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When the mitochondria in a cell fail, that cell will become cancerous.
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comorbidities resulting from cancer treatments are also increasingly alarming. A March 2016 article in the journal Oncology found that survivors of young adult cancers have more than twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease than people without a cancer history.6 A 2006 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), study found that chemotherapy causes changes to the brain’s metabolism and blood flow that can linger at least ten years after treatment (a phenomenon many refer to as “chemo brain”). If cancer patients can survive conventional oncology’s antiquated and largely ineffective treatments, they are far more likely to die earlier and with a lower quality of life.
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Leading cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation are, in fact, carcinogenic, meaning they actually cause cancer. Indeed, several cancer drugs including tamoxifen, used to treat breast cancer, are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 1 carcinogens—meaning carcinogenic in humans. So is radiation.
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The Ten Hallmarks of Cancer 1. Sustained proliferation: Cancer cells multiply out of control by creating proteins that encourage their explosive growth. 2. Insensitivity to antigrowth signals: Cancer cells disarm the processes the body uses to put the brakes on unwanted cell division. 3. Evasion of apoptosis (also known as cell suicide): Normal cells self-destruct when they detect an error (mutation) that cannot be repaired, but cancer cells thrive despite these errors. 4. Limitless replicative potential: Normal cells die after a certain number of divisions. Conversely, cancer cells are immortal. 5. Sustained angiogenesis (development of blood supply): Cancer cells are able to orchestrate the creation of new blood vessels to supply them with the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow. 6. Ability to metastasize: Cancer cells can spread to other sites in the body where space, oxygen, and nutrients are more plentiful. 7. Reprogramming of energy metabolism (known as the Warburg effect): Cancer cells alter their method of energy production and increase their metabolic rate in order to sustain rapid growth. 8. Avoidance of immune destruction: Cancer cells suppress the function of key immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, while also evading immune surveillance systems. 9. Tumor-promoting inflammation: Tumors activate an inflammatory response that can increase their access to growth factors and blood supply. 10. Genome instability and mutation: Almost all cancer cells have defects in their ability to repair DNA, allowing the reproduction of mutated cells.
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Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against Nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear. —HIPPOCRATES Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. —HIPPOCRATES
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In 2015 cancer specialist Dr. Keith Block, along with an international task force of 180 scientists, published a capstone paper titled “Designing a Broad-Spectrum Integrative Approach for Cancer Prevention and Treatment.” The article identified dozens of nontoxic phytonutrients that affect the ten hallmarks of cancer and the pathways known to be significant for the genesis and spread of cancer.2
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The Terrain Ten™ 1. Genetic, epigenetic, and nutrigenomic modifications 2. Blood sugar balance 3. Toxic burden management 4. Repopulating and balancing the microbiome 5. Immune system maximization 6. Modulating inflammation and oxidative stress 7. Enhancing blood circulation while inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis 8. Establishing hormone balance 9. Recalibrating stress levels and biorhythms 10. Enhancing mental and emotional well-being
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But the most important finding is that fatty acids (dietary fats) cannot be fermented by cancer cells, which makes a ketogenic diet the most powerful dietary approach to cancer identified to date.
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Ten Questions to Ask Your Oncologist Do not be afraid to ask questions. Remember, you are paying your doctor, so they work for you. Consider yourself the CEO of your cancer care process, and your caregivers are your board of directors. Here are ten sample questions to ask when interviewing a doctor for the position of caring for your life: 1. What will you be doing to treat my cancer stem cells, since chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery do not target these and can, in fact, stimulate their proliferation? 2. How do you plan to prevent further DNA or mitochondrial damage to my healthy cells? 3. What are your expectations of and rationale for this particular treatment? 4. What is your overall expectation for this course of treatment: A cure? Palliation (meaning improving quality of life)? 5. What are the possible risks and how will the medical team address possible adverse consequences? 6. Are there treatments you cannot provide? What would you consider doing if you had my disease? 7. What would my course of disease progression be if I choose to do nothing you recommend? (What would my survival time be, for example?) 8. Are you open to integrative therapies and willing to work with my integrative oncology experts? 9. What experience and training do you have with integrative oncology, nutrition, or integrative medicine in general? 10. Are you available and willing to communicate with my entire team and be supportive of my personal choices?
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root causes of cancer are, in fact, modifiable by epigenetic factors.1 Indeed, it is well established that genetics is the cause of only 5–10 percent of cancers and most of these genes encode proteins that impact mitochondrial respiration. It is mitochondrial damage that causes cancer, not the genes. If the inherited cancer gene does not damage mitochondria, cancer will not occur.2
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dark leafy greens can affect gene expression through epigenetic modification processes such as methylation (a process discussed later in this chapter). And
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There are two types of genetic mutations: Germline, or hereditary, mutations are inherited from a parent and are present throughout a person’s life in every cell in the body. Somatic mutations are alterations in DNA that occur after birth. Somatic mutations can, but don’t always, cause cancer. They result from numerous factors, including diet, lifestyle (stress, sleep, exercise), exposure to carcinogens such as cigarette smoke or pesticides, viruses, nutrient deficiencies, mistakes made during DNA replication or cell division, and more. Every time a cell divides its genes have a certain chance of mutating, so cells that divide more frequently—or are exposed to more mutation-causing toxins—have a greater chance of acquiring mutations.
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system of checks and balances to repair DNA mutations as they occur. This system, called genome surveillance, also acts to silence oncogenes. Nearly all cancer cells have defects in their genome surveillance system.
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An estimated 50 percent of the population has inherited one copy of the infamous MTHFR SNP, which codes for the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Similar to the BRCA gene, research suggests that an MTHFR gene mutation increases the risk of breast, colon, and other cancers and should be given equal emphasis to BRCA mutations during evaluation and treatment.5 Individuals with MTHFR mutations can have a 40–70 percent reduction of normal MTHFR enzyme activity. This slows down methylation processes and the body’s ability to create antioxidants, and impedes detoxification.
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DNA methylation is one of several critically important epigenetic processes the body uses to mark or tag genes. These epigenetic markers direct a cell’s transcription machinery to either read a gene or not—to make the recipe or skip it. DNA methylation is when a structure called a methyl group, a unit composed of a single atom of carbon and three hydrogen atoms, binds to a stretch of DNA and either activates it or silences it—kind of like putting a sticker over its mouth.
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In this way methylation helps regulate the normal behavior of DNA; without methylation, the transcription of genes would occur without restraint. The process of methylation also impacts immune, neurological, and detoxification systems. From
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Reduced levels of DNA methylation, called hypomethylation, can result in DNA instability, while the overexpression of genes, or hypermethylation, has been associated with the silencing of valuable tumor-suppressor genes.7
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When foods containing folate (also called folic acid, or vitamin B9) are consumed, the MTHFR enzyme converts the vitamin into an active, bioavailable form called methylfolate. Methylfolate has a complicated role in the DNA methylation process, but in short it is an important source of the carbon molecules needed for the creation of methyl groups, the mouth-covering stickers.
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When dietary consumption of folate is low or a person has an MTHFR mutation, the methylation process can be reduced by 40–70 percent. This hypomethylation in effect gives oncogenes the green light, which can result in the development of cancer. Fortunately, there are nutritional solutions for overcoming a MTHFR SNP and enhancing methylation: increasing consumption of folate-rich foods.
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Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin, B9, and is essential for numerous genetic processes—as well as for metabolism and the production of red blood cells.
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Folate is necessary for the formation of the DNA bases adenine and guanine. It is also required for DNA synthesis, cell formation, and regeneration.
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Humans are not capable of synthesizing folate in the body, which means we rely on sufficient levels of it coming from our diet.
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certain MTHFR gene mutation cannot metabolize folic acid. What’s more, an elevated folic acid level has the potential to stimulate pre-existing cancer cells. In general, synthetic forms of vitamins should always be avoided.
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Folate has also recently gained attention for its ability to help keep blood levels of homocysteine in check.
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An estimated 20 percent of the population has a dietary deficiency of folate. Couple that with the 50 percent of people who have an MTHFR mutation and we can see why the Christmas lights of our genome are short-circuiting, oncogenes are running free, and cancer is rampant. So how has Western medicine been approaching genomic health? With lots of research and few results. Let’s take a quick look.
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Studies have also found that high glucose levels induce DNA damage and interfere with DNA repair capability.17 Similarly, a study published in 2011 in the journal Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets titled “Refined Fructose and Cancer” demonstrated that the more fructose a person consumes, the greater the amount of damage done to DNA. Studies on a particular protein known as GLUT (and its relationship to glucose and fructose metabolism) show that it alters both germline and somatic DNA as well as inducing epigenetic changes and damaging mitochondria.18
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To mention only a few: • Macronutrients and micronutrients in the diet change the activity of enzymes that add methyl groups to DNA. • Certain phytonutrients, such as green tea, have the ability to repair DNA. • Molecules in food affect the kind and number of molecules attached to DNA. • Common dietary chemicals act on the human genome either directly or indirectly and can alter gene expression or structure via several different mechanisms. (For example, intake of the element selenium is considered the major epigenetic switch regulating BRCA mutations.19) • Some diet-regulated genes play a role in the onset, incidence, progression, and/or severity of cancer.
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consumption of GM foods decreases DNA methylation—and we have seen how that can allow cancerous genes to run wild.
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Studies have shown that the adjuvants in Roundup exert their toxic effects through interfering with mitochondrial respiration.26 Elimination of GM foods is a critical step
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To assess your genetic SNPs some testing options include http://www.23andme.com, and/or Genova Diagnostics, for a few hundred dollars or less. (Just make sure to always have genetic information interpreted by someone versed in SNP analysis, as there is a lot to it!)
