Eating Healthy With Herbs and Spices

Look in your spice rack for some powerful powders that have been compared to some of today's cancer-fighting drugs. Healing herbs and smart spices have been valued for ages, both for their flavor, color, and medicinal properties. These plants and their phytonutrients have left an impact on cultures and beliefs (one was said to prevent nightmares; another was an object of worship). You can add these herbs and spices to your dishes to help fight and prevent breast cancer. Each herb and spice is listed below, with its anticancer compound. "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." – Hippocrates Turmeric (Curcumin) Turmeric is a yellow powder made from the plant Curcuma longa , and is a venerable ingredient in yellow curry . Most Asian or Middle Eastern kitchens will have a supply of turmeric on hand. Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for about 5,000 years. Very solid science shows that curcumin has antioxidant , anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer powers, and thus has potential in helping fight a host of malignant diseases. In one lab study, breast cancer tumors and metastasis were reduced with a dietary dose of curcumin, even on tumors that resisted treatment with Taxol . When mixed with black pepper and olive oil, your body absorbs curcumin two thousand times better than if you take turmeric capsules. Labiates - Leafy Herbs (Terpene) Labiates include mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil, which are often used as garnish or flavoring for vegetable and meat dishes . Fresh leaves of these herbs have a noticeable fragrance, thanks to fatty acids of terpenes, a substance that works on tumors by encouraging cancer cells to kill themselves. In England, during the 1500s, it was thought that putting clippings of rosemary under your bed would keep away bad dreams. Modern research found that when a rosemary terpene –- carnosol -- was given along with Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and Velban (vinblastine) chemotherapy, breast cancer cells began to absorb the chemo that they had previously resisted. The terpene helped to reduce the spread of cancer cells, or caused their death. Apiums (Apigenine) Apiums include parsley ( apium petroselinum ) and wild celery ( apium graveolens ), which often show up in salads and stews, giving color and texture to meat and vegetables dishes. Parsley, now most commonly seen sprinkled as a garnish, was used in ancient Greece to crown victors at the Isthmian games ; it was also thought to have power tocure people and animals from the effects of poison. Maybe it got its reputation because it can almost vanquish the powerful fragrance of garlic . Parsley contains apigenine, an oil that can inhibit angiogenesis -- the growth of blood vessels that supply tumors with nutrients. When apigenine from parsley or celery cuts off the blood supply of a tumor, it acts similarto the targeted biologic drug Avastin . Ginger (Gingerol) Ginger is a rhizome that is related to turmeric.Ground ginger has been used in western andEuropean cooking since the time of the Roman Empire; in Asia and India, it is more commonly used fresh and used as a natural treatment for nausea and motion-sickness. Ineither form, ginger has a hot, pungent taste that works as a good contrast to sweet flavors in desserts and main dishes . Gingerol has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory,and anti-tumor powers. In some studies, gingerol inhibited tumor angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels leading to the tumor), and seemed to reduce metastasis of cancer cells. Gingerol also acts as an antioxidant, scavenging free radicals that might otherwise cause cell damage. Herbs Are Enhancement, Not Replacement, for Treatment There are many more herbs and spices that contain anticarcinogenic compounds. These are just a few that may be in your everyday spice rack, or growing in your garden. While they do have powerful effects on your health,don't take these instead of standard treatments for breast cancer. You will get the most benefit from fresh herbs and spices, rather than nutritional supplements. Let your doctor know if you start using larger than average amounts of these plants, since that may affect the effectiveness of your treatment or pose related side effects.