Add Spices to Meat Helps Cut Cancer Risk

NB from herbalYODA: Adele Davis always suggested cooking meat at 300 degrees F and that was in the 1940s!
UPDATE: 5/31/10 - "Spices top the list of foods rich in antioxidants, explained Marianne Gillette, a vice president at McCormick & Company, whose background is in experimental taste research. One half teaspoon of ground cinnamon has as many antioxidants as a half cup of blueberries; a half teaspoon of dried oregano rivals three cups of raw spinach." Complete article

Spicing up red meat doesn’t just add oomph to hamburgers on the grill.
By Catherine Donaldson-Evans. 5/24/10

A new study suggests that when sprinkled on ground beef during cooking, spices like cumin, tumeric and rosemary help lower its cancer-causing carcinogens.

Lead author J. Scott Smith, a food chemistry professor at Kansas State University, has for years been working on methods to cut the amount of carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines, or HCAs, found in barbecued ground beef patties and other so-called “muscle foods.”

HCAs are produced when the meat is either grilled, barbecued, fried or boiled. Eating it means ingesting the dangerous compounds, which have been linked to increased risk of cancers of the stomach, lung, prostate, mammary glands, colon, rectum and pancreas, according to a news release.

In research backed by the Food Safety Consortium, Smith found that some spices containing antioxidants can reduce the levels of HCAs in ground beef patties by about 40 percent — if they’re added during cooking. “Cooked beef tends to develop more HCAs than other kinds of cooked meats such as pork and chicken,” Smith said in a statement. “Cooked beef patties appear to be the cooked meat with the highest mutagenic activity and may be the most important source of HCAs in the human diet.” Smith didn’t immediately return requests for comment from AOL Health.

Prior research he has done showed that rosemary extracts for sale online can stop HCAs from developing by 61 to 79 percent, and Thai spices can block the compounds by 40 to 43 percent.

Other studies indicate that meat cooked for fewer than four minutes in temperatures under 352 degrees Fahrenheit had low levels of HCAs, levels of which seem to increase as cooking temperatures and times rise.

The spices with antioxidants can block the HCAs before they even form during the heating process, but still allow for higher temperatures. In addition to cumin, coriander seeds, rosemary and tumeric, Smith also says he saw the same benefits in fingerroot and galangal.

The highest levels of antioxidant activity were found in tumeric, rosemary and fingerroot, with rosemary being the most effective at inhibiting HCA production, the study found.

Smith said he plans more studies on the potential benefits of marinades and powders when added to cooked beef patties.

More on Meat and Your Health: Well-Done Meats Increase Bladder Cancer Risk
Study Suggests Adding Spices to Meat Cuts Cancer Risk - AOL Health

Good News Today for Natural Health Care Advocates

UPDATE: 21 APRIL 2010 -
YOUR CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH IS OUR GOAL