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Getting and analyzing this data is a three-step process. Genova Diagnostics and 23andme are the tests that will give you the raw data. This data needs to then be run through companies such as StrateGene, Genetic Genie, and MTHFR Support; then analyzed by a health care provider to interpret the information and decide how to address the SNPs.
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Studies have found that intermittent fasting (that is, consuming nothing other than water or green tea) enhances the ability of nerve cells to repair their DNA, protects DNA from damage caused by chemotherapy, and switches on a number of DNA-repair genes.
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food that contains all nine essential amino acids is called a complete protein. If a food is missing or low in one or more essential amino acids, it is an incomplete protein. Animal foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and fish are sources of complete protein. Plant foods such as vegetables, beans, and grains are incomplete proteins.
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If you do grill, the use of certain herbs, such as rosemary, has been shown to negate the carcinogenic effects of the aforementioned compounds. Adding lemon juice, black cherries, onions, garlic, and organic red wine also helps reduce the number of carcinogenic compounds formed when cooking meat at high temperatures.
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But there are three food-derived compounds—betaine, choline, and methionine—that are key components of the methyl-making pathway.
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Methylation metabolic pathways depend on choline, methionine, methyltetrahydrofolate (an active form of folate), and vitamins B6 and B12, thus all of these substances must be present at the same time, and until fifteen thousand years ago they were
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The best food sources of betaine are spinach, beets, and lamb’s-quarter. Lamb’s-quarter is a wild green with
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The best food sources of choline are wild shrimp, scallops, pasture-raised and organic chicken, turkey, and eggs. Do note, recent studies have implicated choline as a potential driver for prostate cancers, making it one of the few cancers that may warrant a reduced animal-protein and increased vegetable-based diet.
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The combination of all parts of the animal provided the perfect balance of nutrients and amino acids: methionine from muscle meats, B vitamins from organ meats, and collagen from cartilage. Modern diets, by contrast, provide abundant quantities of methionine-rich muscle meats, while organs and connective tissue are tossed in the trash. Methionine synthesizes homocysteine, but the process is regulated by the presence of other nutrients, particularly vitamins B12 and folate. If these B vitamins are deficient the result is higher levels of homocysteine, which impairs methylation. It is a complicated, vicious cycle that occurs from eating only muscle meat, and it is why there are murmurings of methionine deprivation to starve cancer. Rather than avoid all the nutritious foods that contain said methionine, intermittent fasting is the answer to this when used therapeutically.
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B12 is required for a variety of physiological functions, including the synthesis and methylation of DNA—the
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A deficiency of vitamin B12 can damage DNA by causing single- and double-strand breaks in the double helix structure, oxidative lesions, or both, which are risk factors of cancer.34 Therefore, this vitamin also plays a starring
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However, the form of vitamin B12 used in fortified cereals, bread products, milk, brewers’ yeast, supplements, and other foods is cyanocobalamin, produced using the chemical form of cyanide (potassium cyanide). Cyanocobalamin is not a naturally occurring B12, despite its ability to elevate B12 deficiency clinically. This artificial form of B12 is a mitochondrial poison! (Incidentally, potassium cyanide is not the same chemical as hydrogen cyanide, the purported anticancer ingredient found in apricot kernels. Laetrile, or amygdalin, is a nontraditional cancer therapy that uses the natural substance amygdalin commonly extracted from apricot kernels. When metabolized in the body, amygdalin becomes hydrogen cyanide.)
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cruciferous vegetables are the most well-studied anticancer vegetable family. Food sources include brussels sprouts, broccoli sprouts, raw cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, kohlrabi, radish, and watercress.
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Sulforaphane, one of the many forms of isothiocyanate, has been found to reduce the risk of genetic damage caused by pesticide exposure.36 Certain individual genetic SNPs in the metabolizing enzymes may lessen the protective effects of these helpful breakdown products, however—one of the reasons why nutrition studies should always take individual SNPs into account and why some studies have found no benefit from eating these vegetables! Regardless, eat your broccoli! Even better, eat your broccoli sprouts! We recommend all patients consume at least three servings (one serving is ¼ to ½ cup) of cruciferous vegetables every day.
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phytonutrient we focus on is beta-cryptoxanthin, a common carotenoid found in organic red bell peppers, paprika, and persimmons (which also happen to be low-glycemic). It has been found to exert a “striking effect on DNA repair.”37 A high blood beta-cryptoxanthin level has also been associated with reduced risk of lung cancer.
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Sure, a conventionally grown bell pepper (identified by a sticker with a four-digit bar code starting with the number “4”) will contain beta-cryptoxanthin, but it will also come with a whole host of cancer-causing chemicals on it. Eating organically—or better yet, biodynamically—grown produce is paramount. This can be identified at the grocery store by a five-digit bar code starting with the number “9,” or purchased from your local biodynamic grower. A five-digit code starting with an “8” means the item is genetically modified (produce is one of the few genetically modified products that are labeled as such in the United States).
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Sugarcane, a tall perennial grass, was domesticated on the island of New Guinea only around ten thousand years ago. At first people picked the cane and ate it raw, chewing the highly fibrous stems. Bagasse is the name of the soluble fiber that comprises more than half a stock of sugarcane and has been found not only to support gut microbiota (or flora) but actually improve glucose metabolism.6
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this reason, we suggest sticking to fruits with lower sugar values that also happen to be most nutrient-dense: berries, green apples, and persimmon.
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When aspartame is digested in the body, it breaks down into two amino acids—phenylalanine and aspartic acid—and methanol. Methanol is a wood alcohol and a known poison. Phenylalanine blocks production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that, among other activities, helps control food cravings and mood. As you might imagine, a shortage of serotonin causes the brain and body to scream for the food that supplies more of this brain chemical—and that would be sugar.
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When it comes to the best types of sweetener, raw honey, monk fruit, chicory root, and fresh stevia leaf in small amounts are the optimal choices.
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Additional research has found that high glucose levels inhibit the functioning of the p53 protein.16 (As we mentioned in chapter 2, p53 is a tumor-suppressing protein. It has been described as “the guardian of the genome” because of its role in preventing genome mutation.) What that means is that high-sugar diets take p53 off the job, leaving cells more prone to unchecked DNA damage and the formation of cancer.
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Insulin also stimulates the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines from human fat cells. Therefore, a diet that repeatedly elevates blood glucose levels (such as a banana for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, pasta for dinner) promotes a pro-inflammatory environment that is considered the match that lights the fire of cancer.
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High insulin levels also increase other inflammatory molecules that inhibit immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells, while also causing the production of insulinlike growth factor, type 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a hormone that promotes tissue growth, and it exerts very powerful effects at several key stages of cancer development including cellular proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, and the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents.17
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consuming a high-carbohydrate diet that includes sugar will only worsen cachexia.)
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But for the cancer cell, it’s not just about faster ATP production. By using this form of altered energy production, cancer cells are able to secrete large amounts of the resulting lactic acid into their extracellular microenvironment, which in turn lowers extracellular pH to between 6.0 and 6.5 (normal pH is around 7.4). The lactic acid (or lactate) contributes to acidosis, which turns on signals for angiogenesis (new blood supply) and acts as a cancer cell metabolic fuel, while also inducing immunosuppression.23 (There
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However, as we explain, cancer cells are able to create their own acidic microenvironment by performing anaerobic glycolysis, which creates lactic acid as a by-product. Tumor acidification occurs because of how cancer cells reprogram energy metabolism. Basically
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In addition, ketosis provides several other anticancer benefits, including: • Reducing angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels needed to fuel tumor growth) • Restoring normal apoptosis (cell suicide) in cancer cells • Destabilizing tumor tissue DNA, causing effects that damage cancer cells • Reducing tumor size over time • Reducing levels of insulin and IGF-1 • Enhancing the action of standard treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, while reducing common side effects25
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The cancer-causing characteristics of toxins are that they: 1. Initiate metabolic activation, which means the chemical conversion of a benign substance into a more hazardous one via the normal biochemical processes of cells 2. Induce DNA damage and/or mutation 3. Alter DNA repair or cause genomic instability 4. Induce epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation 5. Induce oxidative stress 6. Induce chronic inflammation 7. Suppress immune system function 8. Activate or deactivate cellular receptor sites 9. Cause cell immortalization 10. Alter a cell’s proliferation, death, or nutrient supply
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The subsidiary website run by the EWG, Skin Deep (www.ewg.org/skindeep), provides an exhaustive searchable database of toxic ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products. Meanwhile, our golden rule for body care and beauty products is: If you can’t eat it, don’t use it. Thankfully,
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First, in 2015 researchers from the University of La Plata in Argentina found that almost 85 percent of tampons are contaminated with glyphosate, the Group 2A chemical used in the herbicide Roundup. Second, not only is cotton one of the most common GM crops in the United States, cotton’s bleaching process makes use of another Group 1 carcinogen and POP, dioxins. And third, some tampons contain synthetic fragrance, which can also be carcinogenic. Vaginal wall tissues are highly permeable, allowing carcinogens to be freely absorbed and enter the bloodstream.
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HEPA or charcoal air filter to help reduce the amount of benzene inhalation. Additionally, NASA has found that some species of houseplants can eliminate up to 87 percent of toxins from the air, including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, trichloroethylene, carbon monoxide, and even dust.
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These plants include English ivy, spider plants, and Boston fern.
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Lastly, we highly recommend clearing the air with burning sage, a practice called smudging that has been used for thousands of years. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology determined that smudging reduces a variety of airborne pathological microbes. Burning essential oils is also purported to clear the air of toxins and is the best alternative to synthetically fragranced products if your home is in need of some pleasant aromas. Burning scented candles—unless they are made naturally with 100 percent essential oils—should be completely avoided.
