during that time. If you are outside for long periods of time, use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15+. Know your skin and be aware of the location, size, and shape of moles and skin spots and report any changes. A sunburn is short lived, but damage to the deep layers of skin remain and can eventually cause cancer. It is important that sun-safe habits should begin in childhood and last a lifetime.

8. Reduce your exposure to potential carcinogens - Many substances in the environment have the potential to put you at higher risk for developing cancer. A carcinogen is a substance known to cause cancer in humans. There are a number of specific known and possible carcinogens such as infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) and air pollution to name a few. When you are on the job, try and minimize your exposure to fumes, dust, solvents, and chemicals.

Try to reduce your everyday exposure to potentially toxic environmental chemicals in the home so...
- Dust and vacuum regularly to rid your home of toxins attracted to dust
- Open windows and use fresh air to freshen and minimize indoor pollution; don't use air-fresheners that have many chemicals and perfume in them
- Filter your drinking water to remove pollutants using reverse osmosis or distilled water
- Switch to green cleaning non-toxic products that are safe but still powerful.

9. Know your family history - There are different kinds of genes that can be involved in cancer, and some can be passed from parents to children. 5-10% of cancers are due to a genetic predisposition to cancer. Family history is a risk factor for common types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate cancer.

For individuals with an average risk of cancer, the following cancer screening guidelines are recommended (but I personally recommend starting many of these earlier than suggested by many books and physicians, it's better to have early detection if possible):
- Breast cancer: Women should begin yearly mammograms at age 40 and conduct regular breast self-exams starting in the 20's.
- Colon and rectal cancer: Men and women should have one or more screening tests including a colonoscopy starting at age 50.
- Cervical cancer: All women should begin cervical cancer screening no later than 21 years of age.
- Prostate cancer: Men should have the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination annually beginning at age 50.

10. Choose your dietary supplements wisely - Dietary supplements play a key role in making up the nutrient shortfalls in your diet, and they provide a means of achieving optimal nutrient levels needed to achieve and maintain the best of health.By T. Rewerts