10 Spices That Heal Cancer, Diabetes & More
Written by Dr. Sanjeev Sood

There's good reason to season: Doctors and dietitians agree that your spice rack can be just as essential as your medicine cabinet when it comes to preventing and treating disease. Research consistently shows that many spices and herbs have medicinal qualities and can help prevent everything from cancer to the common cold. Here are ten picks, plus easy ways to work them into your diet.
1. Cumin: Prevents Cancer
How it works: It's no surprise to many spice researchers that cancer rates are lower in India, where cumin is a diet staple. Studies show that the curcumin in this spice inhibits the enzymes that help cancer cells invade healthy tissue and also keeps tumours from developing the new blood vessels that help them grow.
Try to get: 6 teaspoons of seeds or 1/2 teaspoon of powder a day.
Use it: Toss a bowl of root veggies, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, cauliflower, and turnips, with olive oil and 1 teaspoon cumin powder. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender, and add salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro to taste before serving.
2. Ginger: Calms Nausea
How it works: Chinese medical texts dating back to the fourth century BC taught ginger's anti-nausea properties, and modern clinical studies offer scientific proof that substance in ginger shuts down a nerve receptor in the body that triggers the vomiting reflex.
Try to get: Juice from 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger four times a day.
Use it: Add 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger and a few drops of toasted sesame oil to your usual tuna salad recipe for an Asian-style flavour.
3. Basil: Combats Colds
How it works: Basil is rich in antioxidants, which help boost immunity. It's also an antimicrobial, which fights the germs that can cause colds.
Try to get: 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.
Use it: Toss 1 tablespoon chopped basil into a shrimp stir-fry during the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking. Or slice strawberries, toss with honey, and set aside for 15 minutes until juicy. Then top with a few tablespoons of finely chopped basil.
4. Cinnamon: Fights Diabetes
How it works: People with type-2 diabetes have difficulty processing insulin, the hormone that tells cells to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream. But studies show that cinnamon contains a substance that can help cells respond to insulin. The result? A reduction of blood sugar levels by an average of 18 percent to 29 percent, according to a recent Pakistani study.
Try to get: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (or one stick) a day.
Use it: Mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into 2 tablespoons peanut butter, and spread over apple slices.
5. Rosemary: Improves Memory
How it works: “There's rosemary, that's for remembrance,” Ophelia said to Hamlet more than 400 years ago. Today, a variety of studies back up Ophelia's claim. The ursolic acid in rosemary inhibits the breakdown of a neurotransmitter essential for memory.
Try to get: 1 to 2 teaspoons a day. USE IT: Make a rosemary-infused simple syrup by mixing 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 sprigs rosemary. Bring to a boil so sugar dissolves, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle over a fall fruit salad of chopped apples, pears, and red grapes. Use 1 cup syrup to 4 cups fruit.
6. Garlic: Reduces Cholesterol
How it works: Although researchers disagree about how effective garlic really is at lowering cholesterol, a review of several studies conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute found that people who took garlic for three months had a 6 percent to 11 percent reduction in total cholesterol. Because garlic is an antioxidant, it may prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the arteries.
Try to get: 3 to 5 crushed cloves a day.
Use it: Roast up to 5 garlic cloves, and add to homemade hummus before pureeing.
7. Nutmeg: Lowers Blood Pressure
How it works: “Warming spices” like nutmeg can bring blood from the centre of the body to the skin. This helps disperse the blood more evenly throughout the body, reducing overall pressure.
Try to get: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon a day.
Use it: Steam 1 head of broccoli and one potato until soft, and then puree with 1/4 cup butter and 4 to 5 gratings of fresh nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
8. Cloves: Helps Arthritis Pain
How it works: According to Chinese medicine, cloves have hot and moving properties that relieve arthritis pain caused by cold and stagnation. Cloves contain a phytochemical that interrupts the pathways of a protein complex in the body that's been linked to inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Try to get: 1/2 teaspoon a day.
Use it: Saute 1 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped), 1 clove garlic (crushed), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil. After 3 minutes, add 4 cups shredded rhubarb chard, and fry until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with chicken or fish.
9. Turmeric: Curbs Inflammation
How it works: An ancient spice that gives curry its deep golden-orange color, turmeric reduces the inflammation in the body that causes pain. Curcumin, a component in turmeric, inhibits cell enzymes that contribute to inflammation. Try to get: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon a day.
Use it: Add a dash to organic canned soups, such as tomato, lentil, or black bean varieties.
10. Thyme: Eases Cough
How it works: Thyme is an antispasmodic, which helps with bouts of nonstop coughing. Thyme's antiseptic properties also make it very effective against inflammation of the throat, which can cause coughing.
Try to get: 2 to 3 teaspoons a day.
Use it: For a simple vinaigrette, whisk together 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Dr. Sanjeev Sood is Prof. & Head of Panchakarma Department, Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar

ORIGINAL POST DATE - 8/16/06
Today the courts ruled in favor of Abraham Cherrix, the 16 year old young man of courage. Abraham and his family have been fighting unwarranted abuse and attempts of the state to force him to take standard cancer treatments against his will.
Abraham was utilizing the Hoxsey Therapy that most news outlets report as not effective. The truth of the Hoxsey Therapy that you will not read in mainstream
media, or hear from the American Cancer Society, is that it was very effective against cancer.
However, in the 1960s, because it was so effective, the medical mafia forced Hoxsey out of business. His clinic was relocated to Mexico.
Hoxsey Therapy, a proven combination of herbs, has been associated in the death of Steve McQueen. McQueen was appaently using a different nutritional therapy (this therapy is still in use and was proven in a clinical study at a major east coast university based medical school as 83% effective in curing cancer)and had recovered, only to be killed. His death was associated with the natural therapy, and not actual events, in an effort to discredit non-conventional cancer treatment.

Also consider that it has been repeatedly reported outside US media about the excessively low levels of vitamin C in people receiveing chemo for various cancers, yet IV vitamin C therapy for cancer is denigrated.

And they tell us that pregnant women can receive chemo for breast cancer. What we don't hear is the longterm effect on the fetus, and the outcomes once the baby is delivered and as the child grows....

And in other news we learn just how effective chemotherapy is -

Chemo harms more breast cancer patients
By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer/Tue Aug 15

Younger breast cancer patients seem to suffer more serious side effects from chemotherapy than previously thought. Roughly one in six of those women wind up at the emergency room or hospitalized because of such side effects as infection, low blood counts, dehydration or nausea, researchers reported Tuesday.