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Another issue with modern processed meats is the addition of synthetic vitamin C. In the 1970s researchers discovered that when meat containing sodium nitrite is heated above 266°F, it creates nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. This triggered the USDA to limit the amount of nitrites that may be added to cured meats and require that all products containing nitrites also include vitamin C, which they believed would prevent the formation of nitrosamines. The ascorbic acid added to processed meats is generally derived from genetically modified corn syrup and does not confer the same benefits as the naturally occurring vitamin C found in a bell pepper, for example. In summary, modern processed meats contain loads of added carcinogens, and they are often cooked at high temperatures on nonstick pans coated with toxic materials to boot!
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Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors including omeprazole (Prilosec) to control stomach acid was found to cause esophageal cancer in a study published in 2012 in Archives of Surgery. This class of medications has been identified as a primary contributor to mitochondrial damage.10
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We also had higher levels of vitamin D and consumed more sun-protective antioxidants like astaxanthin, a terpene that acts as a natural sunscreen. The toxins contained in most sunscreens (synthetic vitamin A and oxybenzone) can actually cause and promote the spread of cancer, according to a 2011 report issued by the EWG. Lucky for us, the EWG issues an annual list of nonhazardous sunscreens.
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2015 Danish study concluded that mammography is simply too harmful to continue using. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has released evidence that, among women under age thirty-five, mammography may cause seventy-five cases of breast cancer for every fifteen it identifies. And another study found a 52 percent increase in breast cancer mortality in Canada among young women who received annual mammograms. In fact, since mammographic screening was introduced, the incidence of a form of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has increased by 328 percent.13
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A radiation-free mammogram alternative that Dr. Nasha has been using with her patients for years is thermography, which uses digital infrared imaging to detect masses. Additional cancer screening and detection options include Biocept (a liquid biopsy) and circulating tumor cells enumeration. These can help determine best treatment options, response to therapy, and early detection of recurrence or progression. These may be options you would like to discuss with your provider.
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there is some evidence that bee pollen may significantly lower the adverse effects of radiation exposure, making this sweet little superfood a wonderful addition to smoothies. But bee pollen notwithstanding, we absolutely must reduce our use and exposure to electronic devices.
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Taking It Further: Testing Several companies offer testing for toxins: US Biotek offers an environmental pollutants profile; Genova offers a toxic effects panel; and Quicksilver Scientific offers a heavy metals test that includes potential nutrient toxins. We suggest talking to your health care provider about testing options. You may obtain a detoxification profile by making a donation and plugging your 23andme test results that we discussed in chapter 3 into geneticgenie. Genova Diagnostics also offers a Detoxigenomic profile that shows detox-related SNPs.
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person before starting any type of detox.) During phase 1, for every toxin that is metabolized, one free radical molecule, or reactive oxygen species (ROS), is generated, therefore antioxidants are paramount for the entire detox process
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Compounds that can debilitate cytochrome P450 enzymes include a diet low in protein, or a diet high in carbohydrates, antihistamines, and grapefruit. The CYP3A4 enzymes reduce the amount of drug entering the bloodstream, and grapefruit juice contains compounds that inhibit CYP3A4, thus allowing too much of the drug to enter the circulation. Both caffeine and alcohol can overactivate phase 1 detoxification, and for some coffee is contraindicated. Conversely, cruciferous vegetables are needed for proper activation of phase 1 to avoid sluggish activity.
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then sent to one of six phase 2 conjugation pathways for further transformation into forms that are safe for excretion. These six pathways involve acetylation, glucuronidation, glutathione conjugation, sulfation, amino acid conjugation, and methylation. Not surprisingly, the function of each of these six pathways is also entirely dependent on good nutrition and genetic function. For example, glutathione conjugation, which accounts for 60 percent of the toxins excreted in the bile, including industrial carcinogens, requires certain amino acids to be formed. And the sulfation pathway, which transforms toxins, neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, drugs, industrial chemicals, and the phenolics in plastics and disinfectants, requires adequate amounts of sulfur, which can be obtained only through the diet (through consumption of foods such as garlic, eggs, and cruciferous vegetables). We already know how important the nutrients folate and vitamin B12 are for methylation, a process that is critical not only to our genome but also for detoxification. Because various nutrients and amino acids are required for all six of the conjugation processes, they can become depleted over time; thus the importance of consistent, deep
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cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and broccoli), glycine, folic acid, vitamin B12, fish oils, betaine, dill weed, caraway seeds, nicotine, birth control pills, and compounds from the Japanese horseradish wasabi have all been shown to stimulate phase 2 enzyme activity. Phase 2 pathways can be inhibited by a number of dietary deficiencies, including selenium, magnesium, vitamin B2, glutathione, zinc, protein, and vitamin C. Aspirin and yellow food dye can also inhibit phase 2 activity.
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Eggs are an excellent source of sulfur, a critical component of a phase 2 pathway; salmon is a great source of both vitamin B12 and the selenium that is needed for the formation of glutathione; and whey protein
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dandelion roots contain inulin and levulin, starchlike substances that support microbiome health. In fact, dandelions stimulate mucosal membranes all along the intestinal tract, which helps remove toxins from the bowel and also aids in their removal through the urine.16 Dandelions also contain taraxacin, a substance that stimulates bile production. Dandelion greens are commonly used in the production of bitters. Why are bitters good? Because when the tongue recognizes the bitter flavor it sets off a series of reactions in the neuroendocrine system called the bitter reflex, which supports both digestion and detoxification. In
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Energetically, people who have congested livers are often angry and “hotheaded,” so foods like dandelion greens can help cool them down. Frequently drinking a bitter herb formula before meals is highly recommended.
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Beetroots are rich sources of betalain (red or yellow pigments) and betaine, also called lipotropic factor, which help the liver process fat. Several different betalains have been shown to exert antioxidant, anticancer, and detoxification effects.
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However, foods like chlorella have shown evidence of having gentle metal chelation actions. Chlorella is very chemoprotective to the liver and has been found to induce cell death in liver cancer.19 Chlorella grows in fresh
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Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants and algae that absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in order to grow. In a similar way, it is able bind and “trap” toxins in the gut, preventing their absorption and encouraging elimination.
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achieving substantially reduced levels of toxins. Saunas and raising body temperature can reduce levels of BPA, phthalates, and other toxins.
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Just before each sauna session, take approximately 100 milligrams of niacin on an empty stomach and spend twenty minutes dry-brushing (to remove dead skin and stimulate the lymphatic system) and twenty minutes doing high-intensity exercise to stimulate the circulation.
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If you don’t have access to a sauna, simply drinking yarrow or ginger tea in a hot shower or taking an Epsom salt bath can also encourage detoxification and is far more gentle.
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A great example of a symbiont is Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Its ‘‘glycobiome’’ contains the largest collection of genes capable of metabolizing carbohydrates. These microbes, along with many others, are required for the metabolism and synthesis of macro- and micronutrients. This is the basis of much of the research that has discovered links among obesity, diabetes, and microbes.2
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2013 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that colon cancer patients tended to have higher levels of fusobacteria (a type of bacteria that promotes inflammation in the gut and fuels cancer growth) and lower levels of clostridia (a bacterial class that prevents the development of colon cancer by helping to break down dietary fiber and carbohydrates). Similarly, significant differences in the breast tissue microbiome have been identified in women with cancer versus women without cancer.4
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Here are just a few more examples of the roles various microbes play: • More than 50 percent of xenobiotic, hormone, and toxin detoxification is facilitated by beneficial gut bacteria. On the flip side, pathogenic bacteria can directly secrete toxic substances while also promoting inflammatory pathways. • Bacteria can actually change the DNA of human cells, which can lead to the onset of cancer. Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that a bacterial genetic transfer is linked to over-proliferation and the transformation of healthy cells into cancerous ones. • Microbes are needed for the digestion, absorption, and synthesis of many vitamins and foods including vitamin B12, vitamin K, fiber, and protein. They are also responsible for the synthesis of folate, which is produced by a number of Lactobacillus species.6 As noted earlier, folate is critical for the epigenetic process of methylation, or gene silencing, to occur. • Gut microbes—or a lack thereof—can significantly affect the efficacy of certain cancer therapies. Multiple studies confirmed that certain chemotherapy agents including cisplatin and also radiation rely on gut microbiota for successful eradication of the tumors. Germ-free mice were untreatable with these agents. • Recent studies found that the composition of the gut microbiota is affected by the presence of tumor cells and involved in the development of cancer-related cachexia. However, a mix of good bacteria, including Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus gasseri, can reduce inflammation, anorexia, and muscle atrophy.
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A powerful example of this came in January 2015 when Australian researchers cured 80 percent of their study population of peanut allergies with courses of the Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic, while gradually increasing doses of peanuts themselves. Kids with peanut allergies were able to eat them again with help from their missing microbes!
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(Researchers in Sweden discovered that a substance found in human breast milk called HAMLET [human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells] has selective ability to kill cancer cells.)
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glyphosate disrupts gut bacteria, leading to an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile bacteria, which in turn create a toxic compound called p-cresol. This by-product has been identified as one of a multitude of factors that may be associated with autism.13
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glyphosate has been shown to preferentially kill the beneficial bacteria strains Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria while causing an overgrowth of pathogens. It has been proposed in several papers that the high consumption of GM foods by children is the reason behind the increased incidence of celiac disease, which has more than quadrupled since 1950.15
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antibiotics not only cause oxidative damage to DNA but also directly target and damage mitochondria.17 Since damage to mitochondria is one of the root causes of cancer from a metabolic perspective, we really need to pay attention here.
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Subtherapeutic antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) work in part by reducing the activity of an intestinal enzyme that inhibits fat digestion, so animals digest more fat and gain more weight. Just as antibiotics cause animals to gain weight, they do the same in humans. Though
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Two cups of milk, for example, can contain more than 50 micrograms of tetracycline, a drug that damages DNA and is not recommended for children under the age of eight years due to side effects, including dental complications.
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From a food perspective, there is a trio of herbs that have incredible natural antibiotic features that spare—and even support—microbes and mitochondria from damage: garlic, horseradish, and oregano. Even better, all three have benefits that extend beyond the microbiome, offering powerful immune and other anticancer benefits.
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three cloves of garlic contain the same antibacterial potency as an adult dose of penicillin. (Before penicillin, raw garlic was used to treat infected wounds.)
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Garlic has been found to inhibit tumor cell growth, induce tumor stress, and also stimulate the mitochondrial pathway for apoptosis in certain cancer cells, including brain cancer. Garlic should be consumed on a daily basis!19
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horseradish have been found as effective as antibiotics in the treatment of ear infection, certain flu strains, gastrointestinal illnesses caused by bacterial exposure, and pneumonia.20 Horseradish also contains large amounts of cancer-fighting compounds called glucosinolates, which can increase the liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogens, modulate inflammation, increase resistance to cancer, and suppress the growth of tumors. We suggest adding a spoonful of horseradish to sardine salads or in vegetable-based drinks.
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Oregano, the famous Italian spice, offers incredible intestinal infection protection by destroying Candida albicans (commonly called candida), which is a yeast component of the gut microflora. Several constituents of oregano oil, including carvacrol, have been found to inactivate dangerous microbes that have become drug-resistant.
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oregano oil has been found to be a very powerful killing agent against colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
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Their secret to evading contagion—despite obvious exposure—was using a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. In 1996, a lab test found a commercial thieves oil formula had a 90 percent effective rate against airborne bacteria.22 We rub it on our hands and neck during airplane travel and use it to clean countertops. We have our patients diffuse it in the air at work during cold and flu season. It smells wonderful! There are commercial blends available, or you can make your own. Here is the classic recipe: 40 drops organic clove bud essential oil 35 drops organic lemon essential oil 20 drops organic cinnamon bark essential oil 15 drops organic eucalyptus essential oil 10 drops organic rosemary essential oil Mix all essential oils together in a dark glass bottle. Customize this by adjusting the quantities or adding other antibacterial essential oils such as oregano, thyme, or tea tree.
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UBIOME, or ask your health care provider about a comprehensive stool analysis, a parasitology assessment, or a SIBO test. The American Gut Project, lead by Jeff Leach, author of Bloom: Reconnecting with Your Primal Gut in A Modern World, offered testing as of 2016, and results are going toward a large-scale research project.
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Research has found that our microbiota is most active at night, so the ideal time to take pro- and prebiotics is before bed. Rotate your brand of probiotics every ninety days to get the most benefit from the various strains. Probiotic supplements are excellent especially if you are unable to consume at least two or three of the foods listed below every day. And
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For example, an estimated 75–97 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D.1 Scientists have found that vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defenses and that without sufficient intake certain immune cells are unable to react to and fight off serious infections—or cancer—in the body. These cells, called T lymphocytes or T cells, a type of white blood cell, are some of the most powerful cancer-fighting cells we have, and without vitamin D they are not activated—like hockey players without sticks.2
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ahead and tap on your chest like Tarzan for a minute or so. You just activated your immune system a little bit through a process called “thymus-thumping.” Thymus activity is highest after a child is born and its function decreases with age, so a little thumping never hurts.
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When one of these systems is more active, it can suppress the activity of the other, causing what is known as either TH1 or TH2 dominance. When the TH1 and TH2 systems become imbalanced, inflammation increases and effective immune function decreases.
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Autoimmune conditions, where the body mistakes self for nonself, are typical of TH1 immune dominance. This response has been linked to gluten and other food allergies. TH2-dominant conditions have been linked to the overuse of antibiotics and pesticides. When we are exposed to an allergen, the TH2 system goes into overdrive and causes a massive inflammatory response. Subsequently the ability of the immune system to kill cancer cells is repressed. Most people in the developed world are stuck in TH2 dominance.
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As the TH1 mode is considered the anticancer mode, when people are stuck in TH2, their ability to rid the body of cancer cells is diminished and the risk of developing cancer increases.
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Even more fortunate is that there are compounds that regulate what’s considered the fulcrum of the seesaw—and these include vitamin D, probiotics, and mistletoe.
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When a cancer grows, its ability to evade the immune system increases even more, despite increased size. This happens in a number of different ways. First, cancer cells can produce the inflammatory cytokines we just learned about as well as other substances that paralyze the activity of NK cells. This is not good because NK cells are like the Navy SEALs of the immune system—they are able to wipe out metastatic cancer and have a key role in preventing cancer recurrence and dissemination. Yet NK activity can be inhibited by a low-protein diet, stress, and exposure to toxins.4
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These culprits are called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and they secrete growth factors, stimulate angiogenesis, secrete enzymes that aid in metastasis, and suppress the adaptive immune system, neutralizing any cancer-killing activity. TAMs are found in most malignant tumors, and in some instances can compose up to 50 percent of the tumor mass. When they are working correctly, macrophages can literally eat cancer cells, which is what we want them to do. But the level and functioning of macrophages are compromised when vitamin B12 or B6 consumption is low or when the individual has food allergies.5
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As we noted earlier, sugar consumption severely hampers our immune function. When sugar enters the body, it basically pepper-sprays immune cells, paralyzing them for several hours following consumption. This is why cold and flu season generally kicks off right around Halloween: Not only are vitamin D levels dropping due to the lessened amounts of sunlight, but we celebrate a “holiday” centered on eating gobs of candy. The hard cold truth is that the high-sugar diet of so many Americans causes a chronically depressed immune system function.
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Large food particles, pesticides, toxins, hormones, GMOs, antibiotics, and so on are not supposed to escape from the digestive tract. But when they do, it sounds an alarm to the entire immune system and, over time, results in a chronic TH2 response. But what causes these holes, these breached tight junctions? Many things can, but gluten, legumes, emulsifiers, and solvents—staples of the standard American diet—are the biggest offenders. In
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When lectins enter the bloodstream because of a leaky gut, they stick themselves onto multiple organs and tissues, such as the thyroid, liver, kidney, prostate, breast, pituitary gland, and pancreas. When this happens, the immune response against the lectins inadvertently causes inflammation to the tissue to which the lectin is bound. The result is organ-specific autoimmune conditions, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and
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The most common emulsifiers in food use are mono- and di-glycerides, polysorbate-80 (P80), soy lecithin, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). Emulsifiers, too, have been found to cause increased gut permeability, alter gut bacteria, and directly contribute to colitis. Emulsifiers are a type of surfactant that allows oil and water to mix together and stay that way.
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Colors like FD&C yellow no. 5, used widely in such products as yogurts, cereals, Play-Doh, and candy, are made from petroleum. Yes, the same substance that makes gasoline is in Froot Loops! In
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Studies have found that exposure to food colorings can cause structural damage not only to the intestine, but to the spleen and thymus gland. Research has also found that food coloring binds directly with certain immunity-enhancing amino acids, lysine and arginine, and also causes a lowered serum albumin level (albumin is a form of protein). Insufficient albumin is very undesirable for anyone with cachexia. Meanwhile, food colorings are also linked to major immune problems such as dermatitis,
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Insufficiency of the sulfur-containing amino acids—methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, and taurine—adversely affects the functioning of T cells. Activated T cells can kill cancerous tumor cells both directly and indirectly. T cell activation is exactly what the new targeted immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab (more on immunotherapies in a minute) are designed to do. So why not give your immune system a boost with a little bite of arginine- and sulfur-rich Alaskan king crab or shrimp?
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Several components of bone broth have been found to activate T cells and B cells!
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Sugar and vitamin C have similar chemical structures and compete for absorption in white blood cells. They are both trying to enter through the same door, but there is only room for one. Even modest blood glucose elevations competitively impair the transport of vitamin C into immune cells. Sugar essentially negates the immune benefit of vitamin C. If you drink a liter of soda or eat 100 grams of sugar, the reactivity of white blood cells is reduced by 40 percent.20 This is obviously problematic, since a high intake of vitamin C has been proven to reduce the risk of pretty much every type of cancer there is, including breast, colon, and pancreatic.
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Before patients are considered eligible for IVC they must first be screened for a glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency (G6PD); those with this inherited metabolic disorder cannot tolerate such high doses of vitamin C and may experience hemolysis (red blood cell rupture) or severe kidney problems. A final word: If you take a vitamin C supplement, be sure it comes from a clean source; most vitamin C supplements are derived from genetically modified corn.
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using harsh soaps that strip the key microbiota that help synthesize vitamin D from our skin. (To avoid this, Dr. Nasha likes to tell people, “Only soap up your pits and parts!”)
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Regarding vitamin D’s role in cancer and the immune system, a receptor for vitamin D is expressed on both B cells and T cells, and the activity of these immunologic cells can be turned up or down based on the presence or absence of this potent vitamin. This is how vitamin D modulates both the innate and adaptive immune responses, making it very useful as a TH1–TH2 balancer.