Some of the side effects occurred at rates three to four times higher than earlier research had predicted.

Tuesday's study marks the first attempt to assess the real-world risks of chemotherapy for some 35,000 breast cancer patients under age 64 who get the drugs each year.

Most side-effect information comes from clinical trials of medications that can underestimate toxicity. Those trials are designed to prove if the drugs fight cancer and therefore should be sold, and they tend to enroll only the best candidates instead of women who might be particularly sensitive to side effects.

Adding to that conundrum: Many breast cancer patients don't need chemotherapy in the first place; surgery, radiation and hormone treatment are enough. But doctors don't always have an easy way to tell who would benefit from chemo on top of all that.

And for women in the to-treat-or-not gray zone, age sometimes is the deciding factor — because those under 64 are thought to tolerate chemotherapy better than older women.

"We don't believe our study is saying that chemotherapy is not helpful," stressed Dr. Michael Hassett of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who led the research, published in Tuesday's Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

But, "we've been struggling as a professional community to understand which women benefit from chemotherapy," he added.

If a woman knows how often she is likely to be admitted to the hospital, it may help her decide whether to gamble on the drugs or skip them, he explained.

Hassett and colleagues culled a massive database of insurance claims to study how often breast cancer patients under 64 wound up at the hospital in the year after diagnosis, and how often some leading chemotherapy side effects were blamed.

A total of 16 percent of chemo recipients received either emergency room care or hospitalization for those side effects. Most common: infection and fever, afflicting 8 percent of the patients. That's not a high number — but it is four times what previous clinical trials had predicted, the researchers reported.

Moreover, 61 percent of the chemo recipients had an ER visit or hospitalization for some reason — not just a chemotherapy-related side effect — compared with 42 percent of breast cancer patients not on the drugs. The study couldn't explain the difference.

"The study highlights the importance of studying how drugs affect people in everyday medical care" so they can "make informed decisions about the risks and benefits of their treatment options," said Dr. Carolyn Clancy, director of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which funded the work.

Better understanding of the risks is especially important for those patients who choose chemo despite a good prognosis, when it may increase their chances of survival by less than 5 percent, Dr. Joseph Lau of the Tufts-New England Medical Center wrote in an accompanying editorial.

The extra care of course meant extra medical bills. Hassett estimated that serious chemo side effects could cost health plans up to $45 million a year.

for more information see

Also, consider that those people taking radiation are subjected to outcomes that can lead to congestive heart failure, total thyroid ablation, immune system failure and other cancers.

Pink Lid Parade is on the way

October is coming quickly and once again we'll see the pundits roll out the Pink Parade to help you believe you are really contributing to the "cure". Of course you should know by now this is just a campaign to allow scientists to continue chasing down paths that fail to offer a cure.

To help alert you to important issues in women's health, breast health and options for cancer, related articles till be tagged with the pink lid.

Remember, cures and better care along with better screening is already available, you just aren't getting the message from standard venues.


Breast cancer drugs raise blood clot risk

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Drugs used to lower the risk of breast cancer in women have the side effect of increasing the likelihood of blood clots, researchers in Oregon say.

The study, published in the current issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, examined the effects of tamoxifen, raloxifene and tibolone reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer by 30 percent to 68 percent. But it also found tamoxifen and raloxifene increase the chance of blood clots by 60 percent to 90 percent, and that tiboline, which is not on the U.S. market, is associated with strokes in women over 70.

"They did differ on the harm side. That's important to know," said Dr. Heidi D. Nelson, a research professor at Oregon Health & Science University who was the lead author.

See also

Tumors fueled, in part, by free radicals

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- The growth of cancerous tumors is fueled, in part, by the buildup of free radicals, or oxygen-containing molecules, U.S. researchers say.

Chemical biologist Kate Carroll of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and colleagues say their method monitors an early tip-off of oxidative stress -- sulfenic acid in proteins produced when the oxidant hydrogen peroxide reacts with the protein building block cysteine.

The researchers managed to use a chemical probe to "trap" the small, transient, hard-to-detect sulfenic acid and tag it for recognition with a fluorescence microscope in a panel of breast cancer cell lines.

"For each line, we saw a very distinct pattern of sulfenic acid modifications, indicating different oxidative stress levels and hinting at differences in the underlying molecular events associated with tumor growth," Carroll, the study leader, said in a statement.

"Whether the patterns we see will correlate with response to anti-oxidant treatment or other therapies that modulate oxidative stress level remains to be seen, but now we at least have a way to investigate that question."

The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.