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It is also important to test for SNPs that can impact vitamin D receptor sites. We see vitamin D receptor SNPs in almost all of our patients, and these folks often need significantly higher amounts of supplemental vitamin D than those who do not have the SNPs. Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are also associated with more severe forms of malignancies in many cancers including prostate.27
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Low selenium intake is associated with an increased risk of all types of cancer. This is not surprising when we recognize that selenium is needed for the activity of glutathione peroxidase, our main antioxidant enzyme that protects us from inflammation-derived cancer. A selenium deficiency results in immune suppression, including impairment of NK cell activity. One study found that 200 micrograms of selenium daily increased the activity of NK cells by 80 percent and increased the tumor-killing ability of lymphocytes by 118 percent! This mineral can also protect the body from the damaging effects of the heavy metals mercury and lead. Selenium also exerts genetic protection. Those with mutations in their BRCA1 gene have significantly greater frequencies of double-stranded DNA breaks per cell than healthy noncarrier relatives, but the frequency of these breaks is greatly reduced by selenium supplementation.28
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(If you are advised to take a selenium supplement, be sure it is in a methylated form.)
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Zinc improves thymus function and can restore immune function, making it particularly useful during cold and flu season. What’s also helpful with zinc is that it competes with copper for absorption. High copper levels are a driver for many cancers, therefore balancing with zinc can be advantageous. Zinc also merits attention when evaluating the nutritional adequacy (rather, the inadequacy) of vegetarian and vegan diets. Animal products provide the most zinc, and the best sources are oysters, beef, fish, and shellfish. Diets high in legumes and whole grains are high in phytic acid, an inhibitor of zinc bioavailability.30
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A–Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition: Improve Your Health and Avoid Side Effects When Using Common Medications and Natural Supplements Together, by Alan R. Gaby.)
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The children who received acetaminophen once a month or more were five times more likely to have asthma. Not only does acetaminophen cause immune problems, but it also causes direct DNA damage.31
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Fever acts like a natural water purifier; it kills bacteria, viruses, and damaged cells, and induces apoptosis in cells running about that shouldn’t be there.
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Suppression of a fever can also lead to viral shedding, which can facilitate increased dissemination of the illness. Dr. Nasha never considers suppressing a fever less than 102.5°F (depending on the comfort of patient and practitioner) and is comfortable working with temperatures much higher. It is scarier for her if a cancer patient does not mount a good fever; in this case she has
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In fact, many cancer clinics in Europe offer hyperthermia along with treatments like radiation, chemotherapy, mistletoe, vitamin C, and more. Hyperthermia therapy is rarely used on its own. It acts more like a Trojan horse, allowing the treatment of choice to enter the cancer cell to induce cell death. Heat changes the microcirculation of the body and helps to overcome drug resistance. Dr. Nasha has known several patients with stage IV diagnoses who had exhausted all other options and then achieved a complete remission with the help of hyperthermia. Heat is helpful as an immune therapy, so discuss options with your doctor, and think twice before suppressing a low fever!
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is also the most utilized: 80–85 percent of German and Swiss and 60–70 percent of the rest of Europe’s medical doctors integrate the use of mistletoe during chemotherapy and radiation.
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Mistletoe has the following mechanisms of actions and indications: • Mistletoe lectins are directly cytotoxic to the cancer cell membranes • Anti-angiogenic by lowering VEGF • Stabilizes/repairs DNA • Inhibits cancer spread • Anti-inflammatory • Immunomodulates (stimulates macrophages, T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, cytokines, etc.) • Acts as a fever-inducing therapy similar to that of Coley’s toxin • Enhances overall quality of life • Can be administered subcutaneously, intravenously, directly into the tumor, and into abdominal ascites and pleural effusion
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A couple of types to highlight first are the turkey tail mushroom and the maitake, both of which have shown powerful immune-boosting and anticancer activity—including blocking the formation of tumors. These mushrooms contain polysaccharides, substances that increase immune defense by enhancing the function of macrophages and NK cells. We recommend incorporating medicinal mushrooms into your diet daily, but there is also some evidence that a monthly “mushroom feast”—eating a variety of mushrooms over a three-day period, almost like a mushroom fast—can be quite supportive of the immune system. Just as you rotate probiotics, it’s a good idea to rotate the variety of mushrooms you consume to derive the most benefit. Fresh, dried, and powdered varieties of these mushrooms are wonderful in stir-fries and soups. We recommend the whole mushroom, best with stems and even part of the mycelium when possible, as opposed to extracts.
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When there is an imbalance between the amount of ROS present in the body and the amount of antioxidants, their dietary counteragents, the result is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes both genetic and mitochondrial damage, which in turns signals NF-κB, the master protein that directs all inflammatory processes, to unleash the inflammatory cascade.
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Dietary factors are the primary contributors to inflammation and oxidative stress—the two main culprits are the overconsumption of inflammatory fats and the underconsumption of plant-based antioxidants.
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Fortunately, it has recently been confirmed that the Sugar Association, a sugar trade group, paid three Harvard scientists to publish a review minimizing the link between sugar and heart health while vilifying saturated fat (this leak was published in JAMA Internal Medicine in the fall of 2016). The uncovering of these blatant conspiracies and cover-ups (and there are more!) is finally shedding light on just how unfounded the low-fat scam has been. Put
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There are now hundreds of studies to prove it. (To learn more, read the bestselling Big Fat Surprise, by Nina Teicholz, or Good Calories, Bad Calories, by Gary Taubes.)
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Constant activation of NF-κB in cancer cells is linked to elevated production of inflammatory mediators such as TNF, interleukin 6, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and ROS. Here the function of front-line inflammatory responders switches from protective to pestiferous, as they become promoters of tumor growth by activating genes involved in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. When TNF lingers as a chronic, low-level presence in the body, it promotes cancer by encouraging the conversion of precancerous tissue into fully malignant cancers. In fact, tumor-promoting inflammation is one of the ten hallmarks shared by all cancer cells. The activation of NF-κB attracts those turncoat immune cells discussed in the last chapter called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into a tumor. TAMs are dangerous because they produce the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, which in turn stimulates production of CRP, the well-known marker of inflammation. Not only are levels of CRP associated with resistance to chemotherapy, but both IL-6 and CRP can stimulate the production of ROS and impair antioxidant defenses.
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Inflammation also drives cachexia, the most deadly aspect of cancer.
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inflammation. It starts when cancerous tumor cells send out inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, that release proteins from muscles and other places.7 These proteins are sent to the liver, where they are transformed into glucose to feed the growing tumor. Cachexia is the reason behind the urgent exhortations not to lose weight during cancer treatment.
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It is essential to understand that cachexia is in fact metabolism-based, not calorie-based, and research has proven that cachectic patients rarely respond to increased caloric intake alone.
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There are tests that can tell us if a patient is cachectic or just losing unhealthy, inflammation-promoting weight. The lab markers that show if the body has been “hijacked” by cachexia include albumin, protein, and CRP.
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Consumption of trans fats (the type found in fried foods, chips, and more), radiation exposure, aging, and alcohol further inhibit the production of anti-inflammatory PGs by causing a significant loss of delta-6 desaturase activity and are associated with both inflammation and tumorigenesis.10
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The only preformed sources of omega-3 fats that do not require D5D and D6D enzymatic activity in order to produce anti-inflammatory prostaglandins come from deepwater oily fish. This may help explain why we generally don’t recommend flax oil, but prefer high-quality fish oil to combat the production of pro-inflammatory series 2 PGs in cancer patients.
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A trans fat is created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil (a process called hydrogenation) to make it more solid. Partially hydrogenated oils are used by food manufacturers to improve the texture, shelf life, and flavor stability of foods.
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free radical is an atom or compound that is missing one or more electrons and goes about replacing it in an uncontrolled manner. Like a newly single person looking for an instant rebound partner, free radicals are highly unstable and are not selective about where they attain their missing electron. A free radical will steal an electron from the very first place it can. When free radicals take electrons from proteins, the loss causes tissue stiffening, the disabling of hormones and enzymes, and damage to cell structures.
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DNA is also highly susceptible to free radical attacks, which cause genetic damage leading to cancer. The average rate of DNA damage inflicted by free radicals is actually quite high. It is estimated that more than ten thousand oxidative hits to the DNA of a human cell occur daily.
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ROS can be produced by both endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) cellular substances. Potential endogenous sources include mitochondria, cytochrome P450 enzymes, and inflammatory cell activation. The most abundant source of free radical formation is in the mitochondria, which use more than 90 percent of the oxygen intake during metabolism to burn proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates and convert them to energy and water. This point alone completely solidifies the need for fasting and caloric restriction in the patient with an active cancer, as it reduces the need for mitochondria to convert food to energy, thereby reducing the production of free radicals. The second source of free radicals is from environmental factors such as pesticides, alcohol, lack of sleep, chemical toxins, carcinogens, radiation exposure, cigarette smoke, and elevated iron levels. High blood sugar also accelerates the production of free radicals, and the extra weight that occurs as a result of high blood sugar causes increased and independent production of both CRP and IL-6. As you can
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The body makes some of its own antioxidants as well, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, melatonin, and COQ10.
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Glutathione is synthesized in the body from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamine, and glycine. Both animal and human studies demonstrate that adequate protein nutrition is crucial for the maintenance of adequate glutathione status (yet another strike against vegetarian and vegan diets).
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Keith Block, MD (medical director of the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Illinois, founder and editor in chief of the peer-reviewed medical journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, and author of the bestselling book Life Over Cancer), and
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Assessing Inflammation and Oxidation Dr. Nasha has been using a set of three lab markers she calls “the trifecta” to assess a patient’s inflammation level: c-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and lactose dehydrogenase (LDH). Each marker provides insight into the level of inflammation, metabolic processes, and mitochondrial function and helps elucidate the amount of cancer activity or stability in the terrain at any given time. (She also recommends testing companies including Genova Diagnostics that offer oxidative stress panels.)
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Quercetin: Capers and Onions for All Quercetin is touted as the most powerful flavonoid known to man. It is certainly the most researched. Quercetin wears two hats—free radical scavenger and anti-inflammatory—and deserves its crowning as the inflammation-oxidation terrain superstar. It has been found to inhibit COX-2, NF-κB, and metastasis. When combined with the flavonoid epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea, it halts the growth of prostate cancer. Quercetin is found in highest concentrations in capers, organically grown apples (we recommend green and wild apples for their lower sugar content), and onions. (By the way, we
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Resveratrol is unique among antioxidants because it can cross the blood-brain barrier, the membrane that helps protect the brain and nervous system. When the anti-aging, antioxidant effects of resveratrol were fully realized in the 1990s, scientists believed they had discovered the key to the “French paradox.” (You know what we mean: how the French are able to eat rich, fatty foods yet have an incidence of cardiovascular disease that is only a third of that in the United States.) Their key is that they drink a resveratrol-rich red wine. Resveratrol has been found to increase glutathione levels, minimize or prevent lipid oxidation, and act as a phytoestrogen.
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Also, the flame-retardant chemical 2,4,6-tribromophenol is sometimes used in the wooden barrels, racks, and crates used to transport wine or grapes. Again, it also comes back to quality.
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These plants, specifically white willow and meadowsweet, created the foundation for what is the aspirin of today. Both herbs contain salicin, which has a very similar chemistry to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Salicin also has the same antipyretic (fever-reducing), anti-inflammatory, and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties as aspirin; however, in contrast with synthetic aspirin, willow bark does not damage the gastrointestinal mucosa.22 There are several other culinary
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coriander, cumin, and turmeric as “the holy trinity”
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Healing Spices by Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal and Debora Yost.
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GINGER This root is perhaps best known for its stomach-settling activity, and drinking ginger tea significantly helps reduce chemotherapy-related nausea. It also has very powerful anti-inflammatory actions, including the inhibition of both COX-2 and NF-κB. The root is rich in phytonutrients called gingerols, which have been found to raise levels of antioxidant enzymes including glutathione. Another ginger extract, zerumbone, was
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BOSWELLIA Boswellia is the name of the Indian plant or tree that produces the resin frankincense.
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HAVE FUN WITH FENNEL Arguably one of the most overlooked vegetables in the produce section is fennel. A light whitish green bulb with feathery, dill-like stems and a licorice taste, fennel is one of the most anti-inflammatory vegetables there is as well as a digestive aid.
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Each of our bodies has enough blood vessels to circle the Earth twice—more than sixty thousand miles’ worth.
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(For example, a 2013 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that certain blood pressure medications increased the risk of breast cancer over two and a half times.1) We
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When blood is needed, the body signals certain growth factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an angiogenesis stimulator, to make new vessels. TNF and IGF-1 are also able to stimulate the production of new blood vessels. Normally when vessels are no longer needed they are dissolved through the action of angiogenesis inhibitors. When these systems of checks and balances becomes dysregulated, however, cancer and other diseases can occur.
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By activating a process called the hypoxia stress response, tumors emit signals to neighboring blood vessels, persuading them to throw them a “vessel extension lifeline” that will deliver needed oxygen and nutrients.
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With blood stagnation, nutrients from the blood do not enter cells efficiently, cellular waste is not properly removed, and cells, basically, become sick. No milk delivery, no trash pickup.
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The drug heparin, an anticoagulant (or blood thinner), works, through a multistep pathway, by preventing the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. Heparin is used to treat and prevent blood clots in veins, arteries, and the lung and also decreases the spread of cancer; it works so well that Dr. Nasha actually considers it an underutilized antimetastatic pharmaceutical!
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A high fibrinogen level indicates sticky blood and has been linked to reduced survival and poor response to treatments in certain cancers. Foods with a higher glycemic index, including sugars, are known to be associated with elevated fibrinogen.7 Thus, one natural antigen to high fibrinogen is the elimination of sugar from the diet, and another is consuming coumarin-containing plants and herbs. Coumarin is a sweet-smelling compound found in aniseed, cassia cinnamon, dandelion, horseradish, and wild lettuce. Coumarin is used in topically in perfumes, but when ingested it has anticoagulant properties.
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Americans do not practice, and these are: (1) drinking enough water, and (2) exercise.
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Another factor, a high copper level, is also frequently found in metastatic cancer patients and can
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To maintain proper hydration, a person needs to drink at least half their body weight (measured in pounds) in ounces of clean, filtered water daily. (That is, a person
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The primary issue with dehydration is that it causes increased histamine levels.9 Histamine is a compound produced by mast cells as part of the local immune response.
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This release of histamine causes capillaries to become more permeable and has been shown to induce an angiogenic response similar to that promoted by VEGF.11
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Current recommendations are that adults get at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week or an hour and a quarter of vigorous-intensity activity.
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Copper, an essential mineral, is a cofactor for the production of many promoters of angiogenesis, including VEGF.
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Currently Dwight McKee, MD, is researching a copper chelation method using pharmaceutical tetrathiomolybdenate (TM) as a treatment for copper excess angiogenesis, an option we are really excited to learn more about.
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IGF-1 has been shown to promote the growth and metastasis of liver, breast, pancreatic, and several other cancers.17
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Combining a ketogenic diet with another nontoxic therapy called hyperbaric oxygen therapy also has significant emerging potential. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy saturates tumors with oxygen, which can reverse the cancer-promoting effects of tumor hypoxia we discussed earlier. In fact, a 2013 study published in the journal PLOS ONE by Angela Poff, Csilla Ari, Thomas Seyfried, and Dominic D’Agostino found that combining the ketogenic diet and hyperbaric oxygen therapy produced significant anticancer effects, including decreased blood glucose levels, reduced tumor growth rate, and a 77 percent increase in mean survival time in mice with systemic metastatic cancer when compared with controls.19 This is big, and thankfully more research continues in these combined therapy areas. We highly recommend integrating the metabolic approaches of fasting and the ketogenic diet as a front-line treatment for angiogenesis and metastasis and also seeking out professionals trained in hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
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So where do high ferritin levels come from? Those with an ancient DNA mutation to the C282Y gene absorb more iron than most, and the resulting condition (hereditary hemochromatosis) is among the most prevalent genetic diseases in the United States—affecting almost one in two hundred people. Theorists have conjectured that the C282Y mutation evolved when the pandemic of iron deficiency began in the Neolithic era, as diets bloated with grains replaced those rich in meat and fish. This mutation may have protected humans
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Lab Assessments for Circulation Because there are so many balancing acts to consider when it comes to circulation and metastasis, Dr. Nasha regularly obtains the following labs (in addition to a complete blood count (CBC): Fibrinogen: A protein involved in coagulation. High levels can indicate thick/sticky blood, making a person more susceptible to clotting as well as fueling cancer growth. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF): A marker of angiogenesis. Serum VEGF levels in gastric and other types of cancers are typically significantly higher than those in controls. Serum copper and ceruloplasmin: An angiogenesis inducer. Ferritin: An iron storage marker. High levels can feed and fuel growth of cancer cells and cause inflammation and oxidative stress. Excess iron has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. As with all lab tests, be sure to consult with your primary care provider in order to decipher results and determine the appropriate interventions.
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PARSLEY: A HIGHLY MEDICINAL GARNISH
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CHERRY TOMATOES: LYCOPENE IN THE LIMELIGHT Second to
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CHAGA MUSHROOM TEA: A CUP A DAY KEEPS CHEMO AWAY
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Chaga is known for its very high content of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that functions as a powerful antioxidant. It also contains high levels of beta glucans, the potent polysaccharide that can reduce tumor proliferation and prevent tumor metastasis.32 According to Dr. Cass Ingram, chaga expert and author of the excellent book The Cure Is in the Forest, chaga tea should be consumed daily. He also recommends taking chaga together with wild oregano, a natural antifungal agent that helps stimulate the absorption of chaga’s active ingredients. The power of traditional food pairings is just breathtaking sometimes!
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CHILI PEPPERS: TOO HOT FOR CANCER TO THRIVE
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Specifically, this spice has been found to inhibit VEGF and was able to suppress tumor-induced angiogenesis.
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CARTILAGE: STOPPING METASTASES BY EATING BONES
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also serves as a reservoir for growth factors. If you include collagen-rich foods in your diet, your body is able to regenerate degraded ECM, which helps to encapsulate tumors.
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Glucosamine is also known as a toxic agent for several malignant cell lines, with little toxicity to healthy tissues, and can halt metastatic progression in colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
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ALOE VERA JUICE: SOOTHER OF AGGRAVATED PLATELETS Use of the prickly aloe vera, known as the plant of immortality, can be traced back six thousand years to early Egypt. It grows wild in tropical climates and is cultivated for both agricultural and medicinal uses. Today it’s most popular as a sunburn remedy, but its extracts are also powerful antioxidants that can inhibit platelet aggregation and angiogenesis—a wise moisturizer choice, especially if showering in fluoride-treated water. Aloin, one of aloe’s main components, has been found to inhibit the secretion of VEGF in cancer cells.
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Despite its label as a “juice,” it contains far less sugar and carbs than its fruit juice counterparts: 2 ounces of aloe vera juice contains 2 grams of carbohydrate and 6 grams of sugar—though it should still be consumed in moderation in order to stay in ketosis.
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GREEN TEA: A POWERFUL GROWTH INHIBITOR
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GINSENG: AN HERBAL INVASION SUPPRESSOR
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CHAMOMILE CALMS METASTASES There are two chamomile plants: the more popular German chamomile, and the Roman, or English, chamomile. Like all foods we’ve mentioned before, chamomile has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Like cherry tomatoes, chamomile also contains the phytochemical apigenin, which has been shown to inhibit cell growth, sensitize cancer cells to elimination by apoptosis, and hinder angiogenesis.
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Both processes are primarily activated by inflammation, dehydration, sedentary lifestyles, and high copper levels. Regular consumption of spicy peppers, chaga mushrooms, parsley, green tea, bone broth, and more have been found to reduce the spread of cancer and the growth of new blood vessels to feed it. A diet of green tea and a spicy fish-bone broth is a powerful protocol here.
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are sensitive to estrogen, meaning estrogen makes the cancer grow. In nature, estrogen’s job is to cause cells to proliferate, and all cancer cells will grow in response to this hormone, not just those diagnosed as hormone-sensitive. Estrogen drives angiogenesis, causes inflammation, and modulates metabolism.2 So no more tiptoeing through the daisies like a starry-eyed teenager when it comes to hormones and cancer. Ridding our food and household products of hormones while taking nutritional steps to balance hormones is a critical terrain element.
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Anti-estrogen drugs, also known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), work by blocking and deactivating the estrogen receptor on the surface of a cancer cell. Basically these drugs park a car in the garage and leave it there. One example of these drugs is tamoxifen; unfortunately, tamoxifen has also been found to cause cancer of the uterus, strokes, and blood clots in the lungs.4 And despite the fact that tamoxifen is listed as a Group 1 carcinogen, it remains a front-line treatment for many breast cancers. There has to be a better way.
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The 2-hydroxyestrones, in contrast, have almost no estrogenic effect. Despite some mutterings to the contrary, prevailing evidence has shown that the ratio of 2-hydroxyestrone to 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone is relevant as a risk factor for estrogen-sensitive cancers, including breast and cervical cancers. Simply put, when it comes to estrogen metabolites, you want more 2s than 16s. And guess what can help the body do that? Cruciferous vegetables.
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Two of the many active components in cruciferous vegetables are indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolylmethane (DIM). Physiologically, DIM is the predominant active agent and I3C is the precursor. Studies have found that these compounds can inhibit the formation of the “bad” 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone estrogen metabolite.7 One study found that DIM had the ability to decrease its production by 50 percent while increasing production of the “good” 2-hydroxyestrone metabolite by 75 percent. A placebo-controlled, double-blind study of women at increased risk for breast cancer found that four weeks of supplementation with I3C promoted favorable changes in the ratio of the two metabolites as measured in the urine. A pretty impressive feat, without side effects.
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I3C is released when these foods are chewed then converts to DIM by the action of stomach acid.8 Use of antacids therefore prevents this conversion.
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We’ve known since the 1970s that the composition of our microbiome impacts how estrogens are metabolized. These microbiota even have a name: the estrobolome. The estrobolome are beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal system that produce an essential enzyme that helps metabolize estrogen. The health of the estrobolome also affects one of the phase 2 liver detoxification pathways, glucuronidation, described in chapter 5. Glucuronidation is involved in the detoxification of xenoestrogens (synthetic or natural), human estrogens, drugs, chemical toxins, and more. Pathogenic bacteria in the intestines can produce an enzyme called β-glucuronidase that blocks this important estrogen detox process and allows partially metabolized hormones to be reabsorbed into the body. This causes all types of estrogens to accumulate and reach excessive levels. High levels of β-glucuronidase are also associated with an increased risk for various cancers, particularly hormone-dependent cancers such as breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Thankfully, there is a nutrition antidote. Calcium-D-glucarate is the calcium salt of D-glucaric acid and is found in many fruits and vegetables, at the highest concentrations in apples. Calcium-D-glucarate increases glucuronidation and inhibits β-glucuronidase. It therefore enhances the body’s ability to excrete estrogens and environmental toxins.
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When it comes to cancer, low progesterone is just as big a problem as high estrogen. One of the most significant studies of the relationship between low levels of natural progesterone and increased
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But what causes low progesterone? According to toxicology textbooks: chemical toxins, including pesticides.12
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you have spoken with your doctor, been tested, and determined that you do have a low progesterone level, then chasteberry tea might be worth considering.
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many SNPs have been identified as playing a role in estrogen metabolism and detoxification. For starters, the creation of the aromatase enzyme is made possible by the instructions contained in gene CYP19. When there are SNPs in this gene, estrogen production is altered. The CYP1 detox enzymes we discussed are also directly involved in the formation of estrogen metabolites and can cause the formation of more 16s than 2s. These CYP1 enzymes are also involved in the body’s ability to detox (which is why we always look at detox SNPs before starting any detoxification plan). Food
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However, for sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, serum-testing validity is limited. Here’s why: There are two types of hormones—bound and unbound. Approximately 95 percent of hormones are bound by proteins and are therefore not available for tissue use. The remaining 5 percent of hormones are unbound, remaining active and fully available for tissue use. Serum hormone testing doesn’t make the distinction between bound and free hormone levels, and results often show normal or high-normal results because of the inclusion of bound hormones. Therefore, to get the real picture, blood is not best. Saliva is better for evaluating estrogens and progesterone. Saliva tests measure free hormones, making this a more accurate measure than
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An advantage of urine hormone collection is the ability to measure hormone metabolites like 2- and 16-hydroxyestrone. This is especially important when evaluating the adequacy and safety of exogenous estrogen drugs. (There are many different testing companies, but Dr. Nasha generally prefers to run the Meridian Valley 24-Hour Urine Test, Diagnos-Techs saliva hormone test, and/or the DUTCH dried urine test. We suggest that you consult with your naturopathic oncologist about the most appropriate testing option for you.)
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note that there are excellent resources out there to learn more about EDCs, including the EWG, Safecosmetics.org, the Endocrine Disruption Exchange, and the Silent Spring Institute.
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TABLE 10.1. ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS, PRODUCTS OF ORIGIN, AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
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Note that these are called growth promoters because that is what hormones such as estrogen—and antibiotics—do: They make tissues grow! The hormones used in commercial animal production can make animals grow up to 50 percent faster. The approved hormones are estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and synthetic hormones, including the estrogen compound zeranol, the androgen trenbolone acetate, and progestin melengestrol acetate. The first synthetic estrogen used for this purpose, diethylstilbestrol (DES), was approved for use in beef cattle in 1940. An
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One of the most common ways to force greater milk production is with injection of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered artificial hormone. A Monsanto product, rBGH was approved by the FDA in 1993, but again, Canada and the European Union have banned its use in dairy cows due to its health risks both for humans and cows.
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These products have been found to also contain higher levels of IGF-1, the hormone that regulates insulin function and carbohydrate metabolism and also causes the pituitary gland to induce cell growth and replication. Many studies have found higher levels of IGF-1 associated with increased risk of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. The primary action of the breast cancer drug tamoxifen is to reduce blood IGF-1 levels, so we know how powerful its effects are. In fact, IGF-1 is widely considered the number one driver of “triple negative” cancers and most ovarian cancers. If you currently have a high IGF-1 level, your first step should be to stop eating commercially raised animals and dairy products.
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NuvaRing: A Deadly Choice? This sidebar is dedicated to Karen and Erika Langhart We’d like to honor a dear friend of Dr. Nasha’s, Karen Langhart. Karen’s daughter, Erika, was killed as a result of using the NuvaRing, which contains two kinds of female hormones: estrogen and etonogestrel (progestin). Erika had a double pulmonary embolism and died on Thanksgiving Day in 2011, which her doctors stated was a direct result of using this contraceptive. Sadly, Karen took her own life January 8, 2016, after a futile fight with the FDA trying to educate and empower the population on the dangers of these medications. The NuvaRing remains on the market. To learn more about Erika’s story, contraception choices, and more, visit their website at http://www.informedchoiceforamerika.com.
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Scores of research studies have found that phytoestrogens can help prevent and treat cancer through a number of different mechanisms, including: • Inducing apoptosis • Reducing the generation of “bad” estrogen metabolites • Exerting anti-angiogenic potential • Acting like natural SERMs • Enhancing the effectiveness of radiation treatment • Inhibiting tumor growth, invasion, and metastases • Inhibiting aromatase enzyme activity • Reducing resistance to anticancer drugs • Reducing cancer recurrence • Reducing the production of estrogen So what exactly are they? Phytoestrogens can be divided into five main categories: isoflavones, lignans, coumestans, flavonols, and stilbenes.24
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Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance In the realms of naturopathic nutrition and herbal medicine, seed cycling for hormone balance has been shown to be a helpful and natural approach for hormone balance in both men and women. The seed cycling protocol uses specific seeds during specific times of the month in order to balance estrogen and progesterone. A pumpkin-and-flaxseed combo during the first two weeks after the new moon (for men) or following menstruation (for women) helps detoxify the extra estrogen that occurs this time of the month. A sunflower-and-sesame combo used in the second half of the twenty-eight day cycle is rich in selenium, which promotes progesterone production. Here’s how seed cycling works: Days 1 through 14: Eat 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds and 1 tablespoon ground pumpkin seeds every day. Days 15 through 28: Eat 1 tablespoon ground sunflower seeds and 1 tablespoon ground sesame seeds every day. The seeds can be ground in a mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, or food processor and added to cold foods like smoothies or salads, or mixed with water. (See the recipe in chapter 13 under “Hormone Balance”). During the two-week follicular phase, avoid sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, and during the two-week luteal phase avoid flax and pumpkin. You can also add fish oil on Days 1 through 14 and evening primrose oil on Days 15 through 28 to further help balance fatty acids.
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Hormone Herbs: Rosemary and Thyme
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Rosemary’s unique blend of antioxidants—carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid—protect against the cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that form on meat when cooked at high temperatures. In fact, one study found that adding rosemary extract to hamburgers significantly decreased or even eliminated levels of HCAs.
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Stress is the most powerful carcinogen imaginable. It increases inflammation, spikes blood sugar, and disables the immune system. Metastasis is promoted when the body or mind is stressed, and so is angiogenesis. Yet chronic stress in its many forms—emotional, physical and chemical—is the norm of modern living.
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In truth, the sporadic stress our ancestors experienced was a foundational aspect of human evolution—a concept called hormesis, which also happens to be the foundational concept of homeopathic medicine. Hormesis is the idea that low exposures to an environmental stressor, such as a toxic plant, or a metabolic stressor, such as nutritional ketosis, can elicit a favorable biological response. But low-dose “good” stress is not the norm today.
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2015 meta-study of melatonin concluded that melatonin not only reduces the side effects of chemotherapy but is also effective at eliminating cancer cells.3 Unfortunately, our addiction to screens (TVs, computers, smartphones) has major suppressive effect on this chemopreventive hormone. Bright artificial lights suppress melatonin and are a Group 2B carcinogen.4 We are living far outside our natural circadian rhythm, the natural cycle of the human clock that stems from the Earth’s cycles.
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Cancer incidence, progression, and mortality are directly linked to stress and circadian rest and activity cycle disruption. A chronically stressed-out lifestyle that is out of sync with circadian rhythms (not sleeping, excess screen time, little outdoor time, and eating non-nutritive food out of season) causes disturbances to the pineal gland hormone melatonin and also to cortisol, which both bump up cancer risk exponentially. Chronic stress also causes insulin resistance, increases the production of IGF-1 and inflammation, weakens the immune system, alters the gut microbiota, and drives angiogenesis and metastasis.7 Think about it: Metastasis is like cancer’s version of the fight-or-flight response. Since stress influences neurochemical, hormonal, digestive, inflammatory, and immunological functioning and these changes all influence the carcinogenic process, it is not surprising that stress fuels tumor growth and dissemination.8 Specifically,
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Today, however, these physical and metabolic stressors have taken on a very different tone. For starters, over-exercising (think ultra marathons and endorphin junkies) cause both high oxidative stress and prolonged elevated cortisol. This type of exercise (or deliberate rush, like jumping out of an airplane) is not part of evolutionary stress.
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As parents, try not to force your children to eat if they are not hungry! Especially when they are sick. In fact, a 2016 study found that intermittent fasting inhibits the development and progression of the most common type of childhood leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL.14
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Lastly on the food-stressor front, nothing has contributed more to adrenal fatigue than the low-fat diet. The basic biochemical fact is that both stress and sex hormones are produced from cholesterol (just Google it!). The combination of insufficient cholesterol and chronic stress makes the body unable to create sex hormones.
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Just two nights of poor sleep can increase levels of IGF-1.16 Sleep deprivation also causes a decrease in leptin, known as the satiety hormone, and an increase in ghrelin, or the hunger hormone. In other words, not enough sleep stimulates the appetite, and this leads to increased
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ghrelin is associated with cancer progression, including proliferation, apoptosis, and cell invasion and migration.17 Not sleeping is straight-up carcinogenic, so why are so many of us having a hard time getting enough Z’s?
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Melatonin triggers tumor suppressor genes, suppresses tumor angiogenesis, and works as a powerful anticarcinogenic antioxidant that can cross the blood-brain barrier.19
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Dr. Nasha has recommended high-dose melatonin for oncology patients for several years—dosages as high as 20–40 milligrams a day—with great success. (Quick disclaimer: Melatonin is a hormone, and melatonin supplementation should be done under medical supervision as misuse can impair the function of other hormones.) Melatonin is emerging as a very powerful and nontoxic cancer therapy. There are hundreds of whitepapers on its mechanisms. Low-dose melatonin, between 0.5 and 3 milligrams a day, impacts sleep cycles, whereas doses above 10 milligrams—especially at levels of 20–40 milligrams daily—impact circadian cycles and angiogenesis, act as a natural aromatase inhibitor, enhance many chemotherapy agents, sensitize cancer cells to radiation while protecting the healthy cells, and protect from chemotherapy toxicity.22
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This ancient approach to health asserts that when life is not in accordance with these natural laws, imbalances such as cancer can ensue. They include the following: Breath and fresh air: We can live only three minutes without breathing. When many of us are stressed, our breathing becomes short and tense, impairing circulation. We are also exposed to many airborne toxins. Clean water and hydration: Without water, we can live only three to five days. Dehydration causes an overload of toxins in the body, and many of our water sources contain carcinogens. Most Americans are dehydrated. Sleep and normal biorhythms: Getting at least eight to ten hours of sleep between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is critical for several processes in the body. When sleep occurs outside those hours, it interrupts key systems. Studies have found humans can live without sleep for between eleven days and thirty months.23 Rest and recreation: Downtime encourages lowered cortisol levels. Play, as exemplified by children, creates happiness. Experiencing joy and happiness is critical for health. Sunlight: Until this past century, humans derived vitamin D from the sun. For much of our existence, the majority of days were spent outside. As we have shown, vitamin D has many critical anticancer actions. Solar, lunar, and life cycles: In the past, we changed our diets based on the time of year. We fasted and were in ketogenic states for much of the winter, with more abundance of carbohydrates in the summer. We have disrupted this system and no longer eat seasonally; enjoying pineapples in Minnesota in January is not normal! Exposure to natural forces and nature: Exposures to various temperatures, rain, and wind are good physiological stressors. We are meant to be hot in the spring and summer when we are filled with estrogen and cold in the winter when the carbohydrates are gone and insulin and estrogen levels decline. With furnaces and air conditioners we have broken this rhythm, and now our bodies live in a perpetual summer. Gaia theory (or Gaia principle): This theory asserts that humans interact with our organic surroundings on Earth to form a self-regulating, complex system that contributes to maintaining optimal conditions for life on the planet. This is evidenced by how our microbiome is populated and how it reacts to dietary intake. Nutrition and digestion: Without food for forty or so days, we die. Our genome and our entire body rely on nutrients from the diet, and we have radically altered its composition. As you can see, these health determinants are not well followed in the modern West.
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Labs to Assess Stress and Circadian Rhythm Imbalance One way to assess cortisol levels and circadian imbalance is to run an adrenal stress index (ASI) panel. This is a saliva test that looks at cortisol levels throughout the day along with other stress markers and gives an idea of the degree of cortisol dysregulation. Genetic assessments, in particular looking at the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which breaks down catecholamine hormones like estrogen and also cortisol, can be very important. A polymorphism in the gene for COMT has been linked to several mental disorders and certain cancers. Fortunately, magnesium and vitamin C support those with COMT SNPs!
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Several herbs act as adaptogens, but most notable are the fabulous five: ginseng, rhodiola, holy basil, ashwaganda, and licorice root. Not only do these herbs exert anti-stress effects, they also have extremely powerful effects on many of the cancer hallmarks, including the Warburg effect. For one, rhodiola has demonstrated antidepressant effects while supporting immune function and decreasing the growth of bladder cancer.33 The best part is that they can all be taken orally in the form of teas and tonics. We should all drink them on a daily basis!
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But you can harness the power of positive thinking to improve your response to treatments, or even achieve the spontaneous regression or remission that occurs in over 20 percent of all cancer cases without therapy.
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Biobehavioral oncologists have identified the habit of holding on to toxic emotions such as anger or hate at the top of the list. Additional characteristics have been grouped in what’s known as the type C personality, and include: • Being overly conscientious and responsible • Carrying others’ burdens • Poorly defined personal boundaries • Wanting to please other people • Needing approval • Internalizing toxic emotions, such as anger, resentment, and hostility, and difficulty expressing them • Having a low threshold for stress9 So how does one retire this personality?
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Assessing Emotions with Lab Tests Low thyroid function can be a primary cause of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. A thyroid panel that also checks thyroid antibodies is always a good idea. By now you know that we highly recommend a genetic assessment to see about SNPs like MTHFR or the vitamin D receptor, especially when it comes to mood imbalances. Finally, because of the high prevalence of celiac disease and its relation to depression, we suggest talking to your doctor about testing for that. We’ve found that Cyrex Laboratories offers the most comprehensive celiac test we’ve seen to date.
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Vitamin B6 is required for the production of dopamine, serotonin, and an amino acid neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA promotes relaxation and reduces stress and anxiety.
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On a biological level, cannabinoids exert the induction of apoptosis in tumor cells and show an antimetastatic effect through inhibition of angiogenesis and tumor cell migration.20
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THC activates the CB1 site and is what causes the psychoactive (high) symptoms most associated with cannabis use. Clinically, it is most notable for its pain modulation and antinausea effects without the side effects associated with narcotics. And, more important, it does not seem to have the same proliferative effect as opiates. The opioid drugs used to relieve pain in postoperative and in chronic cancer patients have actually been found in multiple studies to stimulate the growth and spread of tumors.22
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Enter cannabidiol (CBD), which is the second most common cannabinoid and has little to no psychotropic activity, but does have rather powerful anti-inflammatory ones. The CB2 receptors in the immune system, with the highest concentration in the spleen, are the ones that are activated by CBD. CBD has been found to potently and selectively inhibit the growth of different cancers, including breast, brain, lung, and colon.23 The studies proving its efficacy as a cancer treatment and benefits for relieving side effects number in the thousands.
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For psychological imbalances, CBD-dominant remedies can offer the most benefit for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. But it bears mentioning that just as we each have our unique microbiome and epigenetic fingerprints, so do we each have an entirely unique endocannabinoid fingerprint. This means finding the correct ratio may take some experimentation and guidance from a clinical cannabis expert. Project CBD can be a helpful resource.
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